Gay and After: Gender, Culture and Consumption by Alan Sinfield
Late 20th-century ideas of gayness have become more complex. Gay communities are vilified over AIDS, courted as consumers, urged to be queer and/or bisexual. Acclaimed writer and academic Alan Sinfield explores, partly through fiction and film, how gay identities have been constituted and how they may change in the future. Editorial Reviews Amazon.com Review One of the paradoxical triumphs of the gay liberation movement is that it lead directly to a world in which the freedom to be gay allowed women and men to act and define themselves in ways that broke from traditional gay culture. In a culture where gay people are raising families and heterosexuals are seeking more and more freedom from sexual and gender restraints, what does gay mean? In Gay and After, British cultural commentator Alan Sinfield is interested in how gay identity is constructed--or even possible--in a time of extreme social and political contradiction. Gay people are reviled, yet perceived as a lucrative consumer market; they have more freedom than ever before, but are constantly told by the dominant culture to be private. Sinfield shifts through a broad range of high and popular culture--from Stephen Spender and Jean Genet to the Pet Shop Boys and The Wedding Banquet; from ACT UP and S-M to Bruce Bawer's A Place at the Table and Andrew Holleran's Dancer from the Dance--to try to discover patterns in the endless cracking and dissolution of a once seemingly cohesive culture and identity. Gay and After is tentative in the best sense of the word: Sinfield, with political insight and cultural acumen, is an intrepid adventurer in this new territory and he never tires of exploring new theories and explanations and seeing what makes sense. --Michael Bronski From Library Journal A number of books have been published recently that focus on what it means to be gay at the turn of the millennium (e.g., Gay Men at the Millennium, edited by Michael Lowenthal, LJ 9/5/97). This contribution by Sinfield (English and cultural studies, Univ. of Sussex; The Wilde Century, LJ 8/1/94) is one of liveliest and most perceptive. Using a variety of well-chosen texts and literary works leavened with popular culture, Sinfield makes a persuasive argument that the post-gay society need[s] to entertain more varied and permeable lesbian and gay identities [while maintaining] a purposeful, informed, and critical subculture, even though the cohesiveness of that subculture is now dissipating. The author draws comparisons between gays and ethnic and racial minorities and examines a range of cultural perspectives, for example conformist vs. transgressive behavior relative to the straightgeist and consumer economics. Sinfield manages to present literary criticism with a subtle wit that avoids pedantry while remaining firmly grounded in scholarly discourse. North American readers will especially appreciate the frank, refreshing viewpoint of this British writer. Highly recommended for academic and special gay studies and human sexuality collections, as well as larger public libraries.?Richard Violette, Special Libraries Cataloging, Victoria, BC Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Publication Details
Title:
Author(s):
Illustrator:
Binding: Paperback
Published by: Serpent's Tail: , 2000
Edition:
ISBN: 9781852425883 | 1852425881
256 pages.
Book Condition: Very Good
Pickup currently unavailable at Book Express Warehouse
Product information


New Zealand Delivery
Shipping Options
Shipping options are shown at checkout and will vary depending on the delivery address and weight of the books.
We endeavour to ship the following day after your order is made and to have pick up orders available the same day. We ship Monday-Friday. Any orders made on a Friday afternoon will be sent the following Monday. We are unable to deliver on Saturday and Sunday.
Pick Up is Available in NZ:
Warehouse Pick Up Hours
- Monday - Friday: 9am-5pm
- 62 Kaiwharawhara Road, Wellington, NZ
Please make sure we have confirmed your order is ready for pickup and bring your confirmation email with you.
Rates
-
New Zealand Standard Shipping - $6.00
- New Zealand Standard Rural Shipping - $10.00
- Free Nationwide Standard Shipping on all Orders $75+
Please allow up to 5 working days for your order to arrive within New Zealand before contacting us about a late delivery. We use NZ Post and the tracking details will be emailed to you as soon as they become available. Due to Covid-19 there have been some courier delays that are out of our control.
International Delivery
We currently ship to Australia and a range of international locations including: Belgium, Canada, China, Switzerland, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, Philippines, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden & Singapore. If your country is not listed, we may not be able to ship to you, or may only offer a quoting shipping option, please contact us if you are unsure.
International orders normally arrive within 2-4 weeks of shipping. Please note that these orders need to pass through the customs office in your country before it will be released for final delivery, which can occasionally cause additional delays. Once an order leaves our warehouse, carrier shipping delays may occur due to factors outside our control. We, unfortunately, can’t control how quickly an order arrives once it has left our warehouse. Contacting the carrier is the best way to get more insight into your package’s location and estimated delivery date.
- Global Standard 1 Book Rate: $37 + $10 for every extra book up to 20kg
- Australia Standard 1 Book Rate: $14 + $4 for every extra book
Any parcels with a combined weight of over 20kg will not process automatically on the website and you will need to contact us for a quote.
Payment Options
On checkout you can either opt to pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express), Google Pay, Apple Pay, Shop Pay & Union Pay. Paypal, Afterpay and Bank Deposit.
Transactions are processed immediately and in most cases your order will be shipped the next working day. We do not deliver weekends sorry.
If you do need to contact us about an order please do so here.
You can also check your order by logging in.
Contact Details
- Trade Name: Book Express Ltd
- Phone Number: (+64) 22 852 6879
- Email: sales@bookexpress.co.nz
- Address: 62 Kaiwharawhara Rd, Kaiwharawhara, Wellington, 6035, New Zealand.
- GST Number: 103320957 - We are registered for GST in New Zealand
- NZBN: 9429031911290
We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
To start a return, you can contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz. Please note that returns will need to be sent to the following address: 62 Kaiwharawhara Road, Wellington, NZ once we have confirmed your return.
If your return is accepted, we’ll send you a return shipping label, as well as instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.
You can always contact us for any return question at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like perishable goods (such as food, flowers, or plants), custom products (such as special orders or personalized items), and personal care goods (such as beauty products). We also do not accept returns for hazardous materials, flammable liquids, or gases. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards.
Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
European Union 14 day cooling off period
Notwithstanding the above, if the merchandise is being shipped into the European Union, you have the right to cancel or return your order within 14 days, for any reason and without a justification. As above, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your return, please contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.