Reviews (3)

Breezy but slight history
Readable but superficial history of Seattle gay life from the anti-sodomy days a century ago to its appeal many decades later. Atkins offers nothing like the sophisticated analysis of George Chauncey's Gay New York or even recent gay and lesbian histories of Portland, Oregon or Buffalo, New York.

Valuable - and a good read
I'm just finishing off Gay Seattle, by Gary Atkins, and can't recommend it too highly.The history is local, but the "general" history is good, gripping and valuable, and serves as a microcosm for gay history across the country.I'd forgotten how dreadful the '70's were, and how close we came to losing a lot of very solid gains.The religionists and the conservatives took over, and for a while there it was pretty bleak - quite like now: defeats all over, then slow progress.The politcal end of the book is good to read too, and reads like a good discussion of the various "how's" of political/social progress.
A walk from the mud flat
The journey that I have been led is a difficult one - from the mud flat, a detour to Steilacoom, a small climb up to Denny's knoll, and the courage ascend to the Hills.Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay liberation movement    3. Gay rights    4. Gays    5. Gender Studies    6. History    7. Seattle    8. Social Science    9. Social conditions    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. United States - State & Local - General    13. Washington (State)    14. Gay & Lesbian studies    15. Washington state   

Subjects:  1. Electronic surveillance    2. Electronics in crime preventio    3. Electronics in crime prevention    4. Gay Studies    5. General    6. Media Studies    7. Performing Arts    8. Performing Arts/Dance    9. Popular Culture - General    10. Privacy, Right of    11. Social aspects    12. Technology and the arts    13. Theater - General    14. Cultural studies    15. Impact of computing & IT on society    16. Performing Arts / General   

Reviews (2)

Cuban heteronormativity critically analyzed
Marvin Leiner lived in Cuba in 1968-69 and revisited the island periodically thereafter. In 1978 he published _Children are the Revolution_, a book on Cuban daycare programs. A democratic socialist in the I.F. Stone and Michael Harrington tradition, Leiner admires the dramatic and effective extensions of literacy and healthcare to the masses, while believing that "socialism without democracy is a contradiction...lead[ing] to horrendous abuse of power." It is as a "friend of the social revolution" that Leiner criticizes repression of dissent and the ongoing history of persecution of males judged insufficiently masculine (this is the official and folk Cuban construction of male homosexuality). Must be appreciated as an original text.....
The history of homosexuality and homophobia in Cuba is rich; just like most topics related to the Island.Nowadays, everyone is writing about "gay Cuba."The release of the film "Before Night Falls" only exemplifies and promotes the trend.However, when this book was written that was not the case.The book sometimes feels like it is picking for straws.Still, as an original effort it is worth the read.I remember being glad this book existed when I found it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. AIDS (Disease)    2. Cuba    3. Gay Studies    4. Gays    5. Human Sexuality    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Sex instruction    8. Sex role    9. Sociology    10. AIDS: social aspects    11. Gay studies (Gay men)    12. Gender studies    13. HIV / AIDS    14. Human rights   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (8)

Excellent exposé of the radical theocratic right
Thank you, Ms. Herman for writing this excellent book.The anti-gay agenda pursued by many religious conservatives deserves to be exposed for what it is: a campaign of hate, lies and deceit.
Stupid.
Rather than reading this book, suggest you read the Bible.There is no 'anti-gay plot'--but there are a few of us out there who believe that the Bible on the subject means exactly what it says--homosexual activity is sinful (and harmful to the person practicing it).I don't know why you would call this 'hate'.Which is truly love--letting someone dance in the street in the path of incoming cars, or warning them that they could get killed like this and that there is another way? See 1st Corinthians chapter 6.The Corinthians, as many in the Roman empire had many homosexuals in society very mainstreamed and instead of demanding they be stoned to death, as per Mosaic law, or other 'hate' Paul showed how they could get out of the harmful behaviour (as could the adulterers, fornicators and other sinners)and have a 'new life in Christ.'
GREAT
A very well written and well informed book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. Lesbian Studies    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Christianity    7. Gay & Lesbian studies    8. Human rights    9. Social Science / Lesbian Studies   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay men    3. Gay rights    4. Homosexuality    5. Ireland    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Lesbians    8. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    9. Political activity    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Social Movements    12. Sociology    13. Gay & Lesbian studies    14. History / Ireland    15. Human rights   

Editorial Review

Steve Gunderson is a Republican congressman from Wisconsin. Rob Morris is his lover. Such is the backdrop of a biography that bends stereotypes and confronts the popular notions both of what it means to be gay and of the definition of family. The book focuses mostly on Gunderson's journey--though it includes essential views from Morris--from his religious, Midwestern background, to his journey to Washington and the experience of being an openly gay politician in a time of almost religious warfare over sexual preference. While Gunderson and Morris examine the many forces at work in the formation of values, they ask both those in the zealous Right and in the confrontational Left to take notice. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Interesting memoir
I read this book a few years ago and was particularly interested because I had lived for years in Steve Gunderson's congressional district, had met him several times and had voted for him.He was first elected as I recall in 1980 as part of the Reagan Revolution.He was a decent enough fellow, did his job conscientiously and probably with his background in agricultural issues might've ended up as a Secretary of Agriculture perhaps.Whatever his rise was in the Republican Party it pretty much was ended after he was "outed" although I was impressed in the book about his friendship with Newt Gingrich and Gingrich's acceptance of his homosexuality (then again, one of Newt's sisters, I believe, is gay).Say what you want about his personal lifestyle, if it had a bearing on his political future (and how could it not have) then it was the public's loss in the long-run to have a conscientious congressman like Gunderson take himself out of the political arena. Crossparty appeal
As a liberal Democratic activist, I was suprised how much I liked this book. While I had known Representative Gunderson was hardly one of Ginrich's drones, his independence impressed me in some cases. A "true to the heart" read... very engaging and insightful.
Rob Morris and Rep. Steve Gunderson tell their story very well.The layout is very well done with Rob and Steve each having their own section in each chapter.I couldn't recommend a better book to politicaly motivated gay men and women. Oh, and yes, a great cover design too! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Congress    4. Gay Studies    5. Gay politicians    6. Gay rights    7. Government - Legislative Branch    8. Legislators    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Social Science    11. U.S. House Of Representatives    12. United States    13. Gunderson, Steve    14. Morris, Rob   

Editorial Review

Many gays and lesbians have suffered from oppression in the United States; so have many African Americans. But their mutual suffering has not necessarily led to sympathy and collaboration: witness the sharp protests among some black leaders when queer activists compare their struggle to the civil rights movement, or the subtle exclusion of gays and lesbians of color from some activist organizations. The essays in Read more

Reviews (1)

Well-written and insightful
With the Christian right actively working to drum up support among black ministers, this book is extremely important.Brandt and his contributors want to bridge the gap between blacks and gays. They also make it obviousthat the two groups are not mutually exclusive, that black gays andlesbians have an especially difficult row to hoe in this country. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Discrimination & Racism    3. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    4. Gay Studies    5. Heterosexism    6. Homophobia    7. Homosexuality    8. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    9. Religious aspects    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. U.S. - Political And Civil Rights Of Blacks    13. United States   

Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Constitutional    3. Gays    4. Gender & the Law    5. General    6. Law    7. Legal status, laws, etc    8. Legal status, laws, etc.    9. Politics / Current Events    10. United States    11. Constitutional & administrative law    12. North America    13. Political Science / General    14. Political control & influence    15. USA   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. Lesbian Studies    4. Lesbianism    5. Modernist-fundamentalist controversy    6. Religious right    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. United States    10. Women's Studies - General    11. Cultural studies    12. Ethical issues & debates    13. Family & relationships    14. USA   

Reviews (1)

Best overview of the background of the gay rights movement
This book goes behind the headlines of current issues like same-sex marriage, gay rights controversies, and religious attitudes, to give a comprehensive understanding of the history of the gay and lesbian rights movement.It includes a comprehensive selection of documents, from the early colonial period to the present, tied together with historical explanations that put these sources into clear perspective.Clearly written and astute, this book helped me learn more about the Native American respect for same-sex relationships, the roots of Christian opposition to same-sex love, and the conflict between those values and the American ideology of individual freedom and liberty.Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Gay Studies    3. Gay liberation movement    4. Gay rights    5. History    6. Homosexuality    7. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Public Policy - Social Policy    10. Public opinion    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Sources    14. United States    15. History / United States / General    16. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (1)

Life Changing!
This is a challenging and phenomenal read that was life affirming for me.I'd wholeheartedly recommend this book and any others published by Mr. Huppin et al.The 9th Amendment is too often overlooked in an overzealous pursuit to implant restrictive cultural norms and ethics.Mr. Huppin et al. use a myriad of examples of abuses to make a compelling case for the extension of this amendment to include too-often ignored sexual rights. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 9th Amendment    2. Constitution    3. Constitution.    4. Constitutional    5. Gay Studies    6. Human Sexuality    7. Law    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. Sex and law    10. United States    11. United States.    12. Constitutional & administrative law    13. Gender studies    14. USA   

Reviews (1)

Excellent Book
This is an excellent book. Gay and lesbian issues are always best understood from a cool, level-headed social science approach. The question of whether or not gay people are citizens is very compelling. Clearly in America, gays cannot be considered real or full citizens because this is a country dominated ideologically by heterosexuals who demand that all people be heterosexual (or else!). Gays have the least amount of civil rights than any other group in America. What's more, if you are gay and black, you have to deal with racism and homophobia. If you are a woman, too; then you have sexism to also worry about. That's why it's silly to say that gay rights are not civil rights or that gay rights somehow dishonors the civil rights movement. First of all, there are gay black people, so how can gay rights dishonor the civil rights movement? It doesn't make sense. To say that calling gay rights civil rights dishonors the civil rights movement would, in effect, be saying that all black people are straight, which is simply not true. Gay people (of all races and ethnicities) have the least amount of rights in this country, and that should be enough to make us all seriously question just how free America really is. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Citizenship    2. Gay Studies    3. Gay rights    4. Gender Studies    5. Homosexuality    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    8. Political rights    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. United States    12. Gay & Lesbian studies    13. Human rights    14. Political science & theory    15. USA   

Reviews (9)

Missing in Action
I very much loved Sean Kennedy's account of his psychic journey, Excellent story!
Not having been in the military, I was glad to have this insider's view of the gay scene in the military.I thought it remarkable how at ease Mr. Kennedy was with his straignt buddies in many parties and other free timeactivities that his straignt friends enjoyed, and how effective he was atcovering his gay tendencies.I was also impressed with how effectively hecould diffuse cases against gays.He is a remarkable man.

good
this is a very good coming out stor ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Gay Studies    5. Gays in the military    6. General    7. Homosexuality    8. Judge advocates    9. Military Personnel    10. United States    11. Kennedy, James E   

Reviews (2)

Intelligent and compassionate
Psychotherapy and the Gay Man is an intelligent and compassionalte examination of psychoanalytic treatment of male homosexuality. Dr. Drescher provides a rudder on the turbulent seas that surround the controversiesabout clinical treatment with this population. An enlightning text for all
This book was so enlightning. When I opened it, to begin my reading, I must confess I was so enthusiastic that I read it quite fast, for a book that complex. After all, I'm not a therapist. It took me two weeks to dealwith it, and it enriched my own therapy sessions in a very healthy way. Nowmy therapist wants to read it. And it was amazing, because during theperiod I was reading it, I felt so many times identified with the text, soclose to many of the patients, so happy to realize I am not alone.Iwanted to thank the author for his book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay men    3. Homosexuality, Male    4. Mental health    5. Movements - Psychoanalysis    6. Psychoanalysis and homosexuali    7. Psychoanalysis and homosexuality    8. Psychology    9. Psychology Of Homosexuality    10. Psychotherapy    11. Psychotherapy - General    12. Gay & Lesbian studies    13. Human rights    14. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory    15. Sexual behaviour   

Reviews (1)

Fascinating !!
One woman's well written account of her activism during the 1960's and 1980's.
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Subjects:  1. 1917-    2. Biography    3. Deming, Barbara,    4. Feminism    5. Feminists    6. General    7. Lesbians    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. United States    11. Women radicals    12. Women's Studies - General    13. Biography: general    14. Deming, Barbara    15. Demonstrations & protest movements    16. Human rights    17. Revolutions & coups   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay liberation movement    3. Gay rights    4. Gays    5. Lesbian Studies    6. Political activity    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Public Policy - General    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Gay & Lesbian studies    12. Gender Studies    13. Political Science and International Relations    14. Political science & theory    15. Social Science / Gay Studies    16. Social groups & communities   

Reviews (3)

An Inexorable Element of Gay Studies
Vern's introduction credited me with suggesting that he replace Wayne Dynes, after Dynes resigned, as the editor of Before Stonewall.I'm happy that John De Cecco, the editor at Haworth, accepted my suggestion.John, who has edited the Journal of Homosexuality and a number of other Haworth Journal and series, is beyond question the most important gay editor since Magnus Hirschhfeld.He has made the Journal the place of record for gay studies, and Vern Bullough, with over fifty books to his credit is also the leading living historian of sex.Both of those scholars have braved the slings and arrows of the religious right, the child abuse industry, and others suffering from sexual panic.They did a splendid job on this much needed work, which contradicts the present-minded, now the vast majority of the gay rights movement, who maintain that nothing significant happened before Stonewall.
A Fascinating Collection!
A collection of fascinating personal stories of individual and collection action against injustice! This book dispels myths that give central location to the Stonewall rebellion, showing instead a much more complex history of activism for gay and lesbian rights. Although the biographies are uneven (some are too short, and some are written by their subjects' partners, hence too celebratory), most of these approximately forty biographies show the successes and charms, foibles and failures of a remarkable group of people -- gay, lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual, transgendered, non-transgendered -- who all made a tremendous difference in the quality of life possible for gays and lesbians in the United States today.

Indispensable documentation of a major social movement
Launched a half-century ago, the American gay and lesbian rights movement has achieved a remarkable success.Its influence has spread throughout the world, contributing enormously to the happiness, productivity, and self-esteem of homosexual citizens elsewhere.For the most part, those who launched this wonderful development in the 1950s did not realize, or did not record, the essence of their achievement.They were too busy doing their work. Now, under the guidance of Vern Bullough, a major scholar in the field, it has been written down.In biographies of some forty individuals, many fascinating in their own right, the story is told.It is as if one received a whole raft of biographies in one volume!This book must be seen and read in order to understand its remarkable contribution, a contribution that is significant for all of us. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Civil Rights    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay activists    5. Gay liberation movement    6. Gender Studies    7. History    8. Lesbian Studies    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Biography: general    12. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Civil rights    3. Gays    4. History    5. Homosexuality    6. Law and legislation    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General   

Reviews (7)

Time proved Urv right
If, like Rex Wockner recently did, you find yourself struck with the sudden realization that we aren't quite as well situated with the American public as the popularity of Will and Grace might lead one to believe and that, in the secrecy of the voting booth, the real anti-gay America is raising its ugly head past that glossy veneer of tolerance in state after state, you should read this book that a decade ago warned us against being content with simple mainstreaming into a corrupt social structure that had all the cornerstones of homohatred as its foundation and encouraged us to seek real equality instead of settling for a virtual one.
A Valueable 1st Hand Account
Vaid's account of her experiences in the gay movement is invaluable for the insights and lessons it offers.Should be required reading not only for activists and gays, but for everyone everywhere.

Waste of Paper and Ink
This book is a polemic by an author with a narrow mind.As a gay man, I resent mightily her insistence that if you don't see issues HER way, you have no place in the Gay movement.Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. Sociology    4. Sociology - General    5. Gay & Lesbian studies    6. Human rights    7. Social Science / Gay Studies   

Reviews (1)

Excellent overview of the19th century gay movement
I certainly enjoyed this brief overview of the gay rights movement during this time frame. This certainly blows the idea that Stonewall was the beginning of the gay rights movement. The political activities and numbers of the time are a surprise. The European based organization provided visibility to society as a whole and more specifically to the German legislature. Their activities were successful until Hitler et al reduced their libraries and buildings to rubble. Also, Justin Kaplan's biography of Walt Whitman (I think it was Kaplan's) provides some exposure to Uncle Walt's resistence to acknowledge their praise of his writings as homo- erotic. Actually, I think he flat out rejected their praise as disgusting interpretations of his works. I have (had?) 5 or 6 hardcopies (no longer available I believe) - most (if not all) have been given away. I recommend this to anyone interested in the gay rights movement (past or present), especially for comparing to the modern day gay rights movement - puts it in perspective ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay liberation movement    3. Gay rights    4. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    5. History    6. Homosexuality    7. Political And Civil Rights    8. Social Science