@wowo101 It's weird that this one of Baldwin's books that is most put forward as a good queer book. It is certainly telling of a context and time period and contains some of the themes (and problems) of later books, such as the ability to love / be loved. Yet I totally agree with your description. This is a book on internalised homophobia and I found it to be quite a harsh read. Including because of the transphobic passages as well as a femphobic one. I always have a hard time separating narration and author in such passages when they are not otherwise thematised / criticised through the rest of the novel. Baldwin is an incredible writer I wonder why this book is put forward uncritically...