This groundbreaking work explores the complex intersections of modern gay identity, US imperialism, and race. Through a nuanced analysis of literature, film, and photographs from the 19th to the 21st centuries, the author reveals how queer theory and activism have often overlooked the role of race in shaping the modern gay subject. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including Herman Melville’s Billy Budd and Anne Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain, this book challenges readers to think critically about the ways in which power, desire, and identity are intertwined. By examining the relationships between gay modernity, cosmopolitanism, and the global south, this book offers a fresh perspective on the politics of queer culture and its complex histories. A must-read for scholars of queer studies, critical race theory, and cultural studies.