DYING TO BE NORMAL DYING TO BE NORMAL Gay Martyrs and the Transformation of American Sexual Politics Brett Krutzsch 1 1 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and certain other countries. Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America. © Oxford University Press 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by license, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reproduction rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above. You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer. CIP data is on file at the Library of Congress ISBN 978– 0– 19– 068521– 8 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Printed by Sheridan Books, Inc., United States of America To Kevin CONTENTS List of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction: Memorialization, Gay Assimilation, and American Religion 1 1. “The Gay M.L.K.”: Harvey Milk 15 2. The “Crucifixion” of “Anyone’s Gay Son”: Matthew Shepard 47 3. The “Epidemic of Bullying and Gay Teen Suicide”: Tyler Clementi and It Gets Better 85 4. “The Place Where Two Discriminations Meet”: Race, Gender, and the Threat of Violence 117 Epilogue: The Pulse Nightclub Massacre and the Queer Potential of Memorialization 149 Notes 167 Selected Bibliography 227 Index 239 vii ILLUSTRATIONS 1.1 “Saint Harvey” exhibit at the GLBT History Museum. © 2003 by Daniel Nicoletta. 16 2.1 Fence where Matthew Shepard was murdered. © 1999 by Kevin Moloney. 54 2.2 Reverend Fred Phelps. © 1999 by Kevin Moloney. 67 2.3 The Advocate magazine cover, November 24, 1998. © Here Publishing Inc. 71 ix