Queer trades, sex and society male prostitution and the war on homosexuality in interwar Scotland / Jeffrey Meek.
| Author/creator | Meek, Jeffrey, 1971- |
| Format | Electronic |
| Publication Info | London ; New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023. |
| Description | 1 online resource |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from Taylor & Francis eBooks |
| Subjects |
| Series | Perspectives in economic and social history |
| Abstract | "This book is the first scholarly works to explore male homosexual prostitution in interwar Scotland. The male prostitute occupies a contested position within interwar society - depending on the perspective he was representative of a descent into turpitude, of tenacious organised criminality, or of exploitation. The book explores connections between male prostitution and criminal gangs prevalent during the interwar period, by detailing the emergence and activities of Glasgow's notorious 'Whitehats', a gang composed of a number of queer male prostitutes, and led by William Paton. This book discovers that although Paton's activities were representative of a career criminal, the young men who joined the 'Whitehats' were often driven by poverty and social isolation. This book explores the experiences of Edinburgh police detective William Merrilees and his war on homosexuality in Edinburgh during the 1930s through examining the tactics used to regulate homosexual trade and the implications this held for the men involved. The book not only explores the attitudes, opinions and actions of police officers, politicians, and the legal process but also uncovers fragments from the lives of the men involved, though personal reflections and letters. The book explores the anxieties that the trade in homosexual sex provoked, not just for understandings of sexuality but also of gender and nationhood, and offers a comparative perspective of the forms of homosexual trade in Scotland, England and major foreign cities. This book will have broad appeal to academics and students in the field of social, sexual and gender history as well as the social and criminal histories of Scotland and Britain"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Access restriction | Available only to authorized users. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web |
| Source of description | Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher. |
| Issued in other form | Print version: Meek, Jeffrey, 1971- Queer trades, sex and society London ; New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023 9780367683580 |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| LCCN | 2022058328 |
| ISBN | 9781000888928 (epub) |
| ISBN | 9781003137139 (ebook) |
| ISBN | (hardback) |
| ISBN | (paperback) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |