Killingsworth’s essay begins by elaborating on the sexual implications of Whitman’s work. Following that, there is a discussion of the lack of language around homosexuality, as well as the lack of a “sociopolitical category of consciousness, no gay ‘lifestyle'” (122). Then, when exploring the idea of Whitman’s sexuality, there is a lot of focus on whether or not Whitman was gay. I bring this up because these two concepts explored simultaneously make for a muddy distinction of his sexuality. If there was no public gay discourse during Whitman’s time, how could he possibly be taking part in a consciously gay lifestyle? (I’m not just talking about people existing who are attracted to the same sex, because that was obviously not new back then, I’m more broadly referring to the identity that it involves.) Being gay as it is today could not have existed in the same way back then.

So, how would Whitman be able to form his identity as a gay person if the exploration of homosexuality was so discrete? Keeping this in mind, would it be right to explicitly categorize him as a “gay writer” in today’s context? Would it establish a false pretense of what his work entails, since there is a difference between what it meant to be gay during Whitman’s time versus the modern day gay identity? The spectrum of identities among the LGBT+ community today has the potential to change the perception of Whitman’s work. The gay undertones (and in many instances the blatantly explicit homoerotic content) can’t be explored in the binary of the straight and gay identities that Killingsworth implies.

Although the love and companionship that Whitman describes in his work is often described in the physical context (whether through the personification of nature or otherwise), do you think that the bond between him and the men he is involved with transcends the physical aspect? Is the love that he has with his companions anathema to the physical body that they exist in? 

I will leave you with this line from “Scented Herbage of My Breast” that really has barely anything to do with what I just said, but I really enjoyed it: “Give me yourself, for I see that you belong to me now above all, and are folded inseparably together, you love and death are” (269). Feel free to comment your favorite line(:

Lydia’s CS for February 16
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