Living in Arcadia: Homosexuality, Politics, and Morality in France

Living in Arcadia examines the history of Arcadie, a French homophile organization that operated from 1954-1982. The group aimed to promote acceptance and understanding of homosexuality in post-war France through publications, social gatherings, and advocacy work. The book traces Arcadie's evolution from its founding by André Baudry through nearly three decades of social and political change in France. Through extensive archival research and interviews, Jackson reconstructs the day-to-day operations, internal debates, and public actions of this pioneering organization. The narrative follows key moments in Arcadie's history against the backdrop of shifting attitudes toward sexuality and morality in French society. Jackson documents the group's interactions with government officials, medical professionals, religious figures, and other social movements of the era. This study of Arcadie offers insights into broader questions about sexual identity, social movements, and the complex relationship between radical and moderate approaches to achieving civil rights. The book challenges conventional narratives about LGBT activism while highlighting enduring tensions between assimilation and liberation.

Readers describe the book as a detailed history of Arcadie, the French homophile organization, with many finding value in its exploration of gay life in postwar France. Positive points from reviews: - Documents previously untold aspects of French LGBTQ+ history - Shows complexity of gay rights activism before Stonewall - Clear writing style and thorough research - Balanced perspective on internal conflicts within Arcadie Common criticisms: - Too much focus on organizational politics vs. lived experiences - Limited discussion of lesbian members/perspectives - Some academic language can be dense Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (12 ratings) Amazon: Not enough reviews for rating Notable reader comments: "Fills an important gap in French queer history" - Goodreads reviewer "Made me rethink assumptions about pre-1970s gay activism" - H-France review "Could have included more personal stories" - Academia.edu review The book appears most popular among academic readers and those interested in LGBTQ+ history.

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🔹 The book traces the history of Arcadie, a French homophile organization founded in 1954 that became the largest movement of its kind in any Western country during that era. 🔹 Julian Jackson, a professor at Queen Mary University of London, spent years searching through private archives and conducting interviews with surviving Arcadie members to reconstruct this largely forgotten chapter of LGBTQ+ history. 🔹 Arcadie's founder, André Baudry, maintained correspondence with prominent French intellectuals including Jean Cocteau and Jean-Paul Sartre, though the latter declined to publicly support the movement. 🔹 Unlike many later gay rights organizations, Arcadie advocated for acceptance through respectability and discretion rather than visibility and protest, leading to tensions with more radical activists in the 1970s. 🔹 The book reveals how Arcadie helped establish some of France's first gay-friendly spaces, including a private club in Paris that hosted lectures, dances, and cultural events for its members from 1957 to 1982.