Suffering Sappho!: Lesbian Camp in American Popular Culture

In postwar America, an obsession with managing gender and female sexuality spread their campy manifestations throughout mainstream culture, leading to the creation of five prototypical queer icons: the sicko, the monster, the spinster, the Amazon, and the rebel. Suffering Sappho! offers the first major consideration of lesbian camp in American popular culture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 246 pages
Publication date: 10 November 2023
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

In a frantic and panicked state, Wonder Woman desperately rushes through the city skyline, desperately pleading with Steve to halt her. A twisted queen of sorority row, driven by her own queer shame, crashes her convertible in an attempt to escape the societal pressures that weigh upon her. A suave butch emcee takes center stage, introducing the glamorous and feathered stars of the most celebrated drag revue of the era. These startling figures, emerging in an unsettled and retrenching postwar America, betrayed the failure of promised consensus and the pursuit of conformity. However, they could also be cruel, painful, and disciplinary jokes. It becomes evident that an obsession with managing gender and female sexuality after the war would hardly confine these campy manifestations. Instead, it spread their campy manifestations throughout mainstream culture.

Suffering Sappho! offers a groundbreaking exploration of lesbian camp in American popular culture, delving into a larger-than-life lesbian menace that permeates various midcentury media forms. Through the pages of comics, sensational pulp fiction, television dramas, and drive-in movies, Barbara Jane Brickman uncovers a rich tapestry of evidence, revealing not just campy sexual deviants but also troubling female performers whose failures could be epic yet hold a subversive potential that inspires.

Within this captivating narrative, Brickman identifies five prototypical queer icons that emerge from the world of lesbian camp. These icons include the "sicko," the "monster," the "spinster," the "Amazon," and the "rebel." Each of these figures represents a distinct aspect of lesbian identity and experiences, reflecting the complexities and contradictions of a society grappling with gender and sexuality.

The "sicko" is a figure who revels in their unconventional sexual desires and practices, often defying societal norms and expectations. They are portrayed as deviant, perverse, and sometimes even dangerous, but their unapologetic embrace of their sexuality offers a subversive challenge to the dominant heterosexual narrative. The "monster" is a creature who embodies the fears and anxieties surrounding homosexuality, often depicted as monstrous, grotesque, or predatory. However, these representations can also be seen as a commentary on the societal fears and prejudices that marginalized LGBTQ+ individuals during this period. The "spinster" is a woman who remains unmarried or childless, often portrayed as lonely, sad, or desperate. However, the spinster's refusal to conform to societal expectations of femininity and marriage offers a critique of the patriarchal structures that constrained women's lives. The "Amazon" is a powerful and independent woman who defies traditional gender roles and expectations. She is often depicted as a warrior, athlete, or adventurer, challenging the notion that women are solely meant to be subservient to men. The "rebel" is a figure who rejects societal norms and expectations, often advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. They are portrayed as rebellious, defiant, and sometimes even dangerous, but their unwavering commitment to social justice offers a powerful message of resistance and empowerment.

Through her meticulous research and analysis, Brickman demonstrates how these queer icons were deployed in various media forms to convey messages of gender and sexuality. She explores how campy representations of lesbians were used to subvert traditional narratives, challenge societal norms, and provide a space for marginalized voices to be heard. Suffering Sappho! offers a valuable contribution to the study of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and media, shedding light on the complex and multifaceted ways in which campy representations shaped the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals during a period of significant social change.

In addition to its scholarly significance, Suffering Sappho! is also a visually captivating work. Brickman includes supplemental images that further enhance the reader's understanding of the lesbian camp phenomenon. These images, drawn from a range of sources, including comics, pulp fiction, and television, provide a visual representation of the characters and themes explored in the book. They offer a glimpse into the world of midcentury media, where campy representations of lesbians were a common feature, and help to bring the historical context to life.

Overall, Suffering Sappho! is a must-read for anyone interested in the history, culture, and media of LGBTQ+ communities. It offers a fresh and insightful perspective on the world of lesbian camp, challenging traditional narratives and providing a space for marginalized voices to be heard. Through its meticulous research, engaging analysis, and visually captivating supplemental images, Brickman has created a valuable contribution to the field of LGBTQ+ studies that will be of interest to scholars, students, and enthusiasts alike.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 235 x 156 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978828261