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The Gang’s All Queer: The Lives of Gay Gang Members

The Gang’s All Queer: The Lives of Gay Gang Members

You felt surprisingly safe.

There you were, in a place that was certainly iffy, but you were totally comfortable there. No danger, no darkness, no problems—and in the new book The Gang’s All Queer by Vanessa R. Panfil, no world you’ve ever seen before, either.

As a white lesbian woman, Vanessa Panfil knows that growing up as a gay teenager is no picnic, but her work in a Columbus, Ohio, LGBTQ center for young adults showed her difficulties beyond her own experience. It was through this work that she developed an interest in gang membership within that community.

She already knew a handful of gay gang members; after she gained their trust, those men introduced her to a web of people who opened their world to her.

When most people think of gangs, the image that comes to mind is one of tattoos and machismo.

Panfil says there are three distinct kinds of gangs: all-gay gangs, of which there aren’t many; heterosexual gangs, in which being gay could be dangerous; and more tolerant, easy-going “hybrid” gangs, in which the mix of gay and straight could be up to half of each.

Panfil points out that most of the men she interviewed were careful to stress that they were very masculine. She also says that, despite the fact that more than two out of three gay men fought someone else over homophobic harassment, protection from such was not the main reason for joining a gang; the biggest motivators were perceptions of “family” or deep friendship.

While there was a certain amount of crime that comes with gang affiliation—mostly petty theft, selling drugs, and sex, although fierce violence was not unknown—many gay gangs offered encouragement, a more democratic atmosphere, job-seeking help, and educational support, thus acting more like cliques than gangs.

The Gang’s All Queer is a bit on the academic side and probably not on anyone’s relax-in-a-hammock-and-read list. But it’s a very interesting take on a world that never makes the headlines.

Not only did author Vanessa R. Panfil have access to a group of men who were willing to tell all, she fully used that access to understand why a gay man would turn to a group that’s stereotypically anti-gay. Her findings allow her to explore larger questions of violence and closeting, as well as the some of the unique challenges faced by those who are black, gay, and in gangs.

Even readers who don’t love the more academic feel of this book will ultimately come away with a better knowledge of a world they might not have realized existed. Certainly for scholars, but also for anyone interested in LGBT cultures, The Gang’s All Queer is a pretty safe bet.

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