Louis
William Crompton (April 5, 1925 – July 11, 2009) was a Canadian scholar, professor, author, and pioneer in the instruction of queer studies.[1]
Partner Luis Diaz-Perdomo
Queer Places:
5840 Locust St, Lincoln, NE 68516
6816 Blake St, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Louis
William Crompton (April 5, 1925 – July 11, 2009) was a Canadian scholar, professor, author, and pioneer in the instruction of queer studies.[1]
Born to Master Mariner Clarence and Mabel Crompton, Crompton received an M.A. in mathematics from the University of Toronto in 1948 and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago in 1954. After teaching mathematics at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto,[2] he joined the English department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1955, retiring in 1989. During his career, he gained an international reputation as a scholar of the works of George Bernard Shaw.[1] In 1970, Crompton taught a gay studies class at UNL, the Proseminar in Homophile Studies, the second such course offered in the United States, an action that raised LGBT awareness in academia, Nebraska, and the nation. The course provoked one Nebraska state legislator into introducing a bill that would ban any teaching on homosexuality in any Nebraska public college; the bill was not passed into law.[1] Crompton nevertheless decided not to offer the course again, but continued to pursue the subject through research and publication.[3] In the early 1970s, Crompton became the faculty advisor for the Gay Action Group, forerunner of today's UNL Queer Ally Coalition, and also helped found the UNL Homophobia Awareness Committee, which became the Committee on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns. In 1974, Crompton co-founded with Dolores Noll of Kent State University and others the Gay and Lesbian Caucus of the Modern Language Association.[4] In 1978, Crompton scored a literary coup by editing and publishing in the Journal of Homosexuality the full text of "Offences Against One's Self: Paederasty," a never-before published 1785 essay by utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham.[5] Bentham had suppressed the essay during his lifetime, for fear of public outrage at his views on liberalizing the laws concerning homosexual activity. Crompton received many awards and honors during his career, including the Bonnie Zimmerman and Vern Bullough Prize of the Foundation for the Scientific Study of Sexuality award for 2003 for his book Homosexuality and Civilization, dedicated to his partner Luis Diaz-Perdomo, which covers 2500 years of world history.[4] At the time of his death, Crompton, who had retired to California, was a professor emeritus of English at UNL. He was survived by his partner of forty years, Luis Diaz-Perdomo, also a former UNL faculty member who served many years with Counseling and Psychological Services at UNL and facilitated the Gay Men’s Discussion Group.[4][6]
In 2009, a scholarship was established at UNL in Crompton's name for students working toward "a more just, inclusive society for the LGBTQ community";[7] the first award to a student was made in 2013.[8] The Louis Crompton/Luis Diaz-Perdomo Scholarship (formerly the Louis Crompton Scholarship) was initiated by Ryan Fette and Fred Schneider with assistance and support from Pat Tetreault and the University of Nebraska Foundation. Established in 2009, the scholarship is now endowed (as of 2013 and increased from $500 to $1,500) and is a permanent scholarship. Each year, applications will be accepted and a qualified recipient will be awarded $1,500 ($750 each semester to be credited toward the student’s tuition and fees). The purpose of the Crompton/Diaz-Perdomo Scholarhip is to honor true heroes in LGBTQA+ rights and leaders in academics, and to inspire change and inclusion for students interested in and working toward a more inclusive, welcoming, and socially just environment for the LGBTQA+ community. Students are encouraged to apply. The Crompton/Diaz-Perdomo Scholarship is to be given to a student who is enrolled in the LGBTQ/Sexuality Studies minor, a member of an LGBTQA+ Registered Student Organization, and/or a student staff and/or volunteer at the LGBTQA+ Center at UNL. The student must be attending UNL during the academic year that the scholarship is provided, must maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours. Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need as defined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Selection will be based on integrity and honesty, support and inclusion of the LGBTQA+ community, and participation in UNL LGBTQA+ community activities.
My published books:
