A Lavender Look at the Temple

A Gay Perspective of the Peoples Temple

For most of its history, the Peoples Temple existed under the radar. Most had never even heard of the church until news of the tragic deaths of more than nine hundred men, women, and children in the jungles of Guyana broke in November of 1978.Th e lives and deaths of the members of the Peoples Temple are ones that remain mostly misunderstood to this day. And for the gay and lesbian members and their families, the truth is sometimes even harder to ?nd.

Author Bellefountainean activist, a scholar, and proud member of the gay communityprovides a new perspective of the Temple. His detailed research into the inner workings of the Peoples Temple is presented, with a special look at the lives of the gay and lesbian members of the Peoples Temple community. Their stories illustrate how their lives were in?uenced and a?cted by Jones and his acceptance of their sexuality. Bellefountaine looked deep into the historical connection between Jim Joness Peoples Temple and the city of San Francisco, as well as the connection San Franciscos ?rst gay councilman, Harvey Milk, had with the Peoples Temple.

The power that acceptanceeven false acceptancecan have on people is explored through the detailed accounts of members of the temple community. He tells the very human stories of those who died in Jonestown as well as how those who survived the horror and their families were deeply a?ected by the tragedy of November 18, 1978and what we can learn from this event.