Uniform Fantasies: Soldiers, Sex, and Queer Emancipation in Imperial Germany

In the 19th century, military uniforms in Germany sparked queer male fantasies, leading to an underground sexual economy and a political project for queer emancipation. However, scandals in the early 20th century derailed this project. Public debates invoked homosexuality, sadism, transvestism, and other sexological concepts to criticize military policies and practices. Jeffrey Schneider's book "Uniform Fantasies" explores these debates, offering fresh perspectives on military secrecy, disciplinary abuses, and German militarism, particularly concerning outing closeted homosexuals, the presence of gay men in the military, and men in uniform's sexual identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 344 pages
Publication date: 03 August 2023
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

In the nineteenth century, Germany witnessed the emergence of vibrant military uniforms that sparked a range of queer male fantasies, leading to the establishment of an underground sexual economy centered around male prostitution. This phenomenon also served as a political initiative aimed at leveraging the prestige of the army to advocate for queer emancipation. However, the early twentieth century brought about a series of scandals that derailed this emancipatory project. At the same time, public discussions began to incorporate homosexuality, sadism, transvestism, and other sexological concepts to critique military policies and practices. In his insightful book, "Uniform Fantasies," Jeffrey Schneider delves into the intricate threads woven by queer authors and activists to shape their imaginative narratives about uniforms. By exploring a vast array of materials, including sexological case studies, trial transcripts, parliamentary debates, queer activist tracts, autobiographies, and literary texts, Schneider offers fresh perspectives on critical debates surrounding military secrecy, disciplinary abuses within the army, and German militarism. Through his meticulous research, Schneider uncovers a contemporary set of concerns that pertain to outing closeted homosexuals, the presence of gay men in the military, and the perception of men in uniform regarding their sexual identity. This book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex interplay between sexuality, military culture, and societal attitudes toward gender and sexuality during this transformative period in history.

Weight: 520g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781487549619