Items

• A family matter : a parents' guide to homosexuality
  Psychologist Charles Silverstein (1935-2023) was a writer and pioneering advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. His presentation to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) contributed to the removal of homosexuality as a mental illness from the APA’s ‘DSM’ (the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual’) in 1974. Three years later, he published his first book, ‘The Joy of Gay Sex’, co-authored with Edmund White – another ‘Operation Tiger’ seized title – and, in the same year, ‘A Family Matter’. While ‘The Joy of Gay Sex’ focused on a community of men who have sex with men, ‘A Family Matter’ is a contribution to the genre of books intended to help parents of lesbian and gay children “come to terms with their own feelings about homosexuality”. In a briefing document about the seized titles, the Defend Gay’s the Word Campaign noted that the book was “Dedicated to his ma and pa!!”
• Coming out to parents : a two-way survival guide for lesbians and gay men and their parents
  In 1975, Mary Borhek (1922-2016) learnt that her son Steve was gay. As a member of the New Testament Church, Borhek initially believed homosexuality was a sin but, over the following years, she not only accepted Steve’s sexuality but became an activist for lesbian and gay rights, particularly within the church community. Borhek turned her experiences into two books aimed at supporting lesbians and gay men and their families – 1979’s ‘My Son Eric’ and, in 1983, the book that was seized during ‘Operation Tiger’, ‘Coming Out to Parents’. Borhek’s introduction to this book expresses sorrow that coming out still necessitates “such elaborate preparation”, and an example ‘Coming-out Letter from Rick to his Family’ is included at the end. The publisher of both books was the Christian Pilgrim Press.
• Cruise to win
  “This book is about making contact” is the opening declaration of this self-help guide to successful and confident cruising for gay men. Written by Lenny Giteck, assistant editor and columnist at ‘The Advocate’, the book is based on interviews with fifty pseudonymous gay men and seventeen mental health professionals. In chapters on the principles of cruising, ‘dealing with rejection’ (and ‘rejecting others’), ‘sex and intimacy’ and older men and cruising, among others, the book aims to bolster self-worth and reduce anxiety around meeting other men, especially in bars. The inside back cover includes a statement that the book now comes with an ‘AIDS Supplement’. This suggests that this is a later edition of the book – an exact date of publication is not given – as this kind of material would not have been available on first publication in 1982. The supplement is unfortunately not included with this copy.
• Parents of the homosexual
  This book was published as part of the ‘Christian Care Books’ series, a set of practical guides which dealt with contemporary social experiences from a Christian pastoral care perspective. The series was edited by Warren E. Oates, a pastor and psychotherapist. This volume is aimed at Christian parents of gay or lesbian children, particularly those who are struggling with their children’s sexuality. Authored by Shirley Switzer, a mental health psychologist, and pastor David Switzer (1925-2015), this book draws on real conversations with the intention of lovingly reconciling families. The book also includes a chapter which critically engages with the Bible and challenges its use as an excuse for homophobia.
• The butch manual : the current drag and how to do it
  A tongue-in-cheek manual for gay men on how to appear more ‘butch’, or stereotypically masculine, written in the style of a women’s magazine – complete with a problem page featuring Gertrude Stein as a fictional agony aunt. Butch men shun smiling, screaming and “misquoting Dorothy Parker” in favour of moustaches, yelling and talking dirty, according to author, model and artist Clark Henley (1950-1988). The book is undoubtedly influenced by the wildly popular contemporary humorous titles ‘The Official Preppy Handbook’ (1980) and ‘The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook’ (1982). Henley also drew the rare 1976 ‘Tails of the City’ ‘Alligator Oz’ map of San Francisco, a gay map of the city populated by cartoon alligators, and ‘A Butch Look at America’ (1982), in which the United States is represented by torn cut-off jeans over bare buttocks. Diagnosed HIV-positive in 1986, Henley died in San Francisco of AIDS-related causes in 1988, aged just 38.
• The joy of gay sex : an intimate guide for gay men to the pleasures of a gay lifestyle
  A collaboration between Dr Charles Silverstein (1935-2023) and novelist Edmund White (1940-), “by gays, for gays”. Structured as an A-to-Z guide to gay life, from Androgyny to Wrestling, plus a short bibliography, it is illustrated throughout by Michael Leonard, Ian Beck and Julian Graddon. Riding high on the popularity of ‘The Joy of Sex’ (1972), it sold out its first print run of 75,000 copies. Some commentators, however, were critical of this apparent mainstreaming. “If we have reached a point where cultural interests include the marketing of our sex lives, it would be nice for some basic civil rights to come along with that,” wrote Michael Bronski in ‘Gay Community News’ in November 1977. “You can still get arrested for having a good time.” The book was later used in healthcare during the AIDS crisis, and ‘The New Joy of Gay Sex’ (1993) was substantially updated with safe sex information.
• The joy of lesbian sex : a tender and liberated guide to the pleasures and problems of a lesbian lifestyle
  Published a year after ‘The Joy of Gay Sex’, the subtitle of this volume introduces the “problems” as well as “pleasures” of lesbian life in marked contrast to its gay male counterpart. Written by Dr Emily L. Sisley (1930-2016) and novelist and Daughters, Inc. founder Bertha Harris (1937-2005), and illustrated by Yvonne Gilbert, Charles Raymond and Patricia Faulkner, it follows the formula set by ‘The Joy of Sex’ in 1972. It covers all aspects of lesbian life and sexuality from “Alcohol and sex” to “Water, water, everywhere”, followed by a bibliography. It had a smaller initial print run than ‘The Joy of Gay Sex’ – 50,000 rather than 75,000 copies – and its reception was mixed. One (lesbian) reviewer objected to its misandry while another suggested its “authors cling to the concept of a penis”. It was also criticised for its omissions, “myths and misconceptions”, particularly around disability, race and class.
• The playbook for men about sex
  Author and publisher Joani Blank (1937-2016) described this playbook as the “companion piece” to the ‘Playbook for Women About Sex’. The two titles follow the same format and style and aim to encourage sexual awareness in the reader through the questioning and reflective prompts of a workbook. Blank notes at the start that she was compelled to write this title as no man had done so, although she was assisted by men who advised, edited and reviewed the playbook. The honest and direct content of the playbooks for men and women and the other sex positive titles published by Blank’s Down There Press, meant it was often difficult to locate printers who were willing to produce the books. In 1980, Blank co-authored ‘The Playbook for Kids About Sex’ which was condemned by the UK’s Conservative government in their election campaigning.
• The playbook for women about sex
  Using her experience working in sex therapy and family planning, Joani Blank (1937-2016) founded Down There Press in 1975 to publish sex positive books. The first title was this 23-page playbook (or workbook) which uses direct language, illustrations and interactive questions to promote sexual self-awareness for women. The cover illustration is by lesbian artist Tee A. Corinne. The playbook includes sections on masturbation, honest communication with partners and body image. Blank stated that she took “the word ‘play’ very seriously”, but the workbooks also contain humour, as expressed in the final pages which contain a certificate declaring the reader a ‘Bona-Fide Sexually Self-Aware Woman’. Two years after publishing this playbook, Blank founded the Good Vibrations shop in San Francisco, selling sex toys to women. This is one of three books published by Down There Press that were seized during the raids.