Take the young stranger by the hand

Take the Young Stranger by the Hand examines the rich emotional lives of men who sought to build community with other men and considers the relationship between Christian brotherhood and homoeroticism. It also shows how the YMCA, a pioneer in the field of sex education, was one of the earliest popularizers of medical and psychiatric paradigms of sexuality - paradigms that have transformed American social, emotional, and family life.

Gustav-Wrathall discusses the roles played by women in a Christian men's organization and the volatile relationship between the YMCA and the YWCA. He also looks at how the YMCA has influenced the evolution of gay communities, gay culture, and gay identities. Gustav-Wrathall presents the YMCA as an institution of profound contradictions, reflective of the broader society's views of same-sex love and sexuality.