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We Do!: American Leaders Who Believe in Marriage Equality
Included in the 2014 Over the Rainbow list
"Baumgardner and Kunin have compiled the writings and public pronouncements of public officials and other figures on the issue of marriage equality...This book will serve as a resource for what was said about the struggle for marriage equality."
-- New York Journal of Books
" We Do ...triumphantly chronicles this recent chapter of this country's history. This volume demonstrates, through speeches, interviews, and commentary, the encouraging story of American acceptance of gay marriage and the roles that politicians--gay and straight--have played in that history."
-- Philadelphia Tribune
"A remarkably upbeat little slab of work detailing the politicians out there who are good-hearted, decent and basically worth knowing about."
-- Metro Times Blog (Detroit)
" We Do! …compiles speeches, interviews and commentary from 1977 through 2013, in which an array of political leaders…voice their unconditional support for the queer citizens of the US in their quest for same-sex marriage rights."
-- The Bay Area Reporter Online
"With the announcement late last week by Attorney General Holder, gay marriage equality took another major step forward in the U.S. A recent book on the subject highlights to path politicians have taken from Harvey Milk of San Francisco in 1977 until now, to advance the cause of marriage equality. In the words of co-author Jennifer Baumgardner, 'this is a deeply radical book.'"
-- Sun News Miami
" We Do! is a powerful look at the long battle for marriage equality in America. As Vermont’s governor, Madeleine Kunin was a leader on gay rights years before it was fashionable and years before our state became the first in the country to allow civil unions and, later, gay marriage without a court order. The struggle for gay rights in Vermont was very difficult, divisive, and acrimonious. If you talk to young people today about gay rights or gay marriage, they ask, What was the big deal? Madeleine and Jennifer Baumgardner remind us what a big deal it was and how important it is."
-- United States Senator Bernie Sanders
"Madeleine Kunin argues that empowering women to succeed at home and at work is both good economics and good social policy. She presents a convincing road map for how we achieve that vision, and calls on all of us to be part of a brighter future."
-- President Bill Clinton
"In her role as author and activist, Jennifer Baumgardner has permanently changed the way people think about feminism...and will shape the next hundred years of politics and culture."
-- The Commonwealth Club of California , hailing Baumgardner as one of Six Visionaries for the Twenty-First Century
"The gay marriage movement, like all civil rights movements, began with individuals telling the truth about who they are to a world that doesn't accept them. It ends with an entire generation of young people who reject blatant civil rights discrimination... We Do! triumphantly chronicles this recent chapter."
-- New Pages
Remember when gay marriage was the easiest way to inflame an otherwise mild electorate? This volume demonstrates, through speeches, interviews, and commentary, the encouraging story of American acceptance of gay marriage and the roles that politicians--gay and straight--have played in that history.
This movement began with individuals telling the truth about who they are to a world that doesn't accept them. From Supervisor Harvey Milk articulating in 1978 why gay people in all fields must be out and visible; to Governor Andrew Cuomo blinking back tears as he discussed his pride in making gay marriage a reality in New York in 2011; to President Obama's unprecedented support and the courage of many other American politicians— We Do! triumphantly chronicles this recent chapter of our history.
"Baumgardner and Kunin have compiled the writings and public pronouncements of public officials and other figures on the issue of marriage equality...This book will serve as a resource for what was said about the struggle for marriage equality."
-- New York Journal of Books
" We Do ...triumphantly chronicles this recent chapter of this country's history. This volume demonstrates, through speeches, interviews, and commentary, the encouraging story of American acceptance of gay marriage and the roles that politicians--gay and straight--have played in that history."
-- Philadelphia Tribune
"A remarkably upbeat little slab of work detailing the politicians out there who are good-hearted, decent and basically worth knowing about."
-- Metro Times Blog (Detroit)
" We Do! …compiles speeches, interviews and commentary from 1977 through 2013, in which an array of political leaders…voice their unconditional support for the queer citizens of the US in their quest for same-sex marriage rights."
-- The Bay Area Reporter Online
"With the announcement late last week by Attorney General Holder, gay marriage equality took another major step forward in the U.S. A recent book on the subject highlights to path politicians have taken from Harvey Milk of San Francisco in 1977 until now, to advance the cause of marriage equality. In the words of co-author Jennifer Baumgardner, 'this is a deeply radical book.'"
-- Sun News Miami
" We Do! is a powerful look at the long battle for marriage equality in America. As Vermont’s governor, Madeleine Kunin was a leader on gay rights years before it was fashionable and years before our state became the first in the country to allow civil unions and, later, gay marriage without a court order. The struggle for gay rights in Vermont was very difficult, divisive, and acrimonious. If you talk to young people today about gay rights or gay marriage, they ask, What was the big deal? Madeleine and Jennifer Baumgardner remind us what a big deal it was and how important it is."
-- United States Senator Bernie Sanders
"Madeleine Kunin argues that empowering women to succeed at home and at work is both good economics and good social policy. She presents a convincing road map for how we achieve that vision, and calls on all of us to be part of a brighter future."
-- President Bill Clinton
"In her role as author and activist, Jennifer Baumgardner has permanently changed the way people think about feminism...and will shape the next hundred years of politics and culture."
-- The Commonwealth Club of California , hailing Baumgardner as one of Six Visionaries for the Twenty-First Century
"The gay marriage movement, like all civil rights movements, began with individuals telling the truth about who they are to a world that doesn't accept them. It ends with an entire generation of young people who reject blatant civil rights discrimination... We Do! triumphantly chronicles this recent chapter."
-- New Pages
Remember when gay marriage was the easiest way to inflame an otherwise mild electorate? This volume demonstrates, through speeches, interviews, and commentary, the encouraging story of American acceptance of gay marriage and the roles that politicians--gay and straight--have played in that history.
This movement began with individuals telling the truth about who they are to a world that doesn't accept them. From Supervisor Harvey Milk articulating in 1978 why gay people in all fields must be out and visible; to Governor Andrew Cuomo blinking back tears as he discussed his pride in making gay marriage a reality in New York in 2011; to President Obama's unprecedented support and the courage of many other American politicians— We Do! triumphantly chronicles this recent chapter of our history.
- GenresNonfiction
224 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 3, 2015
I have waffled on the topic of same-sex marriage--not because I have ever doubted that people should be permitted to marry whomever they want, but because I get irritated with friends and politicians who talk about it as a final obstacle to total equality for people who identify as as LGBTQ. I am a gay man, and there are a lot of things I want just as much, if not more, than the chance to get married. I want to repair the rifts that have damaged my family life since I came out. I want to work in an environment where I can talk as openly about my romantic life and how I spend my weekends as my straight peers do. I want to send my kid to a school where I know he won't be bullied for having two dads or for not appearing straight enough himself. I want a gay superhero movie and gay characters on TV shows that are not comedies. I want to donate blood.
So it was with some hesitation that I picked up We Do!: American Leaders Who Believe in Marriage Equality--a book I only agreed to read because the University of Texas is considering adopting it for its first-year writing program. Like the other reviewers have mentioned, it is a collection of speeches by U.S. political leaders from Harvey Milk to Hillary Clinton and Cory Booker who have publicly endorsed same-sex couples' right to get married. It is a slim book, with few of the speeches lasting more than just a couple of pages, but it quickly won me over. The editors have done an excellent job introducing each speaker, sharing details about the era's political climate and his or her stakes in the topic of marriage equality, and I was entranced by the conversation as it progressed from Milk, who fights for love but isn't so bold as to mention marriage, to Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Obama, who, less than half a century later, embrace marriage equality as a social inevitability.
Same-sex marriage is not, of course, the "glass ceiling" or "final frontier" of LGBTQ rights, in that attaining it will not instantly resolve the other forms of prejudice and discrimination that I mentioned earlier. But reading this book helped me better appreciate it as a step in the right direction--and as a rights issue that does mean the difference between social life and death to plenty of good people, including binational queer couples who cannot live together, in any configuration, in the United States, and people who have lost partners and then had to pay unfair estate taxes on everything they inherited. (This latter situation could easily be mine, but my youth and relative health has kept me from thinking too hard about it.) What I am trying to say, I guess, is that We Do! has helped me appreciate marriage equality as a pivotal battle in the broader fight for LGBTQ equality, and not simply a bid for acceptance into the broken, heterosexist structure of marriage. It is essential reading.
So it was with some hesitation that I picked up We Do!: American Leaders Who Believe in Marriage Equality--a book I only agreed to read because the University of Texas is considering adopting it for its first-year writing program. Like the other reviewers have mentioned, it is a collection of speeches by U.S. political leaders from Harvey Milk to Hillary Clinton and Cory Booker who have publicly endorsed same-sex couples' right to get married. It is a slim book, with few of the speeches lasting more than just a couple of pages, but it quickly won me over. The editors have done an excellent job introducing each speaker, sharing details about the era's political climate and his or her stakes in the topic of marriage equality, and I was entranced by the conversation as it progressed from Milk, who fights for love but isn't so bold as to mention marriage, to Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Obama, who, less than half a century later, embrace marriage equality as a social inevitability.
Same-sex marriage is not, of course, the "glass ceiling" or "final frontier" of LGBTQ rights, in that attaining it will not instantly resolve the other forms of prejudice and discrimination that I mentioned earlier. But reading this book helped me better appreciate it as a step in the right direction--and as a rights issue that does mean the difference between social life and death to plenty of good people, including binational queer couples who cannot live together, in any configuration, in the United States, and people who have lost partners and then had to pay unfair estate taxes on everything they inherited. (This latter situation could easily be mine, but my youth and relative health has kept me from thinking too hard about it.) What I am trying to say, I guess, is that We Do! has helped me appreciate marriage equality as a pivotal battle in the broader fight for LGBTQ equality, and not simply a bid for acceptance into the broken, heterosexist structure of marriage. It is essential reading.
January 18, 2020
(NOTE: I realize that "gay marriage" is not a synonym for "marriage equality," and since this book generally addresses gay marriage, I'll use that term in my review below.)
This book reproduces speeches or sections of speeches by US politicians, speeches that address (or touch on) the issue of gay marriage as a political issue. As the sub-title suggests, the political positions represented in this book support legalizing gay marriage, though the speakers offer a variety of reasons for their support, ranging from progressive stances ("marriage is a human right") to conservative ones (like the arguments against federal definition of marriage as "between one man and one woman" on the grounds that this is federal overreach that treads on states' rights). I was surprised to find some conservative politicians made progressive arguments and some liberal politicians made conservative arguments! The editors (Baumgardner and Kunin) offer a little context for each speech, but generally each speaker's words stand alone and are self-explanatory.
Although the speeches are presented in this book in chronological order, this book is not about tracing the history of political thought in the US concerning gay marriage. It is just a selection of political speeches from 1977 to 2013. The book is short (my copy is 196 pages). I was dismayed to find that the first speech in this collection doesn't address gay marriage; it is a speech by Harvey Milk addressing how important it is for gay people to get involved in politics. Tangentially relevant, I guess, but far enough off the specific topic of "gay marriage" that I put the book aside for a while. I'm glad I picked it up again, because the rest of the book involves exactly what I was looking for.
Readers will recognize most of the speaker's names. Here are words from former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, from former US vice presidents Dick Cheney, Al Gore, and Joe Biden, and presidential candidates John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Cory Booker. Some of the speeches offered tentative, restricted support. The most emotionally touching speeches were by speakers who were themselves gay or had a gay son or daughter -- the issue was personal for them and I felt that their words came from the heart.
Definitely worth reading. A good resource for activists and politicians, or anyone researching issues of social justice. I recommend it.
~bint
This book reproduces speeches or sections of speeches by US politicians, speeches that address (or touch on) the issue of gay marriage as a political issue. As the sub-title suggests, the political positions represented in this book support legalizing gay marriage, though the speakers offer a variety of reasons for their support, ranging from progressive stances ("marriage is a human right") to conservative ones (like the arguments against federal definition of marriage as "between one man and one woman" on the grounds that this is federal overreach that treads on states' rights). I was surprised to find some conservative politicians made progressive arguments and some liberal politicians made conservative arguments! The editors (Baumgardner and Kunin) offer a little context for each speech, but generally each speaker's words stand alone and are self-explanatory.
Although the speeches are presented in this book in chronological order, this book is not about tracing the history of political thought in the US concerning gay marriage. It is just a selection of political speeches from 1977 to 2013. The book is short (my copy is 196 pages). I was dismayed to find that the first speech in this collection doesn't address gay marriage; it is a speech by Harvey Milk addressing how important it is for gay people to get involved in politics. Tangentially relevant, I guess, but far enough off the specific topic of "gay marriage" that I put the book aside for a while. I'm glad I picked it up again, because the rest of the book involves exactly what I was looking for.
Readers will recognize most of the speaker's names. Here are words from former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, from former US vice presidents Dick Cheney, Al Gore, and Joe Biden, and presidential candidates John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Cory Booker. Some of the speeches offered tentative, restricted support. The most emotionally touching speeches were by speakers who were themselves gay or had a gay son or daughter -- the issue was personal for them and I felt that their words came from the heart.
Definitely worth reading. A good resource for activists and politicians, or anyone researching issues of social justice. I recommend it.
~bint
September 10, 2014
Baumgardner, Jennifer and Kunin, Madeleine (eds.). We Do! American Leaders Who Believe in Marriage Equality. Akashic Books. 2013. $15.95. 224p. SC 9781617751875.
This collection of speeches on the topic of marriage equality spans the gamut from Harvey Milk’s speech in 1977 to President Clinton’s 2013 expression of regret at having signed DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act). Each speech is preceded by some information about the context of the speech itself and how it fits into the overall timeline of marriage equality. The book also includes a timeline and a list of resources for those who wish further study.
This book would make an excellent resource for a person who wished to study the history and development of the marriage equality movement; not only does the book itself contain numerous speeches and other sources, but the resource list in the back of the book could direct a researcher to more information to be found elsewhere. This accessible little volume would make a great addition to a public library’s nonfiction collection.
This collection of speeches on the topic of marriage equality spans the gamut from Harvey Milk’s speech in 1977 to President Clinton’s 2013 expression of regret at having signed DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act). Each speech is preceded by some information about the context of the speech itself and how it fits into the overall timeline of marriage equality. The book also includes a timeline and a list of resources for those who wish further study.
This book would make an excellent resource for a person who wished to study the history and development of the marriage equality movement; not only does the book itself contain numerous speeches and other sources, but the resource list in the back of the book could direct a researcher to more information to be found elsewhere. This accessible little volume would make a great addition to a public library’s nonfiction collection.
July 22, 2016
We Do! is a collection of speeches supporting equality for all, especially in marriage. Harry Milk 1977 speech on Hope, John Kerry's speech on the Repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, Mayor Bloomberg's speech on The Urgent Need for Marriage Equality, Governor Cuomo New Level of Social Justice, Hillary Clinton's speech on Human Rights Day, Bill Clinton on Can We All Do Better, and many more. The book provides a marriage equality time line and resource guide. Although the book is a great collection, I wish each speech had a detailed prelude of the background of the person and speech. I think that would have added more impact and continuity.
September 18, 2013
I got a copy of this book via Goodreads first read giveaway.
I have always been a proponent of marriage equality so such a book is of interest to me. The book does what it's supposed to do, it gives various speeches of some of the leaders who support marriage equality. It is informative and well organized in that regard.
However, it also does little beyond that. I had hoped for more prominent political figures to be featured in this book and for more recent speeches. I had also hoped for more notes on the speeches, and what are the aftermath of the support they have shown.
I have always been a proponent of marriage equality so such a book is of interest to me. The book does what it's supposed to do, it gives various speeches of some of the leaders who support marriage equality. It is informative and well organized in that regard.
However, it also does little beyond that. I had hoped for more prominent political figures to be featured in this book and for more recent speeches. I had also hoped for more notes on the speeches, and what are the aftermath of the support they have shown.
November 5, 2013
Writes of marriage and equality. Speeches of leaders and the support they give gay rights before it was fashionable. States that allowed civil unions and then gay marriages without court orders. The roles politicians (gay and straight) have played in our history. Tells of Governor Andrew Cuomo (New York) and President Obama and their support of gay marriages. Other stories have been written on this subject.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews