The mark of sexual preference in the interpretation of texts: preface to a homosexual reading.

Since reading is an interaction or confrontation between the reader and the text--an interaction that depends upon the background and perspectives of the reader as well as on the text being read--we can assume that the dynamics of sexuality and sexual object choice will influence how readers ascribe meaning to literary texts. In fact, although other aspects of our identities come into play when we read, sexual identity is unique and central because of the role that it plays in the creation of subjectivity. Specifically, male homosexuality informs and structures the reading of texts. But what does it mean to be a homosexual reader or to effectuate a homosexual reading of a particular text?