Exploring the intersection of queerness and radical politics, this work reveals how, well before Stonewall, a diverse group of sexual dissidents engaged in leftist movements, motivated by their experiences of marginalization and the class inequalities exacerbated by the Great Depression. Witnessing the era's bread lines and riots, they participated in radical labor organizing, supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, opposed police harassment, fought racial discrimination, and allied with the dispossessed. Regardless of their sexual orientation, these individuals brought sexual dissidence into dialogue with radicalism during the Left's peak influence in American culture. Through extensive archival research and analysis of art and literature, the author examines the relationship between homosexuality and the Left in America from 1920 to 1960. A vibrant cast of activists, artists, and writers is highlighted, showcasing progressive engagement with homosexuality among radicals and the poor. The text connects sexual dissidence to radical gender politics, antiracism, and challenges to censorship, laying the groundwork for a movement that shaped new political identities. Ultimately, it addresses crucial questions about socialism, sexuality, and the ongoing tensions between leftist and identity politics, presenting a dynamic narrative of shared struggles for liberation throughout the twentieth century.
