'From homosexual law reform to drag kings; from HIV/AIDS to lesbian artists; from old age to movie-going - gay and lesbian life in Australia has always been a vibrant canvas. In this collection, established and newly emerging Australian historians cast an eye over the past hundred years or so. Drawing on sources as diverse as government records, police and court documents, archives, memoirs, and oral histories from across the nation, the contributors have unearthed stories that will surprise, delight, and inform. The book will be of great interest to those working and studying in the fields of sexuality and gender studies, sociology, Australian history, politics and other social studies, as well as those in the specific fields of HIV/AIDS, queer literature, violence in Australia, ageing, and media studies.' (Publication summary)