Dr. Kevin DeYoung | Contrary to Nature

Bernadette J. Brooten's scholarship on female same-sex relations in antiquity investigates how lesbianism was represented and understood in ancient cultures. Her work analyzes literary, legal, and material sources to reconstruct social realities and the meanings attached to women’s sexual behaviors. Brooten situates lesbian practices within broader contexts of gender, power, and religious life, challenging assumptions and illuminating neglected evidence. The studies are recognized for careful philological work and for bringing women’s experiences into conversations about ancient sexuality. Her research is frequently cited in classical studies and gender history.

Thomas K. Hubbard's 'Homosexuality in Greece and Rome: A Sourcebook of Ancient Documents' assembles extensive primary texts in translation that illuminate attitudes and practices related to same-sex relations in antiquity. The book provides historical context and sources from literature, law, and philosophy to show the variety and complexity of sexual behaviors and social responses in the ancient Mediterranean. It is widely used by scholars and students for research into classical sexuality, offering original texts alongside scholarly introductions and notes. Hubbard's compilation helps readers understand that ancient practices were diverse and contested, countering simplistic assumptions about uniform acceptance. The work is an important reference for classics, gender studies, and the history of sexuality.

Louis Crompton's 'Homosexuality and Civilization' is a major scholarly work that surveys the history of same-sex relations, perceptions, and social responses from ancient to modern times. Crompton examines primary sources, legal codes, religious texts, and cultural practices to chart continuities and changes in how societies understood and regulated homosexual behavior. The book is noted for its depth of research and was influential in establishing queer studies as a field of historical inquiry. Crompton, himself a significant early figure in queer scholarship, provides balanced and well-documented analysis that is valuable to historians, anthropologists, and scholars of sexuality. His work contextualizes modern debates by showing the varied historical experiences of same-sex desire and relationships.