The underground
Because of the hatred and closed-minded opinions that dominated the conversation about homosexuality throughout American history, the gay community in New York was often mistreated. It was literally illegal to be identified as a homosexual, so the people of that community were forced to be in relationship in any way they could, often in covert places, in an underground culture. This imagery is both historically accurate and painful, because it is evidence of cultural hatred accepted on a mass scale.
Oppression
The unfortunate reality for the gay community was and is that gay people face oppression and persecution all the time, typically in ways that are baffling and sad. For instance, it was illegal to be gay, even though that isn't how sexual orientation works. Why would someone intentionally choose this ostracism and pain for themselves? The book explains that the issue of marriage continued to be an issue (until the very recent past), and the legal protection of the gay community took a long time to secure.
Hate and misinformation
Because of the historical opinion of homosexuality in the mainstream culture, where it was typically regarded with hostility and hatred, the conversation about homosexuality has been darkened by the intentional smear campaigns against the community when people intentionally spread hateful narratives about homosexuality that were not true. Chauncey mentions many, but one of the most painful was that gay people are inherently pedophiles and monsters. This hateful idea is still present in the modern conversation about gay people, since there are countless homophobes still today.
Human dignity
Although the conversation about homosexuality and the gay community typically revolved around demonizing the gay people, another important imagery emerges. Is this a tolerable way to treat human beings? The question of hatred raises the silent imagery of human dignity, because suddenly, the reader must consider what life is like from other points of view. The truth of the historical mistreatment of the gay community is proof that if we are to treat each other with human dignity, we have to work hard to understand the world through other points of view. The imagery points toward empathy and awakening.
