Separating the Act From the Actor

Reviews the book, Homosexual Acts, Actors, and Identities by Lon G. Nungesser (1983). In the introduction to this slim volume, Nungesser suggests that this book differs from other texts in social psychology human sexuality in that it "separates the act from the person; thus there are no 'homosexuals,' or 'heterosexuals,' in any pure biological or genetic sense". Indeed, the author considers "the essential composition of human sexuality as inclusive of a range of potential responses, and sexual identity as essentially social and political". The book is organized into two parts. The first three chapters are devoted to the topic of sexual identity, the second three chapters concern pejorative responses to homosexual acts and actors. Since the author recommends this book as appropriate for upper division courses in social psychology, human sexuality, and gender roles, among others, the reader may expect the scholarship buttressing the controversial theses to be sound. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)