Since this book was published in the 1980s, much has changed. The value of this book today is to provide perspective. The book presents a snapshot of the same-sex movement then, which, when compared to a snapshot today, permits us a rough measure of change. Altman is an Australian who spent much time in the United States and also Europe and other parts of the world, so his analysis does have breadth. Altman attempts also to address same-sex issues among women, but he frequently confesses that he is not an expert in that area. He includes a chapter about the phenomena of sado-masochism and pedophilia, and how they have become linked, erroneously he believes, with same-sex relationships. There is also an interesting chapter on same-sex "culture," going back to the beginnings of history.