This lecture explores how work - most especially in the service sector, theatre, and armed forces - was practically, aspirationally, and erotically significant  to queer lives in inter and post war Britain. Tracing the life of 23-year-old Albert Quint back and forward from his tantalising diary entries shines light on the literal labour involved in ‘doing being ordinary’ (Sacks, 1984) and, I argue, in ‘doing being deviant’ (Love, 2015).  In this way I signal the importance to queer history of looking beyond the sensational and the radical to consider everyday quests for liveable lives.

Registration necessary:
events.gbz@hu-berlin.de