Hidden Stories: Capitalism and Gay Identity

In the article Capitalism and Gay Identity, John D'Emilio discusses several good points as well as an interesting viewpoint to the understanding of homosexuality, homosexual identity and capitalism that I have never consider to have had any relation before but find it very interesting. D'Emilio explores the relationship between the rise of capitalism and homosexuality. In the seventeenth century the family was truly an interdependent unit of production. They had farmed land that was owned by the male head of the household where the man, women, and children would all work together to farm their food and produce all the goods they consumed. The home was a workplace, the survival of each member depended on the cooperation of the entire household. Families would have seven children or more to help produce grain because it was necessary for survival. In the nineteenth century people began to sell their labor power and work for wages, thus families were no longer considered an independent unit of production. According to D'Emilio homosexuality was caused by the rise of capitalism. With the ability to find work out side from the home men were no longer having to work at home to tend to farm land, therefore the need to marry or have kids was no longer necessary. D'Emilio says that capitalism had knocked down the material foundation away from family life, thus creating an opening for homosexual identity. Once family households were not seen as a way of survival and instead was seen as a personal choice rather than a requirement is when homosexual identities began to appear in our society.

Throughout the years the American family has changed dramatically. It is obviously that science, technology and capitalism has advanced our American lives. As science and technology enhanced it push away the family structure apart because it gave Americans the means to be independent and free. With the technology that we have today gay and lesbians are capable of getting sex changes done to fit their lifestyle. Gay men are able to adopt kids to create the family like structure they want but with a same sex person. Same for lesbians, they are able to get pregnant using clinics that donate sperm to create that family like structure as well. Homosexuals are like heterosexuals they still want that loving family structure the only difference is their preference. With technology being so advanced homosexuals are able to live a heterosexual-like life being gay or lesbian to what fits there lifestyle.

As I look at today's families things are very different to as they were in the past. People do not have seven or more kids anymore if any children they most likely have two, one or sometimes even none. Marriage does not seem to mean the same as it did when my grandparents got married. Many people have broken families whose parents have split up.I have seen people get married for wrong reasons and quickly divorce in a short time after. A man and woman can be together for along time, have kids and never be married. Even though these families are still families within themselves there just different from past generations. People can argue whether the growth of technology and capitalism is positive or negative but the fact still remains that the growth of each will change society and American lives regardless.