1 . 1969 - § 175 being modified but not abolished till 1994 . Still from Great Freedom ( 2021 )
A scenario reminiscent of George Orwell ’ s dystopian novel 1984 .
Faced with the impossibility of socially accepted sexuality , we homos , sodomites , urnings , fags , queers , psychos , heretics , asocials , perverts , or however we were called throughout history , sought alternatives . We met away from the controlling collective eye in the bushes of public parks , criss-crossing the nocturnal darkness in search of brief moments of intimacy . We added a transgressive sexual layer to established utilitarian architectures . So public restrooms would always satisfy a broader range of needs , and offer different kinds of rests . In the United Kingdom , toilets used for sex are called “ tearooms ”, “ cottages ”, “ beats ” or “ bog-houses ”. In Germany , the name “ Klappe ” is common , while in Vienna men meet in the “ Loge ”. The diversity of names for those places of desire shows what importance they represent for “ outcasts ” worldwide .
In times of criminalized love , homosexuals have become experts in stealing moments of privacy and discovering cracks within society that offer the possibility of a sexual encounter . They take refuge in the city ’ s darkness and anonymity , because the public sphere paradoxically offers more privacy than their private ones .
Gays got used to being given wicked names and to live and survive in wicked situations . The definition problem was followed by the challenge to find a place to love . In the absence of options provided by society , these were abysmal , underground and hidden places . People whose sex had been persecuted , forbidden , and brought into the public eye over the centuries , had no choice but to seek out places within society , but beyond the bounds of society ’ s perception . overview
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