I had the pleasure of interviewing David K. Johnson for an LGBTQ History Month series a few years ago. And while I hadn’t yet read his books at the time, it only took a few minutes of hearing him speak to realize his deep authority and knowledge on some of the most important moments for queer people in America.
The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government, originally published in 2004, details how homophobia led to the removal of thousands of government employees suspected of homosexuality during the McCarthyism of the 1950s.
Buy The Lavender Scare on Bookshop or at your local LGBTQ-owned bookstore.
Gay and lesbian employees were considered dangerous, a threat to national security before being systematically rooted out, interrogated, and fired from their government jobs. Johnson pieces together this little-known story through extensive research in the records of the national archives and declassified government documents, along with interviews with former civil servants.
Anti-gay political elements amplified by Sen. Joseph McCarthy blamed the Roosevelt and Truman administrations for facilitating the inclusion of homosexuals in government offices. They used government employees’ sex lives as a potent political weapon, triggering a “Lavender Scare” parallel to the “Red Scare” that was aimed at rooting out suspected Communist sympathizers.
Key Takeaways
- In the post-World War II America, a gay and lesbian subculture emerged amid the urban migration to cities like Washington, D.C.
- This led to the rise of gay bars, social spaces, and a vibrant gay subculture for LGBTQ+ individuals.
- Johnson’s groundbreaking work sheds light on a shameful period of state-sponsored homophobia and bigotry that destroyed countless careers and lives.
- The Lavender Scare is an important historical account that also holds relevant lessons and warnings for us today about the dangers of discrimination and scapegoating vulnerable minority groups.
About the Author
David K. Johnson. Credit: The Visualist
David K. Johnson is a professor of history at the University of South Florida and a leading expert in the field of LGBTQ+ history. He received his PhD from Northwestern University and has dedicated his academic career to researching and teaching about gender and sexuality in modern U.S. history.
Johnson's expertise shines through in the depth of research and insight found in The Lavender Scare. He draws upon a wealth of primary sources, including previously classified government records, personal interviews, and materials from LGBTQ+ community archives to piece together this largely forgotten episode of American history.
His other books include Buying Gay: How Physique Entrepreneurs Sparked a Movement and The United States Since 1945: A Documentary Reader, the latter for which he was an editor.
The Lavender Scare: A Warning from History
At its core, The Lavender Scare is a cautionary tale about how easily a society can turn against a minority group in times of fear and moral panic. The book takes its name from the McCarthy-era witch hunts of the 1950s, in which government agencies became convinced that homosexuals posed a threat to national security. They believed that gays and lesbians were more susceptible to blackmail by Soviet agents and therefore couldn't be trusted in sensitive government positions.
What followed was a devastating purge as thousands of LGBTQ+ civil servants were investigated, interrogated and ultimately fired from their jobs. Many had their careers and reputations destroyed. But as Johnson reveals, there was no factual basis for this belief that queer people were a security risk. Instead, the Lavender Scare was driven by ignorance, prejudice and a desire to scapegoat an already marginalized group.
“The U.S. government’s anti-gay witch hunts helped ignite the gay rights movement years before the Stonewall riots. This 1965 picket in front of the White House in Washington D.C. was the first demonstration of its kind.” (Photos and image captions in quotes courtesy of thelavenderscare.com press kit)
“Frank Kameny leads a picket line in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia on July 4, 1965. Forty activists joined the protest, making it (at the time) the largest public demonstration for LGBT rights in world history.”
“The U.S. government’s witch hunt of gay men and lesbians was front page news in the 1940s and 1950s. But as the firings continued well into the 1980s and ‘90s they would draw less and less attention.”
And Let's Not Forget Roy Cohn
Roy Cohn in 1964.
It’s notable that McCarthy was heavily influenced by Roy Cohn, a prosecutor highly skilled in media manipulation. Cohn was also a mentor to President Donald Trump, which helps explain a lot of today’s media landscape. Roy Cohn was a closeted gay man who died in 1986 of complications from AIDS, and is a textbook example of the self-loathing and destruction queer people are capable of when their self-hatred goes unresolved.
While the events depicted took place decades ago, the book holds vital lessons for us today. It shows how quickly the flames of state persecution can be fanned when a minority is singled out and demonized. In an era of rising authoritarianism, polarization and anti-gay discrimination in the U.S. and around the globe, The Lavender Scare is a wake-up call about the fragility of human rights and civil liberties. It reminds us to stay vigilant against discrimination in all its forms, including on the basis of sexual orientation.
A photo from the Army-McCarthy hearings.
At the same time, Johnson's book is also a testament to the resilience of the gay community. Despite the government's attempts to silence and erase them, queer people fought back against the Lavender Scare through grassroots activism, community building and courageous acts of defiance. Their efforts helped lay the groundwork for the new civil rights struggle and the many hard-won legal and social advancements achieved in recent decades.
The Lavender Scare is an essential work of LGBTQ+ history that shines a light on a dark chapter of our nation's past. It's a captivating and deeply researched book that combines rigorous scholarship with a gripping narrative. While it deals with difficult subject matter, Johnson tells this story with insight, nuance and even notes of inspiration and hope.
For anyone looking to better understand the history of LGBTQ+ persecution and resistance in the United States, "The Lavender Scare" is required reading. Its underlying message about the evils of state-sponsored intolerance is one we all need to hear, especially in the intolerant times we find ourselves in today. ⬥
Buy The Lavender Scare on Bookshop or at your local LGBTQ-owned bookstore.
