Rethinking the Gay and Lesbian Movement

American Social and Political Movements of the 20th Century

by Marc Stein

Rethinking the Gay and Lesbian Movement provides a new narrative history of U.S. gay and lesbian activism, drawing on primary research in the field and the best scholarship on the history of the gay and lesbian movement. Focusing on four decades of social, cultural, and political change in the second half of the twentieth century, Stein examines the changing agendas, beliefs, strategies, and vocabularies of a movement that encompassed diverse actions, campaigns, ideologies, and organizations. From the homophile activism of the 1950s and 1960s, through the rise of gay liberation and lesbian feminism in the 1970s, to the multicultural and AIDS activist movements of the 1980s, Rethinking the Gay and Lesbian Movement provides a strong foundation for understanding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer politics today. Rethinking the Gay and Lesbian Movement provides a short, accessible overview of an important and transformational struggle for social change, highlighting key individuals and events, influential groups and networks, strong alliances and coalitions, difficult challenges and obstacles, major successes and failures, and the movement’s lasting effects on the country. This volume will be valued by everyone interested in gay and lesbian history, the history of social movements, and the history of the United States.

Genres: History, LGBT, Nonfiction, College, Queer, Sexuality

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very comprehensive and thorough. I learned many interesting new things about people and organizations. Unfortunately, many times there are just lists without much elaboration. I suspect this was dictated by the space limitations from the publisher. Although there is an excellent list of suggested readings, I would have liked more notes to much of the information cited in the book. Again, I suspect that was a publisher's limitation.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first few chapters more engaging than the last few. The first few chapters were more analytical and in-depth, while the last few chapters seemed like simple overviews where Stein was trying to shove as much information into the chapter as possible.

[Ainsley Petrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this for a history class - very enlightening! highly recommend

[Gabi Yeary · Rating 2 out of 5]

just your daily reminder that im very homophobic and hated this but it had some sick facts (#dontaskdonttell)

[Tony Hynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good literary piece detailing the Gay and Lesbian movement. Gives an good account of the movement from different perspectives, and analyzes the different strategies used as the movement began to grow.

[Yooperprof · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry.