Dangerous Liaisons: Classical Antiquity and LGBTQ Movements in Greece, the UK, and the US

Project Information

HomoClassicisms

Grant agreement ID: 101105633

DOI

10.3030/101105633

EC signature date 17 April 2023

Start date 1 October 2023

End date 30 September 2026

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 257 113,44

Coordinated by

CENTRO DE ESTUDOS SOCIAIS
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HomoClassicisms (Dangerous Liaisons: Classical Antiquity and LGBTQ Movements in Greece, the UK, and the US)

Reporting period: 2023-10-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Contemporary lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) movements often engage with history to define who they are and where they come from. By selecting and interpreting archives, images and public stories, the movements preserve certain experiences while leaving others out, shaping collective identities in the process. This research project, titled HomoClassicisms, focuses specifically on the cases of LGBTQ movements in Greece, the UK and the US. The project examines how these movements use references to classical antiquity to tell public stories about their past. More specifically, the project explores whether these references reinforce narrow or exclusionary ideas of identity, leaving out non-white LGBTQ populations and stories.

HomoClassicisms asks the following questions:

1. What narratives, images, symbols and representations from classical antiquity do contemporary LGBTQ movements in Greece, the UK, and the US use in their attempt to build and articulate particular pasts?
2. Who is left out of the LGBTQ histories and representations of classical antiquity each of the three contexts builds upon?
3. Are the classics used differently in these three different socio-political and cultural contexts?
4. Do discourses of same-sex desire in classical antiquity used by the LGBTQ movements intersect with those of empire and race?

To address these questions, the project follows three complementary tracks:

(a) It studies archival materials that reference classical antiquity from LGBTQ organisations active in Greece, the UK and the US since the Stonewall riots (1969) until today. This helps understand which histories are preserved and how they are presented in public.
(b) It compares narratives, images and symbols across Greece, the UK and the US, analysing how contemporary LGBTQ movements draw on the past to build particular histories. This approach highlights longstanding omissions and current practices of exclusion in LGBTQ public stories of the past.
(c) It explores how ideas of same-sex desire intersect with issues of race, empire and power, examining how dominant Western-focused histories define what is remembered and what is silences. This analysis supports a more inclusive understanding of LGBTQ stories of the past and its social, political and cultural significance today.

In a period of intense transnational migration and demographic dynamics currently challenging Western societies, understanding who is included and who is excluded within LGBTQ public histories becomes a timely and critical enterprise. The project aligns with Horizon Europe’s goal of building a more resilient, inclusive and democratic society. Its findings will be shared through peer-reviewed publications and public engagement with LGBTQ communities, cultural institutions, policymakers and the general public, ensuring the project’s results have meaningful impact beyond academia.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

HomoClassicisms investigates how LGBTQ movements in Greece, the UK and the US use references to classical past to define their identities and tell public stories about their past. The key focus is on understanding which voices and experiences are foregrounded in archives and which have been overlooked, silenced or excluded, particularly when it comes to non-white LGBTQ communities.

To achieve this, the project studied a variety of archives in the UK (Hall-Carpenter Archive at the LSE and Bishopsgate Institute’s Special Collections and Archives in London) and the US (ONE Archives at the University of Southern California Libraries and June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives in Los Angeles as well as the Lesbian Herstory Archives and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York), including university-based, professional and grassroots collections. This archival research resulted in the collection of thousands images and documents, including magazines, newspapers, posters, photographs, newsletters and relevant materials produced by various LGBTQ organisations since the Stonewall riots in 1969 until the present day.

These materials provide insights into how classical history has been used in public stories about the construction of LGBTQ identities. Their study and analysis reveal patterns of omission and practices of exclusion, allowing a deeper understanding of the ways in which narratives, images, symbols and representations shape contemporary sexual identities.

So far, HomoClassicisms has made significant contributions to both academic and public discussions on LGBTQ histories and classical antiquity. In addition to public engagement, the project is generating substantial scholarly outputs. Current work includes a chapter for an edited volume on Pride politics with Manchester University Press and a monograph proposal based on previous research to be submitted to Duke University Press.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

HomoClassicisms examines how contemporary LGBTQ movements in Greece, the UK and the US refer to classical antiquity in their public stories and histories, and whether these narratives sometimes reinforce narrow or exclusionary ideas of identity. The work carried out has several important impacts: First, it makes a unique interdisciplinary contribution by combining knowledge from different fields and studying LGBTQ histories across countries. It uses innovative research methods to explore perspectives often overlooked in dominant histories. By comparing different national and cultural contexts, the project improves our understanding of transnational LGBTQ politics and contributes to discussions about diversity and inclusion. Second, it provides a timely and socially relevant analysis. At a moment when Europe faces new demographic challenges and the rise of nationalist, racist, and xenophobic attitudes, the project highlights gaps in existing LGBTQ histories. It helps inform debates about building more resilient, inclusive, and democratic societies. Finally, the project offers practical and public relevance. Its findings challenge dominant Western-focused narratives of LGBTQ history, showing whose stories have been remembered and whose have been excluded. This knowledge is relevant not only for researchers but also for community organisations, policymakers, archivists and the general public, helping ensure that diverse experiences are recognised and valued.

Archival material from gay magazines

Archival material from lesbian magazines