In Gay New York George unravels and explains the history of the gay’s, especially in New York and how it has unfolded and expanded. He begins from how it was before World War II, a time without high technology and media. Gay people could not contact each other and often felt alone without knowing that others were in the same box as them. Because of homophobia and hate, the societies of the gay people became depressed and underdeveloped. There are three myths that are explained and explored, and this is what the first myth is based on.
In reality, even though they didn’t have means to contact each other’s, the gay community was very vibrant and easy to slide in to, even so early in history. Chauncey touches on the subject of the gay rights movement, and how so many people banded together in 1969, which shows that they have to have had a lot of contact and strength within each other before they started the campaign. It also shows that they weren’t a separate part of the society, but usually embrace as they were most well-functioning and serious. Their rights have been compared to those of the blacks even earlier in history.
On the other side, some gay people internalized their beliefs on how gay people are and act, according to mainstream media in those days such as plays, books and songs. They were called pedophiles, immoral and only focused on sex instead on human life. This “internalization” of beliefs and making of who oneself is, was the last myth Chauncey confronted.
