Gay Taboos in 1900 Brussels: The Literary, Journalistic and Private Debate Surrounding Georges Eekhoud's Novel Escal-Vigor

Abstract

ABSTRACTGeorges Eekhoud was put on trial in October 1900, accused of depicting homosexuality in his 1899 novel Escal-Vigor. The trial engendered a unique series of events in Belgian contemporary public discourse: a debate on homosexuality in a country where such topics were usually completely ignored or condemned. Surprisingly, the debate that focused on the novel in newspapers was not entirely opposed to Eekhoud, who was finally acquitted in his trial. The publicity had an effect that was the opposite of what was hoped for by the authorities: Escal-Vigor went from obscurity to popularity, with six printings by 1901. A study of the public, private and literary debate surrounding the trial will allow us a glimpse of a brief moment in history where gay literature was at the centre of attention and ask ourselves what influence it had on the lot of homosexuals at the time.