Roger Casement was an Irishman who worked as a British public servant. He was completely devoted to improve the lot of the oppressed and he exposed the cruel and exploitative treatments of the indigenous peoples of South America and Africa. As a punishment for his ‘crimes’ and revelations, he was knighted.
He then joined the rebel movement who fought for the independence of Ireland. For this, the British government tried and executed him.
Casement had “black diaries” which were personal records that revealed that he was homosexual. Those black diaries were discovered and shown to selected individuals but never introduced during his trials. They were afterwards concealed from public inspection, which gave rise to decades of speculation over their authenticity.
The debate continued even after the black diaries publication, but debatable analyst have been able to prove that they are truly sincere.
The use of the black diaries to expose Casement’s homosexuality and therefore harm his reputation and his ideas, is a perfect example of the vulnerability of homosexual men in the first few decades of the twentieth century.
He then joined the rebel movement who fought for the independence of Ireland. For this, the British government tried and executed him.
Casement had “black diaries” which were personal records that revealed that he was homosexual. Those black diaries were discovered and shown to selected individuals but never introduced during his trials. They were afterwards concealed from public inspection, which gave rise to decades of speculation over their authenticity.
The debate continued even after the black diaries publication, but debatable analyst have been able to prove that they are truly sincere.
The use of the black diaries to expose Casement’s homosexuality and therefore harm his reputation and his ideas, is a perfect example of the vulnerability of homosexual men in the first few decades of the twentieth century.