Indecent Advances

A Hidden History of True Crime and Prejudice Before Stonewall

By: James Polchin

Narrated by: Michael Crouch

A skillful hybrid of true crime and social history that examines the relationship between the media and popular culture in the portrayal of crimes against gay men in the decades before Stonewall.

Stories of murder have never been just about killers and victims. Instead, crime stories take the shape of their times and reflect cultural notions and prejudices. In Indecent Advances, James Polchin recovers and recounts queer stories from the crime pages - often lurid and euphemistic - that reveal the hidden history of violence against gay men.

What was left unsaid in the crime pages provides insight into the figure of the queer man as both criminal and victim, offering readers tales of vice and violence that aligned gender and sexual deviance with tragic, gruesome endings. Victims were often reported as having made "indecent advances," forcing the accused's hands in self-defense and reducing murder charges to manslaughter.

Published in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall uprising on June 28, 1969, Indecent Advances investigates how queer men navigated a society that criminalized them and displayed little compassion for the violence they endured. Polchin shows, with masterful insight, how this discrimination was ultimately transformed by activists to help shape the burgeoning gay rights movement in the years leading up to Stonewall.

©2019 James Polchin (P)2019 2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reminder of Oppression

A searching exploration of anti-gay violence against individuals, the historical uses of the "gay panic" defense to paint perpetrators as victims, and the societal attitudes that made this possible. It is well worth noting that, despite the recent successes of the gay rights movement, the current "trans panic" contains many of the ingredients of this earlier era which may lead to similar results--if not the return to the pre-Stonewall era many Conservative Americans would prefer to see. Read this. Learn from it. Never go back.

Incisive

Polchin manages to simultaneously create a thoughtful history, an edge-of-your seat series of events, and a well prosecuted thesis. The crisp writing is matched by skillful narration -- so good that each disappears, leaving the audience immersed in the content. Not once did I find myself distracted by lazy tropes, hyperbole, or cliche; and every phrase was narrated by Crouch with emotional precision. Truly a 5-star book with timeless lessons that extend beyond any one group.

Outstanding

The audible performance is very good—at times I found myself distracted by the narrator’s dramatic breathing in prior to starting, or in the middle of, a sentence. Polchin’s narrative is captivating, haunting, and troubling. It is clear that he conducted meticulous research, piecing together disparate newspaper articles and accounts of these tragedies.

I wholeheartedly recommend ‘Indecent Advances’ as a title that speaks truth to power.

Heartbreaking

It is absolutely heartbreaking that this incredibly well-written and painstakingly-researched book even has to exist. But it does.

Despite the gruesome subject matter of the book, it was rendered with obvious care and attention. I highly recommend to anyone searching to better understand human history and violence.

I Had No Idea

This book documents the horrific assaults and murders of gay and bisexual men from the 1920's to present day. I knew that gay men were targeted for assault, theft and murder, but I had no idea to the extent that this happened. The victims were often seen as the guilty party, not the murderers. I was shocked but not surprised by the lack of empathy and common decency among the politicians, the police and the media of the time. I think this book illustrates that society hasn't progressed all that much. There are still people in this country that have no qualms about killing gay men or lesbians just because of who they are. Even worse is the treatment of Trans people and the violence they endure on a daily basis, even now.
The book is well researched and documented. The narration is top notch. I don't wish to sound alarmist, because progress has been made. However, this book should be a wake up call to Gay People everywhere. Don't take the gains of the last 40 years for granted.