Read on Twitter
'Cause no media outlet likes my pitch: here’s a thread on the early 20th century German gay liberation group “The Gemeinschaft der Eigene” (or “Society of the Self-Determined”).
What "being gay" could have looked like had history gone another way #LGBT #PrideMonth
/1
What "being gay" could have looked like had history gone another way #LGBT #PrideMonth
/1
For those unaware, everything we currently view about being “homosexual” can be traced to early 20th century Germany. Particularly the work of Magnus Hirschfeld. Humans would not categorise themselves as homosexual (or transgender) as they do if Hirschfield did not exist. /2
Hirschfield through his Scientific-Humanitarian Committee developed the scientific classification of "homosexual" based on patient case studies and drawing on popular evolutionary theories to see a biological cause for same sex desire in the existence of a “third sex” /3
As you can probably tell, Hirschfield’s theories and advocacy has had considerable influence on the modern world. This was largely because of he had considerable influence amongst global intellectual and cultural elites at the time (prior to the Nazis). /4
For example, Hirschfield organised a petition to decriminalise sodomy in Germany which received over 5000 signatures from prominent Germans - everyone from Albert Einstein and Martin Buber /5
But not all men with same sex desires agreed with Hirschfield's theories. In fact, there was considerable criticism and disagreement at the time. One organised group with different ideas was led by Adolf Brand and given the name The Gemeinschaft der Eigene /6
Brand was far less prestigious than Hirschfield having worked as a school teacher before establishing his own publishing film and the periodical Der Eigene (which is either translated as ‘The Unique” or “The Self-Owner”), which was sort of a homoerotic literary journal. /7
Brand was a follower of Max Stirner, the generator of “egoist” (better described as “ownerist”) philosophy, which advocated in favour of individual sovereignty above all abstractions including religion, politics and morality. /8
In Der Eigene, Brand gathered a group of thinkers who opposed "third sex" biological ideas of homosexuality including Erich Mühsam, Kurt Hiller, John Henry Mackay, Wilhelm von Gloeden and Sascha Schneider. See my separate thread on Schneider: https://twitter.com/JarrydBartle/status/1274988082832367616 /9
Der Eigene defended homosexuality as a cultural practice reflecting masculine virtues drawing on the benefits of nudism, virility, muscular aesthetics and male bonding. It was "masculinist" and very anti-feminist (hence why these guys don't make LGBT history class) /10
Many of the writers were individualist anarchists who saw scientific and moral discourse as a hinderance to male spiritual flourishing. Communities of men with ideals of hero worship and warrior masculinity were said to be founded upon homoeroticism. /11
They drew a lot of this justification from pederast practices of ancient cultures - that awkward part of gay history. However many of the contributors were not exclusively pederast in behaviour, having adult male lovers. Youth aesthetics were a bit of a thing at the time tho. /12
Here is what Brand had to say about the values of The Gemeinschaft der Eigene (G.D.E) /12
Sexual desire was masculine whether towards men or women, if it was object-oriented and focused on sexual gratification. This was opposed to monosexual “feminine” sexuality which was inward looking /13
If same sex desire and behaviour is oppressed, according der Eigene contributor Benedict Friedlaender “the state would disintegrate into a mass of individual families” – a degeneration into vulgar heterosexuality and nuclear units! 
/14
/14
I find it fascinating reading these turn of the century writings because they remind us that our sense of self is largely due to “historical winners” – indeed many of the intellectuals associated with der Eigene were Jewish and either died in Nazi Germany or fled. /15
Brand had his life ruined by the Nazis having much of his work destroyed as the Reich rid itself of all “sexual perversion”.
He was killed during an Allied bomb strike in 1945 at the age of 70 and with him much of the ideas of Der Eigene were thrown into obscurity /fin
He was killed during an Allied bomb strike in 1945 at the age of 70 and with him much of the ideas of Der Eigene were thrown into obscurity /fin
