The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth Century America

In the United States of America, three campaigns for civil rights dominated the twentieth century. Firstly, women fought for the right to vote during the suffrage years, claiming victory with the ratification of the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution in 1920. Secondly, Native Americans – or “Indians” to some – finally attained citizenship rights in 1924, when President Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act. Thirdly, African Americans fought against segregation and miscegenation, winning both of those battles in landmark Supreme Court cases. However, these victories were not the be-all-end-all; each of the aforementioned groups continues to battle for equality and social justice. Nevertheless, with all of the advancements in civil liberties for minority groups during the twentieth century, one was noticeably absent: the homosexual.

In her book, The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth Century America, Margot Canaday attempts to explain why this was the case. As an Associate Professor of History at Princeton University, Canady has spent much of her academic career focusing on sexuality and gender issues. History has not exactly been kind to those who differ from the accepted norms, and Canaday believes that the federal government of the United States played a substantial and systematic role in the oppression of gays, lesbians, and transgendered people.

Canaday’s main argument in The Straight State is that the United States government did not view the homosexual population like regular citizens. She believes that the federal government (labeled in this paper as “the state”) constructed the concept of the homosexual and used it as a basis to deny those engaging in same-sex acts their rightful...

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...t a revolution from the ground up, but a reform from within. The state may have constructed the bureaucracy to keep homosexuals outside the social norm, but recently, advocates continue to apply political pressure for their cause, and the abolishment of antiquated regulations at the local level have occurred as a direct result.

This book was interesting and unique in that it approaches views on homosexuality from a unique perspective. While at times it was heavy-handed and reaching, Canaday did an excellent job of presenting her position in such a way that it forces the reader to rethink their position on these issues. Although it is not something that anyone should read for fun – it is a very statistics-driven book – The Straight State is a must-read for anyone interested in civil rights and the development of the United States during the twentieth century.