Donald Webster Cory

Donald Webster Cory was a prominent LGBT rights activist and writer who played a significant role in the homophile movement of the 1950s and 1960s. He was a key figure in the development of the Mattachine Society, a LGBT rights organization founded by Harry Hay and Bob Hull. Cory's work was heavily influenced by the ideas of Sigmund Freud, Alfred Kinsey, and Evelyn Hooker, and he was a strong advocate for the rights of gay men and lesbians in the United States. He was also associated with other notable figures of the time, including Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings.

● Early Life and Education

Donald Webster Cory was born in New York City in 1913 and grew up in a middle-class family. He developed an interest in psychology and sociology at an early age, which led him to pursue higher education at Columbia University and later at the University of Chicago. During his time at Columbia University, Cory was exposed to the ideas of Erving Goffman and Robert Merton, which would later influence his work on LGBT rights. He also became familiar with the work of Margaret Mead and Ruth Benedict, who were both prominent anthropologists at the time.

● Career

Cory's career as a writer and activist began in the 1950s, when he became involved with the Mattachine Society. He worked closely with Harry Hay and Bob Hull to develop the organization's platform and strategy. Cory was also a key figure in the development of the Daughters of Bilitis, a lesbian rights organization founded by Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. He was a strong advocate for the rights of gay men and lesbians and worked tirelessly to promote LGBT rights through his writing and activism. Cory's work was influenced by the ideas of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, and he was also associated with other notable figures of the time, including Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs.

● Works

Cory's most notable work is his book The Homosexual in America, which was published in 1951 and became a seminal text in the LGBT rights movement. The book was a comprehensive study of the experiences of gay men in America and provided a detailed analysis of the social and psychological factors that contributed to homophobia. Cory's work was widely praised by LGBT rights activists, including Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings, and it remains an important text in the field of LGBT studies. He also wrote for various LGBT publications, including The Ladder and ONE Magazine, and was a frequent contributor to The New York Times and The Nation.

● Personal Life

Cory's personal life was marked by his long-term relationship with his partner, John P. LeRoy. The couple met in the 1950s and remained together until Cory's death in 1986. Cory was also a close friend of Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote, and he was a frequent visitor to the Salon of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. He was also associated with other notable figures of the time, including James Baldwin and Langston Hughes.

● Legacy

Cory's legacy as a LGBT rights activist and writer is still celebrated today. His work on The Homosexual in America remains an important text in the field of LGBT studies, and his contributions to the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis helped to lay the foundation for the modern LGBT rights movement. Cory's work was also recognized by the American Psychological Association, which awarded him the Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology award in 1975. He is remembered as a pioneering figure in the LGBT rights movement, and his work continues to inspire activists and scholars around the world, including those at the Human Rights Campaign, the National LGBTQ Task Force, and the Williams Institute. Category:LGBT rights activists