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Making Gay History: The Half Century Fight for Lesbian and Gay Equal Rights
“Rich and often moving . . . at times shocking, but often enlightening and inspiring: oral history at its most potent and rewarding.” — Kirkus Reviews
A completely revised and updated edition of the classic volume of oral history interviews with high-profile leaders and little-known participants in the gay rights movement that cumulatively provides a powerful documentary look at the struggle for gay rights in America.
From the Boy Scouts and the U.S. military to marriage and adoption, the gay civil rights movement has exploded on the national stage. Eric Marcus takes us back in time to the earliest days of that struggle in a newly revised and thoroughly updated edition of Making History, originally published in 1992. Using the heartfelt stories of more than sixty people, he carries us through a compelling five-decade battle that has changed the fabric of American society.
The rich tapestry that emerges from Making Gay History includes the inspiring voices of teenagers and grandparents, journalists and housewives, from the little-known Dr. Evelyn Hooker and Morty Manford to former vice president Al Gore, Ellen DeGeneres, and Abigail Van Buren. Together, these many stories bear witness to a time of astonishing change, as queer people have struggled against prejudice and fought for equal rights under the law.
A completely revised and updated edition of the classic volume of oral history interviews with high-profile leaders and little-known participants in the gay rights movement that cumulatively provides a powerful documentary look at the struggle for gay rights in America.
From the Boy Scouts and the U.S. military to marriage and adoption, the gay civil rights movement has exploded on the national stage. Eric Marcus takes us back in time to the earliest days of that struggle in a newly revised and thoroughly updated edition of Making History, originally published in 1992. Using the heartfelt stories of more than sixty people, he carries us through a compelling five-decade battle that has changed the fabric of American society.
The rich tapestry that emerges from Making Gay History includes the inspiring voices of teenagers and grandparents, journalists and housewives, from the little-known Dr. Evelyn Hooker and Morty Manford to former vice president Al Gore, Ellen DeGeneres, and Abigail Van Buren. Together, these many stories bear witness to a time of astonishing change, as queer people have struggled against prejudice and fought for equal rights under the law.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
164 people are currently reading
2406 people want to read
About the author
Eric Marcus
33 books31 followersEric Marcus is a communications expert who has been communicating with the broad public and specific niche audiences for three decades. His work has ranged from writing consumer-oriented books and developing promotional and informational materials for non-profit and commercial enterprises to production jobs for both documentaries and television network news.
Eric’s ten books include Why Suicide?, What If Someone I Know Is Gay?, and Breaking the Surface, the #1 New York Times best-selling autobiography of Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis. In addition, Eric has written articles and columns for the New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, Newsweek, and the New Jersey Star-Ledger.
His many clients have included Waldenbooks, PBS “American Experience,” and Sanky Communications (for which he has worked on development materials for Planned Parenthood NYC, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, and MOMA, among others). Most recently, Eric has worked with the family of the late Sir James Goldsmith to create detailed illustrated guides for their two nature reserves and luxury resorts that convey to guests, potential guests, and travel industry experts the essential qualities and features of these remarkable places.
Eric is a former associate producer for ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “CBS This Morning.” For a recent PBS “American Experience” documentary about the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York’s Greenwich Village, Eric wore several hats, including advisor, associate producer, still photographer, and author of the film’s online teaching guide.
In addition to his behind-the-scenes work, Eric also has extensive experience on the other side of the microphone and camera as a spokesman on a range of issues related to his books. He is also a seasoned moderator and conversation facilitator, and in that capacity has worked in both public and private forums for clients ranging from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association to Unilever and the University of South Dakota.
Eric Marcus is a graduate of New York City public schools, after which he attended Vassar College and earned master’s degrees from Columbia University in both journalism and real estate development.
Eric’s ten books include Why Suicide?, What If Someone I Know Is Gay?, and Breaking the Surface, the #1 New York Times best-selling autobiography of Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis. In addition, Eric has written articles and columns for the New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, Newsweek, and the New Jersey Star-Ledger.
His many clients have included Waldenbooks, PBS “American Experience,” and Sanky Communications (for which he has worked on development materials for Planned Parenthood NYC, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, and MOMA, among others). Most recently, Eric has worked with the family of the late Sir James Goldsmith to create detailed illustrated guides for their two nature reserves and luxury resorts that convey to guests, potential guests, and travel industry experts the essential qualities and features of these remarkable places.
Eric is a former associate producer for ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “CBS This Morning.” For a recent PBS “American Experience” documentary about the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York’s Greenwich Village, Eric wore several hats, including advisor, associate producer, still photographer, and author of the film’s online teaching guide.
In addition to his behind-the-scenes work, Eric also has extensive experience on the other side of the microphone and camera as a spokesman on a range of issues related to his books. He is also a seasoned moderator and conversation facilitator, and in that capacity has worked in both public and private forums for clients ranging from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association to Unilever and the University of South Dakota.
Eric Marcus is a graduate of New York City public schools, after which he attended Vassar College and earned master’s degrees from Columbia University in both journalism and real estate development.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 5, 2017
I set a pretty low bar for this book to include any people beyond the white cis monsexual norm, and was pleasantly surprised at some points. I am hungry for any queer history though, to be honest, and found it an important documentation project with a lot of interesting characters. My personal favorite is the guy that sent his gay magazine directly to government officials including Hoover and when the FBI contacted his group telling them to take the FBI off the list they replied along the lines of 'take us of yours first'.
May 4, 2023
I will forever be grateful for this book. It has exposed to me a new world of gays and lesbians. These people have grown up in an atmosphere of suppression. The 'society' has stifled and dwarfed their natural feelings until they have become unnatural. They have been allowed neither friends nor lovers. They have had no one but themselves. Simply because they chose to center all the love their hearts can hold upon their same sex partners. They hope against hope that the 'society' will move away from their hypocrisy and accept them for who they are.
Who is to say what is right and what is wrong? Who is to decide what will make one happy? What if the only person who could make another happy is of the same sex? Should we just ignore these circumstances and continue passing them by- bespattering these people with mud from our heels, in our helpless ignorance, in our blind submission to our one sided values. We are not automatons, we must acknowledge that everyone is noble and beautiful.
Heterosexual marriages, that is what the 'society' wants to force on everyone. Whether gay or not, we should all be angry at this cruel hardness of the 'majority' or 'minority' whatever the case may be. We should all resist the hopeless persistency of the 'orderly' outward world that tries to tame our inner existence. We should fight against this narrow boundary between the 'natural' and the 'unnatural'. History has taught us that what is 'mad' today is 'sane' tomorrow, 'mad' yesterday and 'sane' today. If we cannot be amply stocked by liberal nature or with all things the generous goddess has to bestow, at least we can try to be tolerant towards one another.
Gays and lesbians have immensely contributed to the society which we live in. Consider Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Oscar Wilde, Leonardo da Vinci, Selma Lagerlöf, Caroline Spurgeon, and Florence Nightingale. In modern times, they are lawyers, doctors, preachers, teachers, legislators, anything they want to be. To call them unnatural is to utter a hideous mockery. They are the natural, the stronger and the most self-assertive sex. They not only want sexual freedom but they also teach us what it means. I would say, let them have it!
Who is to say what is right and what is wrong? Who is to decide what will make one happy? What if the only person who could make another happy is of the same sex? Should we just ignore these circumstances and continue passing them by- bespattering these people with mud from our heels, in our helpless ignorance, in our blind submission to our one sided values. We are not automatons, we must acknowledge that everyone is noble and beautiful.
Heterosexual marriages, that is what the 'society' wants to force on everyone. Whether gay or not, we should all be angry at this cruel hardness of the 'majority' or 'minority' whatever the case may be. We should all resist the hopeless persistency of the 'orderly' outward world that tries to tame our inner existence. We should fight against this narrow boundary between the 'natural' and the 'unnatural'. History has taught us that what is 'mad' today is 'sane' tomorrow, 'mad' yesterday and 'sane' today. If we cannot be amply stocked by liberal nature or with all things the generous goddess has to bestow, at least we can try to be tolerant towards one another.
Gays and lesbians have immensely contributed to the society which we live in. Consider Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Oscar Wilde, Leonardo da Vinci, Selma Lagerlöf, Caroline Spurgeon, and Florence Nightingale. In modern times, they are lawyers, doctors, preachers, teachers, legislators, anything they want to be. To call them unnatural is to utter a hideous mockery. They are the natural, the stronger and the most self-assertive sex. They not only want sexual freedom but they also teach us what it means. I would say, let them have it!
December 28, 2019
Heart-wrenching oral history of the lesbian and gay rights struggle in the U.S. after World War II. In many ways, the book covers the same ground as Charles Kaiser's book The Gay Metropolis, but with a national focus. It is also more inclusive (for instance, there are several lesbians and African Americans featured in the interviews). I started reading it right after finishing Kaiser's book. Both books complement one another nicely; there is very little overlap. There's much more coverage of gay activism in Marcus's book, and the stories are truly inspiring (Frank Kameny comes across as a genuine hero). The book points out the early factionalism of the gay rights movement; many people attacked the movement for being mostly concerned about oppressed white males. Gradually, the movement broadened to include lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, and transvestite people.
January 19, 2024
An absolute treasure of a book. If you’re interested in American queer history, this is a must-read. 4.8 stars.
December 25, 2021
Everyone. EVERYONE should read this book.
April 12, 2020
This book took me forever to get through bc I was listening alongside the podcast. I always had to stop reading because I was crying so hard at some parts. These are such amazing people and I feel so much thanks and love for all the work they’ve done for the LGBT community. They fought for us and fought for the idea that love is love and it cannot be taken away or erased from history. I cried so much after reading sometimes I swear I was dehydrated.
July 4, 2019
I was perusing the shelved of the largest bookstore in my country and I saw, in a small tiny corner, sandwiched on the lowest shelf between some other books was ‘Making Gay History’. Now I come from a country where homosexuality is punishable by law, and is so taboo that the government would rather pretend homosexuals don’t exist, than to have a dialogue about it. Throughout the years, homosexuals in my country have gained little traction and it would never be placed into the same spotlight as it has in the Western world, although with the youth coming into age, the concept of homosexuality has become much better accepted (at least by those living in the city). I, personally am gay and I was excited when I saw this book and proceeded to purchase it immediately.
The book is written brilliantly, but I would be lying if I said I was not mildly disappointed. The sub-title of the book says “The Half Century Fight for Lesbian and Gay Rights” but the important words that were not included are “In America”. It should come across obvious that the book is set in America but I found the book to be Americentric. I had bought the book expecting to learn more about the views of homosexuality through the centuries, or at least mentions of early homosexual thoughts across different cultures. Instead, the entire book covers the battle for gay rights and gay liberation in America starting from the early 1950s, and even though it covered a good amount of history and taught me plenty, I still felt that this was only a small part of gay history that was told through the lens of America. The book was interesting because it was told from the different perspectives and figures that made it less dry of a read, but I found myself skimming over sections about litigation or lobbying because it talked about political events that I know very little or nothing about. I do still think the book makes for a very interesting read, but is not one I particularly expected because the primary focus of the book is about America, and does not cover any gay movements/issues in Asian or European countries. I found the perspective to be myopic and it should not represent homosexuality as a topic as a whole, which is something to keep in mind for the general reader.
Overall, the book makes for a interesting read, but my biggest issue with it is that it markets itself as a hallmark of gay history (unintentionally), but really only talks about America. So, if you were looking to read the American history of the gay movement, then by all means this is the book for you.
The book is written brilliantly, but I would be lying if I said I was not mildly disappointed. The sub-title of the book says “The Half Century Fight for Lesbian and Gay Rights” but the important words that were not included are “In America”. It should come across obvious that the book is set in America but I found the book to be Americentric. I had bought the book expecting to learn more about the views of homosexuality through the centuries, or at least mentions of early homosexual thoughts across different cultures. Instead, the entire book covers the battle for gay rights and gay liberation in America starting from the early 1950s, and even though it covered a good amount of history and taught me plenty, I still felt that this was only a small part of gay history that was told through the lens of America. The book was interesting because it was told from the different perspectives and figures that made it less dry of a read, but I found myself skimming over sections about litigation or lobbying because it talked about political events that I know very little or nothing about. I do still think the book makes for a very interesting read, but is not one I particularly expected because the primary focus of the book is about America, and does not cover any gay movements/issues in Asian or European countries. I found the perspective to be myopic and it should not represent homosexuality as a topic as a whole, which is something to keep in mind for the general reader.
Overall, the book makes for a interesting read, but my biggest issue with it is that it markets itself as a hallmark of gay history (unintentionally), but really only talks about America. So, if you were looking to read the American history of the gay movement, then by all means this is the book for you.
August 7, 2019
I vowed to read this book in the month of June in honor of Pride month, since I am straight and needed to educate myself. I didn’t finish it in June, but this was a fantastic choice. It perfectly shows how the movement began in a conversational way so that everyone can understand. It was moving and heartbreaking. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone wanting to know about a key piece of history that is not often discussed.
August 10, 2017
Telling the story of gay history through interviews was a brilliant idea that made for a moving book. I love the way Eric Marcus collects and puts stories together, constructing opposing viewpoints and crafting an easy-to-follow narrative.
If this was the first gay history book I read, I would give it five stars, no question. But I've read so many books now that what I'm looking for in a gay history book is information and stories I don't already know. Marcus mostly provided that, but the book is still a quick overview of gay history that drags in some places, so I had to give it four stars.
If this was the first gay history book I read, I would give it five stars, no question. But I've read so many books now that what I'm looking for in a gay history book is information and stories I don't already know. Marcus mostly provided that, but the book is still a quick overview of gay history that drags in some places, so I had to give it four stars.
September 23, 2021
This book chronicles the Gay Rights Movement through intimate and personal interviews of the people who were part of each era done by the author himself, from the 1940s to September 11, 2001. Marcus retained the interview style, making this less of a textbook, and more of an intimate portrait of each person he interviewed, allowing us as readers - whether you are heterosexual or LGBTQIA+ - to form a relationship with these real life people as people, not as heroes or icons.
While others have pointed out there are few interviewees of color or transgender people, this is not unusual considering the time period in which he did interviews. The ones he did interview did with exceptional sacrifice as these were all recorded from the 1980s to the 1990s.
Absolutely essential if you want to learn more about Gay Rights and the issues they’ve faced as a group.
While others have pointed out there are few interviewees of color or transgender people, this is not unusual considering the time period in which he did interviews. The ones he did interview did with exceptional sacrifice as these were all recorded from the 1980s to the 1990s.
Absolutely essential if you want to learn more about Gay Rights and the issues they’ve faced as a group.
October 10, 2021
Even though this was published thirty years ago, it can’t go out of date because it is illustrating a moment in time. Unfortunately, so many of these people are not around to tell their stories, which is why this oral history collection is so important. Good balance between gays and lesbians. Not a good book for trans history.
April 3, 2020
A wonderful and historically vital account of figures in queer history. If you enjoy this book, please listen to Eric Marcus' podcast by the same name. Each of them are recordings of interviews he's done with all of these folks.
July 22, 2022
Even though I have heard almost all of these interviews (often updated) on Eric Marcus's podcast, "Making Gay History," I greatly enjoyed this book. And of course, I could underline and note passages, something I could not do with his podcast.
June 18, 2018
Very beautiful, well written and chronologically placed. 4 stars because there should have been more accounts by POC. The movements weren’t only done by white cis people.
November 12, 2019
Superb reporting and presentation -- a supplement or sequel is needed.
I thought we had inherited our improved statis as a natural offshoot of the black movement. I had NO Idea....
I thought we had inherited our improved statis as a natural offshoot of the black movement. I had NO Idea....
September 10, 2020
Fascinating first-hand accounts from those who lived through the first 50 years of gay rights.
May 31, 2023
I loved this book. I love that it's an oral history. Every interview was so interesting.
Read
July 26, 2023Curiosity & Cheesecake selection for June 2023.
May 29, 2009
This book should probably have been called something like Making Gay History in America. Despite not saying so on the cover, that's the only country it deals with.
Despite that minor point, this is the best book I've read in a while. It's told through a series of interviews with different players in the gay rights movement, covering the 1950s right up until the very early 2000s. This book gave me a new perspective, as although I was angered by the passing of Prop 8 in California recently, when I read about the total lack of rights for gays and lesbians in the '50s and '60s I was encouraged that we will achieve equality sooner rather than later. We've come such a long way in such a short time.
Because the book is told through a series of first-hand accounts, it's extremely readable. We hear directly from people who were out there risking it all for gay and lesbian rights, there's a nice personal touch and it stopped the book from being a dry text.
We see the first gay organizations being set up in the '50s, and I was amazed by the bravery of the people who went out there and were open about their sexuality in a time when the world was incredibly hostile toward gays and lesbians and there were no laws in place to protect them from discrimination, from losing their jobs because they were gay, being arrested for walking into a bar, etc.
The movement gains more strength throughout the '60s and '70s, before suffering a major setback in the '80s with the onset of the AIDS epidemic. Although AIDS is only touched upon lightly, we still see how many lives it affected, and I felt so sad while reading this section of the book to think how many incredible and brave people were lost to that illness. I certainly intend to go on to read And the Band Played On Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts.
Throughout the '90s we get to see the gay rights movement played out on the national stage, as gay people win more rights and LGBT issues begin to have an impact on politics and presidential campaigns. A couple of passages even made me look more kindly upon John McCain!
This book made me so proud to be such an adamant supporter of gay rights. At many points throughout the book I was completely welled up with emotion and pride to read about these courageous people who risked everything and fought so hard for the gay rights movement.
I took this book out from the library, but I'm definitely going to buy my own copy now so that I can read it again and highlight all those passages I found particularly inspirational.
Despite that minor point, this is the best book I've read in a while. It's told through a series of interviews with different players in the gay rights movement, covering the 1950s right up until the very early 2000s. This book gave me a new perspective, as although I was angered by the passing of Prop 8 in California recently, when I read about the total lack of rights for gays and lesbians in the '50s and '60s I was encouraged that we will achieve equality sooner rather than later. We've come such a long way in such a short time.
Because the book is told through a series of first-hand accounts, it's extremely readable. We hear directly from people who were out there risking it all for gay and lesbian rights, there's a nice personal touch and it stopped the book from being a dry text.
We see the first gay organizations being set up in the '50s, and I was amazed by the bravery of the people who went out there and were open about their sexuality in a time when the world was incredibly hostile toward gays and lesbians and there were no laws in place to protect them from discrimination, from losing their jobs because they were gay, being arrested for walking into a bar, etc.
The movement gains more strength throughout the '60s and '70s, before suffering a major setback in the '80s with the onset of the AIDS epidemic. Although AIDS is only touched upon lightly, we still see how many lives it affected, and I felt so sad while reading this section of the book to think how many incredible and brave people were lost to that illness. I certainly intend to go on to read And the Band Played On Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts.
Throughout the '90s we get to see the gay rights movement played out on the national stage, as gay people win more rights and LGBT issues begin to have an impact on politics and presidential campaigns. A couple of passages even made me look more kindly upon John McCain!
This book made me so proud to be such an adamant supporter of gay rights. At many points throughout the book I was completely welled up with emotion and pride to read about these courageous people who risked everything and fought so hard for the gay rights movement.
I took this book out from the library, but I'm definitely going to buy my own copy now so that I can read it again and highlight all those passages I found particularly inspirational.
December 16, 2025
History of Gay rights from the early Cold War through 9/11. A lot happened in this era, a lot of foundational stuff from Daughters of Bilitis, the Mattachine Society, Stonewall, GLF, Harvey Milk, AIDS, fighting for recognition. Some of the victories that happened after the book was published, the end of sodomy laws, gay marriage, and growing trans visibility sprang from the foundation of the first 50 years came to fruition in the last twenty years.
Reread 12/16/2025. I read this before the height of the anti-trans backlash a few years ago. Now we are definitely in the crosshairs of the right. One thing I can take comfort in is that my predecessors faced much stiffer odds. Things aren't rosy, but it isn't over by a long shot. I have had some contact with LGBT communities in the eighties, but I got ill in 1990 and was in stasis for a long time, dealing with my illness. I didn't wrestle with my sexual orientation or gender for thirty years until the covid year 2020. The possibility of losing my life to the pandemic made these issues on the back burner come to the fore. I wasn't prepared to die at fifty-three when I had never lived as my authentic self, so I came out as a trans woman that year. It took a little courage, but not too much, thanks to my predecessors who made openings for people like me. It is good to know their struggles.
Reread 12/16/2025. I read this before the height of the anti-trans backlash a few years ago. Now we are definitely in the crosshairs of the right. One thing I can take comfort in is that my predecessors faced much stiffer odds. Things aren't rosy, but it isn't over by a long shot. I have had some contact with LGBT communities in the eighties, but I got ill in 1990 and was in stasis for a long time, dealing with my illness. I didn't wrestle with my sexual orientation or gender for thirty years until the covid year 2020. The possibility of losing my life to the pandemic made these issues on the back burner come to the fore. I wasn't prepared to die at fifty-three when I had never lived as my authentic self, so I came out as a trans woman that year. It took a little courage, but not too much, thanks to my predecessors who made openings for people like me. It is good to know their struggles.
April 24, 2015
The definitive history of the gay movement in the United States, starting all the way back in the forties and fifties with short excursions out of the closet, going through Stonewall and its effect on launching the modern gay pride movement. The entire book is told in narratives from gay people and how they describe their moment in history whenever that moment came for them. It's a fascinating book, and the narratives give the reader a feeling of being there when it was happening. The book ends with activities and thoughts up to about 1990, so it may be dated for some readers. Still, one could not find a better book describing the struggles and triumphs of the GLBT community in the late twentieth century.
February 16, 2014
I read this for a class last semester. I really did enjoy the personal narratives, but there were so many characters to keep track of that I started forgetting who some of them were. Not all of their stories were concluded either. I'm left wondering what happened to some of them. Did they just fall off the face of the planet? Also, I realize the title of this book is Making GAY History, but I really wish there had been more trans* people involved with this book, as I'm sure Sylvia Rivera wasn't the only one who fought for LGBTQ+ rights throughout the time periods covered.
June 8, 2024
I really found the format to be confusing and convoluted at times. I do feel like I’m being generous since it was originally published in 1992 and than re-edited for 2002 and times have definitely changed but even for this time period it’s really bare bones and doesn’t offer anything ground breaking. To see Sylvia Rivera’s deadname in print and see Sylvia in quotes was a weird choice to me, but probably different times? I also feel like this rehashed a lot of the same information that many other books cover clearer and with actual analysis.
March 12, 2011
LOVE this book. It should be required reading for, well, everyone. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because, if I remember correctly, the people profiled in the book were almost exclusively white/Caucasian or African American. Ever since reading this book several years ago, I have dreamed of researching and writing a companion book about the queer history of ethnic minorities in the U.S., especially the Asian American community.
January 6, 2024
I just finished this and it's so good! Ranging from the late 1940s to 9/11, it brings every moment, every period, into sharp focus through detailed interviews of people who were there. I cannot recommend it enough. I felt compelled to keep reading, frequently having to force myself to stop or be late to work or "must go to bed!" And when "history" reached my lifetime, it became all the more powerful. What a great document!
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🩵🩷🤍
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🩵🩷🤍
August 12, 2024
A must read for anyone interested in LGBT history (in the US) told through interview snippets with people who lived and made history. It took me awhile to get through it since I kept going off on tangents after learning about some of the people in the book. I already plan on rereading this and making annotations. I really wish there was a follow up to include the next quarter century but the podcast has been a great supplement.
July 28, 2015
Not always the most compelling read, but it gets 5 stars for being an indispensable primer on gay history. Though personal stories of both "everyday" folk and (now) famous folk (Larry Kramer, Ellen Degeneres, et al.), this book should be required reading for all members of the LGBT community. We must know our history!
July 20, 2015
A great look at the LGBT rights movement, from the 1940s until 2001. Here's hoping Marcus comes out with a sequel. It bothered me somewhat that transgender rights weren't really addressed, but as one of the informants mentioned (paraphrased), "it was just LG back then, the bi and trans didn't come in until later."
May 20, 2017
Full of rich and fascinating stories about the fight for lgbtq rights in America. Intimate descriptions of its interviewees. It is really important to read this book at this time, so we can be reminded of how people went about creating change and how we can continue the hard work these incredible individuals have begun.
November 3, 2008
Oral histories are always good. I don't know if he's updated this, but that would be interesting--to contrast the more oppressive era where people had to hide and the struggle with the nineties and oughts and where people are at today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews