Annotations & Abstracts

Annotations & Abstracts is a blog run by graduate history students @bostoncollege which offers students a place to discuss their research with a wider public.

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Welcome to Annotations & Abstracts, the Boston College Historical Commons! This account provides a platform for graduate students at B.C. to discuss their work with a large academic audience as well as informing academic Twitter about the work being done in the department.

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Finally, Whyte’s argument in favor of homosexuals existing in the workforce as laborious individuals can be seen in the “strong as steel” propaganda poster below, showing the “friendship between the CCP and USSR as loving and labor oriented (4/4)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

The next thread I’ll be posting about my post relates to how each of these tenets that Whyte expresses are reflected through Soviet propaganda, years after Stalin called Whyte a “degenerate” (1/4)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Whyte’s point about the integration of homosexuals in Soviet society can be seen through posters such as the “Always Together” one below, that emphasizes the ways in which homosexual multiethnic families with two fathers can be normalized (3/4)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Finally, Whyte argues that not only are homosexuals not problematic for socialist governments, but he also says that they can serve as laborious workers who can provide much benefit (in terms of production) for the governments (4/4)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

On day two of the takeover, I want to discuss the contents of the letter, and the arguments Whyte makes...(1/4)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Next, Whyte argues that homosexuals do not pose any threat to the communist goals of a government such as the USSR, as they make up such a small portion of the population, and have (up to the point of the letter being written) not caused any problems for the socialist govt (3/4)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

(4/4) These two figures never met in person, and the only interaction they ever had was when Whyte wrote his famous 1934 letter to Stalin offering reasons why the Communist Party of the USSR (and internationally) should include homosexuals in their ranks; Stalin dismissed him.

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

(1/4) To start my takeover of the Twitter, I thought it would be crucial to establish background for my piece, which consists of defining the two key figures in the piece

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

(3/4) The second of these key figures is Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, who throughout his political career stood against homosexual relationships and marriage, taking a hardline in favor of maintaining a "cult of maternity," which is explained in the article.

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Hey y'all! This is Brendan taking over the Twitter for the week! I will be talking about my new article which is quote tweeted below, and I hope to stimulate discussion around the topics at hand!

[Brendan Mahoney @_brendanm14]

I'm excited to announce that my new blog article on the connections between a letter written by Scottish Socialist Harry Whyte to Joseph Stalin and homoerotic Soviet visual propaganda is now out!

Check it out:
https://t.co/1UdBdHhLsh

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

As slaveholding parents administered informal slaveholding education at home, their lessons were supplemented by the media their children were consuming. (7/7)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Within the Southern Rose, Caroline Howard Gilman included chapters from her work in “Recollections of a Southern Matron.” This was a collection of dramatized personal stories which she used to share the experiences of a southern woman to convey lessons to her young readers. (1/7)

[Annotations & Abstracts @bchistcommons]

Though subtle, such stories lectured southern, white children on slave management. By doing so through the guise of a short story, Gilman was able to entertain and teach simultaneously. (6/7)