“In documenting and analysing the transnational orientation of gay and lesbian magazines in communist Poland, Lukasz Szulc challenges the dehistoricization of lesbian and gay lives within research on Poland sexual politics. Adopting a transnational lens to examine same sex identities and politics in Poland, this book constitutes an important contribution to studies of the global and transnational politics of sexualities, as well as current debates about the geopolitics of the region within sexuality studies.” (Jon Binnie, Reader in Human Geography, Manchester Metropolitan University)

“Transnational Homosexuals in Communist Poland is an important, cogent and provocative study. Providing a rich account of the Central and Eastern European and Polish homosexual, it challenges mainstream assumptions, and provides new and original materials to advance understanding of Polish homosexual life. It gets this exciting book series on Global Queer Politics off to a promising start.” (Ken Plummer, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex, UK)

“A marvellously innovative addition to our understanding of the history of sex rights activism and to the history of Poland under and after communism, Szulc’s book uses fascinating primary sources and challenges numerous misconceptions.” (Dagmar Herzog, Professor of History, City University of New York, USA)

“Neither romanticizing nor underplaying the complex realities of gay and lesbian life in Central and Eastern Europe, Szulc’s sophisticated and empirically grounded account contributes to a fuller understanding of the past that is particularly valuable as we face a challenging future.” (Larry Gross, Professor of Communication, University of Southern California, USA)

“An impressive contribution to the LGBT+ history of Poland, and a must-read for scholars of social movements, underground publishing and gay and lesbian identities in late socialist Central and Eastern Europe.” (Josie McLellan, Professor of History, University of Bristol, UK)

“This is a thoroughly well-researched work, framed in the myths of the sexual Cold War. It draws on gay and lesbian magazines and interviews with authors as well as ILGA archive material to trace Polish LGBT activism through the last decade of communist rule, including the years of martial law and the emergence of Solidarność movement. Details are given of the shocking events surrounding Operation Hyacinth, a major effort of state surveillance on behalf of the Polish police to create lists of gays.” (Judit Takács, Research Chair, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary)

“This book is social science at its best: unmasking myths about homosexuality in former communist countries. Based on careful reading and analysis of gay and lesbian magazines, Szulc shows us the importance of transnational aspects of emerging homosexual identities and politics in Poland at the twilight of the Cold War. A must read!” (Jan Willem Duyvendak, Professorof Sociology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands)