F.B.I. and Homosexuality: A History

This is the introduction to OutHistory articles about the Federal Bureau of Investigation's surveillance of homosexuals, alleged homosexuals, persons alleging persons to be homosexuals, and persons associated in some more distant way with homosexuality, as well as homosexual rights groups, and anti-homosexual groups and persons.

OutHistory is asking the public to help survey what evidence exists about the FBI's surveillance of homosexuals and homosexuality.

In part, this is a survey of the history and evidence of rumors. We are interested in evaluating that documentation within its original social and historical context and asking what it reveals, especially about American sexuality and gender.

The entries and sources are based on information provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and in numbers of books, articles, and newspapers.

Below: Illustration with article critical of the FBI and Hoover by Ray Tucker, head of Collier's bureau in Washington, D.C. (see F.B.I. and Homosexuality: Chronology, Part 1, 1910-1949: 1933, August 19 ). We're reproducing it extra large here so OutHistory users can see all the spying going on.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

OPEN ENTRY: This entry is open to collaborative creation by anyone with evidence, citations, and analysis to share, so no particular, named creator is responsible for the accuracy and cogency of its content. Please use this entry's Comment section at the bottom of the page to suggest improvements about which you are unsure. Thanks.

See:

Question

Whatever their truth or falsity, how can the rumors about J. Edgar Hoover's homosexuality and cross-dressing be studied as evidence in the history of sexuality and gender?

Art Work

Katz, Jonathan Ned. Art work based on Federal Bureau of Investigation surveillance of The Mattachine Society, May 21, 1953