Sexual Ecology: The Birth of AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men [Hardcover]

Gabriel Rotello (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0525941649 | ISBN-13: 978-0525941644 | Publication Date: April 1, 1997 | Edition: 1

Challenging current perceptions, a columnist draws on detailed research to demonstrate that well-intentioned attempts to combat social stigma have prevented successful research into the AIDS virus and have allowed the continued infection of thousands of gay men. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There was a time, before AIDS, when gay male culture was often synonymous with multiple partners, bathhouses, and an emphasis on youth and physical beauty. Monogamy was identified with "straight" culture and therefore something to be resisted. Even when the AIDS epidemic was at its height, the gay community promoted condom use but did little to discourage risky behavior. In his groundbreaking book Sexual Ecology, author Gabriel Rotello views the epidemic in a new way: as part of an ecological system. Rotello's approach, while unique in the study of AIDS, is one familiar to the environmental movement. He sees the disease not as a discrete element, but as part of a system of "behaviors, thoughts and feelings that made gay culture so susceptible to AIDS."

Although Rotello aims his book primarily at a gay audience, Sexual Ecology has a wider appeal. His chronicle follows the growth of promiscuity among homosexual men through its promotion by bathhouse owners and the gay media. Equally fascinating is the current trend toward more mainstream values among many gay men. Finally, his suggestions for making gay culture sustainable (in the words of environmental science) instead of self-destructive provide serious food for thought and for debate.

From Booklist

If gay men want to end the AIDS epidemic, they must renounce promiscuity. That is the crux of Rotello's careful exposition on why AIDS struck in the '80s, why a second wave of it hit in the '90s, and why, despite condoms, AIDS will regularly recur if promiscuity isn't curbed. The mainspring of the epidemic, Rotello insists, is the high number of other men (more than 1,000 a year) with whom each fast-lane gay man has sex. Rotello demonstrates that by closing the avenue of infection such promiscuity creates, disease prevalence must decline. Culturally, he says, closing those avenues demands reducing the allure of the acts that transmit HIV most readily and promoting sexually faithful monogamy. Rotello's restatement of an argument that is not entirely new is extremely important because of its thoroughness and because he is a gay radical who here parts company with the gay-lib party line that promiscuity is essential to gay male identity. Young gay men especially should heed him. Ray Olson

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1 edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525941649
• ISBN-13: 978-0525941644
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,431,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gabriel Rotello is an American writer, producer and director. He was born and raised in Danbury, CT, attended Knox College in Galesburg, IL, Carlton College in Northfield MN, and was an exchange student at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal.

After graduating from college in 1974 he moved to New York City where he became a keyboard player, musical director and producer, working with many prominent rock and R&B artists.

In 1989 at the height of the AIDS epidemic, Rotello founded OutWeek Magazine in New York and became its editor-in-chief. OutWeek quickly became a focus of gay and AIDS activism, sparking many controversies and breaking important national stories. During his tenure at OutWeek, Rotello hired many young lesbian and gay writers who went on to become well-known authors and editors, including Sarah Pettit, Jim Provenzano, Michelangelo Signorile, Victoria Starr, David Kirby, Dale Peck, James St James and Karl Soehnlein.

In 1992 Rotello became the first openly gay op-ed columnist for a major American newspaper, New York Newsday, for which he received the GLADD Award in 1995 as Outstanding Journalist. He was also a long-time columnist for The Advocate and has contributed to many publications including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Village Voice, The Nation, The New Scientist, and the Huffington Post.

In 1997 Dutton published Rotello's seminal study of AIDS epidemiology and prevention, "Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men." He also co-authored Mel Cheren's memoir of the disco era, "My Life and the Paradise Garage: Keep On Dancin'".

Since 1999 Rotello has written, produced and/or directed dozens of documentaries and television programs, often working with the award-winning World of Wonder Productions (The Eyes of Tammy Faye) and more recently Flight 33 Productions (Life After People). His work has appears on networks such as HBO, Showtime, The History Channel, The Learning Channel, Cinemax, AMC, Bravo, Oxygen, VH1 and Comedy Central.

His website is www.gabrielrotello.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most important book about AIDS ever written, July 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men (Paperback)

Every gay man must read this book, or be made aware of its content. Even one more death is way too many. What needs taming is not "normal promiscuity" -- say 10 to 50 partners a year. (!) The problem is "hyperpromiscuity" -- gay men who are having a thousand partners a year, and a dozen in one night. This created the biological climate which enabled the spread of AIDS; without it, there would have been no epidemic.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meticulous, Powerful and So, So So Important, June 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Sexual Ecology: The Birth of AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men (Hardcover)

Gabriel Rotello has done a such a great service to the gay community by writing this powerful book. It is provocative and controversial only because the truth hurts sometimes. We've gone for so long not wanting to face reality in the gay world, not wanting to face the difficult challenges, not wanting to do the things that we must do if we are to alter the course of the epidemic. Rotello isn't afraid to face these things, nor is he afraid of the attacks that come when someone does raise the thorny but important issues. I thank him enormously for this book and urge every gay man to read it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars De-mystifying AIDS, August 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Sexual Ecology: The Birth of AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men (Hardcover)

The truth hurts and thank god someone finally told it about AIDS. As a gay man who is tired of hearing other gay people claim that religion, educators, the government and homophobia is responsible for transmission of HIV it is refreshing to find a well-reasoned voice showing that gay culture also contributed to the disaster that AIDS is. Mr. Rotello will most likely be crucified by gay theorists but his message is undeniable; unless gay culture finds a sustainable ecology it will continue exactly where it has been for the past 10 years----mired in a disaster