becomes a widespread cultural and psychological phenomenon. In 2005 he published Gore Vidal's America, a study of US author Gore Vidal's writings on history, politics, sex, and religion (Vidal, 2005). Altman has delivered speeches on the topic of sexual liberation. One of his most notable speeches was delivered during the first Gay Liberation Group meeting at the University of Sydney on 19 January 1972. It was called 'Human beings can be much more than they have allowed themselves to be'. In 1997 Altman wrote an essay, "Global gaze/global gays", in which he proposes that there are cultural connections between homosexuals in different countries and there is a nascent global gay culture. In his preface to The City and the Pillar, Gore Vidal writes that Altman brought the book back with him but it was seized at Sydney Airport and subsequently declared obscene by a judge who observed that the Australian obscenity law was "absurd", thus leading to it being repealed sometime later. In March 2013 Altman wrote about the death of his partner of 22 years, Anthony Smith, who died from lung cancer in November 2012. Publications References External links The Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives holds a small collection of personal papers donated by Dennis Altman. Professor Dennis Altman, La Trobe University staff page Institute for Human Security List of opinion pieces by Professor Altman and present appointment at La Trobe What Kevin Rudd should tell the Pope Opinion piece by Dennis Altman on the La Trobe University website The Olympic spirit? It's a simple, shared global experience Opinion piece by Dennis Altman on the La Trobe University website US Election 2008: Knife-edge race now favours McCain Opinion piece by Dennis Altman on the La Trobe University website An excerpt from Altman's book Global Sex "Life after Anthony", Sydney Morning Herald, 9 March 2013. 1943 births 21st-century LGBT people Australian Jews Cornell University alumni Gay academics Harvard University faculty Gay Jews Australian LGBT rights activists Australian gay writers La Trobe University faculty Living people Fulbright alumni