Explore the history of gay and lesbian rights through primary resources that bring the issues to life.
The movement for gay and lesbian rights in America is a response to long-held beliefs that have, at times throughout the history of the United States, made homosexuality legally, politically, and socially unacceptable. This collection of primary documents explores those beliefs and their counter-arguments, providing varying viewpoints on the complex issue of gay and lesbian rights. Personal testimonies, laws, opinion pieces, court cases, and other documents, dating from colonial times to the present day, encourage students to challenge their assumptions and strengthen critical thinking skills.
The struggle for gay and lesbian rights in the United States is founded on the idea that feelings of love and sexual attraction between persons of the same sex are natural, moral, normal, psychologically healthy, and deserving of full equality in all aspects of society. The documents presented in this unique collection clearly portray the arguments that have been used to refute this idea, and how homosexuals in U.S. society have fought for acceptance as people worthy of equal rights. The struggle is traced chronologically, providing a multifaceted overview of the issues for anyone studying the history and volatility of this movement.
Series Foreword
Acknowledgements
Introduction by Walter L. Williams
Timeline
The Clash of Religions
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: The Development of a Homophile Identity in the United States, 1775-1950
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Movement in the United States, 1950-1977
Backlash: The Reaction to Gay and Lesbian Progress in the United States, 1977-1987
Queer America: The Acceptance of Sexual and Gender Diversity in the United States, 1987-2000
Conclusion
Glossary
List of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Organizations
Selected Bibliography
Index
