“Little Richard: Down, Not Out” : The Quasar of Rock’s LGBTQ Iconicity and the Historical Reception to His Sexuality and Gender Presentation, 1955–Present

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dc.contributor.authorBloomfield, Jacob
dc.date.accessioned2026-02-23T12:56:19Z
dc.date.available2026-02-23T12:56:19Z
dc.date.issued2026-01
dc.description.abstractThis article explores how musician Little Richard’s image and persona were perceived historically and the extent to which historical observers associated his effeminacy with same-sex desire. Also scrutinized is Little Richard’s present-day status as a so-called LGBTQ icon and whether LGBTQ observers in the past felt a similar kinship with the musician. I illuminate the protean and utilitarian essence of LGBTQ iconicity and argue that, in the 1950s, the link between effeminacy in men and same-sex desire was not ubiquitously acknowledged and understood. I also assert that 1950s popular culture was more accommodating of different types of men, including unconventional men, than is typically acknowledged in retrospective assessments of the period.
dc.description.versionpublisheddeu
dc.identifier.doi10.1353/sex.00051
dc.identifier.urihttps://kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/76287
dc.language.isoeng
dc.subject.ddc900
dc.title“Little Richard: Down, Not Out” : The Quasar of Rock’s LGBTQ Iconicity and the Historical Reception to His Sexuality and Gender Presentation, 1955–Presenteng
dc.typeJOURNAL_ARTICLE
dspace.entity.typePublication
kops.citation.bibtex
@article{Bloomfield2026-01Littl-76287,
  title={“Little Richard: Down, Not Out” : The Quasar of Rock’s LGBTQ Iconicity and the Historical Reception to His Sexuality and Gender Presentation, 1955–Present},
  year={2026},
  doi={10.1353/sex.00051},
  number={1},
  volume={35},
  issn={1043-4070},
  journal={Journal of the History of Sexuality},
  pages={28--59},
  author={Bloomfield, Jacob}
}
kops.citation.iso690BLOOMFIELD, Jacob, 2026. “Little Richard: Down, Not Out” : The Quasar of Rock’s LGBTQ Iconicity and the Historical Reception to His Sexuality and Gender Presentation, 1955–Present. In: Journal of the History of Sexuality. Project MUSE. 2026, 35(1), S. 28-59. ISSN 1043-4070. eISSN 1535-3605. Verfügbar unter: doi: 10.1353/sex.00051deu
kops.citation.iso690BLOOMFIELD, Jacob, 2026. “Little Richard: Down, Not Out” : The Quasar of Rock’s LGBTQ Iconicity and the Historical Reception to His Sexuality and Gender Presentation, 1955–Present. In: Journal of the History of Sexuality. Project MUSE. 2026, 35(1), pp. 28-59. ISSN 1043-4070. eISSN 1535-3605. Available under: doi: 10.1353/sex.00051eng
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kops.sourcefieldJournal of the History of Sexuality. Project MUSE. 2026, <b>35</b>(1), S. 28-59. ISSN 1043-4070. eISSN 1535-3605. Verfügbar unter: doi: 10.1353/sex.00051deu
kops.sourcefield.plainJournal of the History of Sexuality. Project MUSE. 2026, 35(1), S. 28-59. ISSN 1043-4070. eISSN 1535-3605. Verfügbar unter: doi: 10.1353/sex.00051deu
kops.sourcefield.plainJournal of the History of Sexuality. Project MUSE. 2026, 35(1), pp. 28-59. ISSN 1043-4070. eISSN 1535-3605. Available under: doi: 10.1353/sex.00051eng
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