Homosexuality and Civilization (review)
Gary P. Leupp
Reviewed by: Homosexuality and Civilization Gary P. Leupp Civilization. By Louis Crompton. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2003. 623 pp. $35.00 (cloth). This exquisitely weighty tome is less comprehensive than its name suggests. It gives little attention to ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia homosexuality within Islamic civilization, except in passing the section on Arab Spain (pp. 161–172); virtually ignores South Asia grounds that "Hindu teachings sex still remain largely unexplored" (p. 213); devotes only seven pages 314–320) New World peoples (mostly Caribs Mayans, with slight allusion Inca) from eyes of Conquistadores. Concluding curiously year 1810 (when Napoleonic Code lifted longstanding anti-sodomy laws), it colonial North America. not a world history same-sex relations, but rather preindustrial Europe, interrupted by comparative chapters China Japan an occasional foray into Persia, which throw long, sad saga Western homophobia sharp relief. Within parameters, however, work succeeds wonderfully. Crompton begins Greece, building upon Kenneth Dover's Greek (1978) covering far wider range literary legal material. A short second chapter deals Judea followed four Greco-Roman through rise Christianity persecutions Justinian. Chapter 6 ("Darkness Descends") traces development Visigothic Carolingian Empire, detour tolerant Spain; late medieval where sodomy high places was alternately celebrated poetry punished castration stake. We shift then, abruptly, Imperial China, encountering [End Page 522] "unselfconscious acceptance relations" 500 B.C.E. nineteenth century 215). 9 looks at Italy during Renaissance, man-boy relationships were widely evidence figured prominently arts. Widely condemned, they inconsistently punished. contrast, early modern (the subject 10) Inquisition allowed no liberalization homophobia. 11 addresses France, wherein Calvinism coexisted homo-friendly courts—finally, some rays light. Then Tudor-Stuart England, more courts homoerotic religious intolerance. 13 shifts 800 1868, male even accepted especially among samurai. 14 returns us Europe brief period 1700– 1730, when gay subcultures emerged England Netherlands, movements state authority sought cruelly suppress them. 15, one specifically lesbianism, "sapphic lovers" 1700 execution possibly bisexual) Marie Antoinette 1793. The final examines discourse Enlightenment, rooted reason religion, culminating French Revolution swept aside antisodomy laws 533). very conclusion follows. filled insights, challenges conventional wisdom (Crompton argues Plato, others, recognized as something people were, merely what did), such pithy observations "The spread slavery [in Rome] had paradoxical effect, preventing any general prohibition against per se taking root casting special stigma passive partner Romans idealizing passion Greeks had" 80). offers plausible thesis—contra John Boswell's Christianity, Social Tolerance, Homosexuality: Gay People Beginning Christian Era Fourteenth Century (Chicago: Chicago 1980)—that classical forms homosexual desire behavior, comparable tolerance found Japan, fell victim soon new faith legitimized Roman Empire. Indeed, thesis operative throughout Judean set down Leviticus 20:13, harshly promoted Jewish philosopher Philo 43–46), made way nascent via St. Paul (Romans 1...
Journal of World History