23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This great book hit home, December 20, 2000
This review is from: Sailors and Sexual Identity: Crossing the Line Between "Straight" and "Gay" in the U.S. Navy (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies,) (Paperback)
I went into the Navy at 17 because I thought I was gay and it would "cure" me. 20 yrs later I read this book and I was floored!Mr Zeeland hits it right with his candid wit and true facts. I fell in love with this book. THis book is for anyone who is trying to fix what cant be fixed. My 4 yrs in the USnavy was the best time I ever had. I recommend this book, not for a sexual lark but for its insight on the true feelings of young gay men trying to prove to society that they are ok! Bravo Mr Zeeland
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The truths nobody wants to admit., October 26, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Sailors and Sexual Identity: Crossing the Line Between "Straight" and "Gay" in the U.S. Navy (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies,) (Paperback)
Zeeland's book is an honest account of the sexual frustrations and sexual activities that have always been a part of shipboard life. Many men are attracted to the overt masculinity of life in uniform in a largely all-male environment. "Sailors" is a gut-level view of the men who proudly serve their country, but also have natural sexual needs that they must address. This is the most honest book on the subject to come out as yet. Zeeland is also a good writer, and he knows how to make his subject immediate and alive. I was impressed.
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34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"It's Only Queer If You're Tied to the Pier", June 25, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Sailors and Sexual Identity: Crossing the Line Between "Straight" and "Gay" in the U.S. Navy (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies,) (Paperback)
The book was fun for me because not only was it fairly sexually explicit but Zeeland asked a number of good questions and got good answers. One of the things he concentrated on was sexual identity but his interviewees promptly knocked that one on the head because in their experiences in the Navy most men were sexually available to other men, whether married, straight, gay or just attractive.
There were a number of observations about the true homosexual nature of the military where men are men and confined to each other's company. One officer sppoke about the homosexual nature of command where you love your men and care for them.
I found one observation of an interviewee particularly telling: " For the most part, the generals seem to be having a far bigger problem with sexuality than anyone. And I wonder sometimes if that isn't because - if the military, when they lift the ban [on gay servicemen], will fundamentally change, and a lot of straight men who need to play around with the guys all the time and fulfill that side of their needs aren't going to be able to as freely. And some of the rituals which go on in the military, which are very homoerotic, and almost homosexual, aren't going to be able to be done. If you have all the gay people out being gay, the things that are more homosexual are going to be labelled as homosexual. And I think that it will greatly change. In fact a lot of the free-sex environment, or the fantasies, and the occaisions for a quic whatever in the military will fundamentally change. Some of the things they claim are time-honoured traditions are just amazing in how far they cross the lines of what would be proper."
This connects with my own views on the recent history of the queer communities. I think that we did it the wrong way round, sometimes, because by coming out as 'gay' or 'lesbian' or whatever, we just locked ourselves into being gay or lesbian or whatever, AND we locked the hets into being hets. It was sort of like naming names and drawing lines and everyone had to choose their team and stick with it. I am on the side of the angels and think that we all have immense capacities for love and sex in all its forms and sometimes the words do get in the way and create things that don't exist.
If I had a chance to do it all again, I would just rip apart the words and the divisions and make it safe for everyone to be who they wish to be at any particular moment, and none of this choosing sides crap.
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