This important new book marks the coming of age of gay and lesbian studies programs at colleges and universities worldwide by documenting the dramatic changes that have occurred in the nature and goals of gay and lesbian studies. Gay and Lesbian Studies chronicles the development of gay and lesbian studies from its earliest development in European universities to the establishment of the Gay and Lesbian Studies Department at City College of San Francisco--the first gay and lesbian studies department at an American college. Authoritative contributors bring a variety of perspectives to the nature of the gay and lesbian studies discipline. Important topics in the book include discussions of the historical and theoretical context of gay and lesbian studies, conceptual issues, practical aspects of teaching and developing programs, and political issues and implications. The broad scope of this informative volume encompasses the field of gay and lesbian studies as well as the debate over whether this is one integrated discipline or two distinct ones. Gay and Lesbian Studies provides essential information for studying the growth of gay and lesbian studies and the issues affecting its development. Some of the highlights of this seminal book include problems in defining the terms homosexual, homosexuality, gay, and lesbian, how sexual identity plays a unique and central role in informing and structuring the reading of texts, first-hand accounts of the issues involved in teaching courses and developing programs in gay and lesbian studies, how the first gay and lesbian studies department began at City College of San Francisco, and the role of community-based historians in reclaiming the lesbian and gay past. At this critical time in the midst of groundbreaking developments, this exciting new book provides an invaluable resource for the current state of the field of gay and lesbian studies.