i agree, there has been very good work done to show the deep mysticism of perspectives like 'the lesbian continuum' etc, which makes each and every case of same sex boffing acroos the ages, well, the same. but, claiming that homosexuality is a creation of urbanisation, as the article did, is not the same as being historically specific. and, i think in the case of the article, it was more important for the author to give this requirement for historical specificity the big city spin inasmuch as the progressivity of capitalism and the need to boost the forces of prodn is a strong article of faith in 'living marxism', so strong that it has actually become a one-sided celebration of technology.
the very idea od sexuality as a specific set of categorisable practices is no doubt particularly 'modern'. but, the implication of the modernism of 'lm' is that anti-gay bigotry will disappear with more 'modernisation'. i don't consider homophobia (call it anti-gay bigotry if you must), or racism or sexism to be pre-modern inclinations.
cheers,
angela