Rictor Norton examined LGBTQ+ themes in literature, tracing how queer identities have been represented throughout history. His book helped legitimize LGBTQ+ literary criticism as an academic field. By analyzing works from various time periods, Norton demonstrated that queerness has always been present in literary traditions, even when coded or suppressed.

The Homosexual Literary Tradition: Course Outline and Objectives on JSTOR

Rictor Norton, The Homosexual Literary Tradition: Course Outline and Objectives, College English, Vol. 35, No. 6 (Mar., 1974), pp. 674-678+687-692