Otto Spengler: "People just faint," 1906

"People just faint when the subject is broached"

by Jonathan Ned Katz. Copyright (c) by Jonathan Ned Katz. All rights reserved. Reedited by Katz from Gay American History (1976).

PROTECTED ENTRY: This entry by a named creator or site administrator can be changed only by that creator and site administrators, so they are responsible for its accuracy, coverage, evidence, and clarity. Please do use this entry's Comment section at the bottom of the page to suggest improvements. Thanks.

In May 1906, Otto Spengler, one of the Scientific-Humanitaran Committees directors, "gave a warmly applauded lecture on sexual intermediates before the German Scientific Society in New York," In the monthly newsletter of the Scientific Humanitarian Committee, Spengler describes the discussion following his presentation:

The debate was very lively. Representatives of all the professions were in the audience-ministers, lawyers, doctors. This was probably the first such speech given in New York, and I managed to make some headway with my limited sources. You can deduce the inflexibility of the people from this incident: after the topic had been illuminated from all sides, a lawyer stood up and maintained… that homosexuals belong in prison. This shows plainly what educational efforts are still required here, where such educated people are so stupid. I have entered into correspondence with Dr. William Lee Howard, who told me that he will soon be publishing an English-language work on the subject in question. Then, I hope, there will be more understanding here. Now, people just faint when the subject is broached.