The Closet and the Cul-de-Sac: The Politics of Sexual Privacy in Northern California

The right to privacy has been a significant concept in American cultural politics, originating from ambivalent moderates who valued personal freedom and social norms. Clayton Howard's book "The Closet and the Cul-de-Sac" chronicles the rise of sexual privacy as a fulcrum of American cultural politics, beginning in the 1940s when public officials promoted heterosexuality and made sexual privacy one of the state's key promises to its citizens.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 392 pages
Publication date: 03 April 2023
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

The right to privacy is a fundamental concept that has played a significant role in the culture wars that have dominated American politics for several decades. It has become a focal point for a wide range of political issues, including abortion, gay liberation, and sex education. While this notion of privacy has its roots in legal arguments and political movements on both the left and the right, it also stems from the ambivalent perspectives of moderates who value both personal freedom and the preservation of social norms.

In his book "The Closet and the Cul-de-Sac," Clayton Howard explores the rise of sexual privacy as a central aspect of American cultural politics. Beginning in the 1940s, public officials pursued an agenda that aimed to promote heterosexuality while simultaneously ensuring sexual privacy for citizens. This was evident in policies such as the 1944 G.I. Bill, which excluded gay veterans and provided housing benefits to married ones. At the same time, officials mandated secluded bedrooms in new suburban homes and launched educational campaigns to teach children about respecting parents' privacy.

Over the subsequent decades, these measures helped to concentrate middle-class families in the suburbs and gay men and lesbians in cities. In the 1960s and 1970s, the gay rights movement used privacy as a tool to challenge repressive antigay laws, while social conservatives criticized tolerance for LGBTQ+ individuals as an invasion of their own privacy. Many self-identified moderates, however, employed similar rhetoric to distance themselves from both the discriminatory language of the religious right and the perceived excesses of the gay freedom struggle.

Howard uses the Bay Area as a case study to examine how these moderates played a pivotal role in postwar American politics. He highlights how the region's burgeoning suburbs reacted to the increasing diversity and challenges posed by the LGBTQ+ community. By examining the experiences of these moderates, Howard sheds light on the complex dynamics of privacy, sexuality, and social change in the United States.

The right to privacy is a multifaceted and contentious issue that continues to shape American society. While it has been a rallying point for political movements on both the left and the right, it is also rooted in the nuanced perspectives of moderates who value personal freedom and social norms. By exploring the history and evolution of sexual privacy, Clayton Howard's book "The Closet and the Cul-de-Sac" provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of American cultural politics.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781512824742