Are You My Dead Guy: Henry Gerber

The game where he has to agree he’s an important man from history, reincarnated

This post contains sensitive content on homophobia. Reader discretion is advised.

“Henry Gerber” was born Josef Henrik Dittmar and he was, a gay man. Being homosexual caused him to be expelled from school and to lose several jobs.

He moved to Belgium and changed his name to Romaine Neubauer. He continued to be publicly gay though, and as his issues with the police got worse, he decided to move to America.

Broke and hoping for citizenship he joined the army. After being discharged for falling ill, he had a myriad of all American experiences. Including, being arrested and sent to an insane asylum. Please note I’m using the wording of the time on that.

It was after being released from the asylum that he changed his name a third and final time to escape homosexual persecution . This time to Henry Gerber. Here he is.

Alas, this guy wasn’t Henry Gerber after all. Or, perhaps he is but I draw the line at being forced to see a penis.

The Society of Human Rights Gerber started really was the first gay rights organization in America. His goal was to educate gay and straight people on what it meant to be homosexual. It was a place of discussion on both how to deal with their persecution, and problems within the community.

In July of 1925, he and some of the other men from the organization were arrested. The wife of one of the men from the group tattled on them for being homosexual. The homophobia was coming from inside the house, literally.

Today’s “If you want to read about it” is:

An Angel in Sodom: Henry Gerber and the Gay Rights Movement by Jim Elledge

“If you want to listen”:

Stuff You Missed In History Class: Henry Gerber