Review by Choice Review
Thompson (Library of Congress) divides his history of gay and lesbian life in Arkansas into three sections based on suggested state mottos proposed when the state chose a new slogan during the 1980s. "The Diamond State" focuses on the decades when rural communities sometimes staged public entertainments such as "womanless weddings" featuring all-male performers, examining how those shows questioned traditional assumptions about both gender and power, and how they influenced later developments of drag performances. "The Natural State" focuses on the development of Arkansas's legal definition of sodomy, how its statute was discarded during the early 1970s, and the public discussion surrounding its replacement. "The Land of Opportunity" focuses on the development of chances for gay and lesbian culture to exist within the generally traditional culture of the state. Thompson analyzes both the discussion and development of public policy, but he also brings a human element to the story by including information from the personal lives of people who had to adapt to those policies. A useful addition to collections in the history of US culture, the New South, the lower Mississippi River Valley, and Arkansas history. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. J. P. Sanson Louisiana State University at Alexandria
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
