From Identity to Politics: The Lesbian and Gay Movements in the United StatesLiberal democracy has provided a certain degree of lesbian and gay rights. But those rights, as we now know, are not unlimited, and they continue to be the focus of efforts by lesbian and gay movements in the United States to promote social change. In this compelling critique, Craig Rimmerman looks at the past, present, and future of the movements to analyze whether it is possible for them to link identity concerns with a progressive coalition for political, social, and gender change, one that take into account race, class, and gender inequalities. Enriched by eight years of interviews in Washington, D.C. and New York City, and by the author's experience as a Capitol Hill staffer, From Identity to Politics will provoke discussion in classrooms and caucus rooms across the United States. Author note: Craig A. Rimmerman is Professor of Political Science at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He is the author of several books, including The New Citizenship: Unconventional Politics, Activism, and Service. |
Contents
Perspectives on the Lesbian and Gay Movements | 1 |
The Assimilationist Strategy Electoral Politics and InterestGroup Liberalism | 18 |
The Legal Rights Strategy | 45 |
Unconventional Politics as a Strategy for Change | 82 |
The Christian Rights Challenge | 121 |
Critical Reflections on the Movements Futures | 155 |
Platform of the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation | 187 |
The Millennium March Agenda A Status Update | 191 |
Another Divisive AntiGay Initiative from the OCA Bringing Discrimination into Oregons Schools | 195 |
Basic Rights Oregon Targets Queer Youth Activists | 197 |
Notes | 199 |
| 215 | |
| 229 | |
Common terms and phrases
agenda AIDS Action Council Amendment American antigay argued assimilationist Basic Rights Oregon bian and gay bisexual broader Bull and Gallagher Bush campaign candidates challenge chapter Christian Right civil rights Clinton coalition Colorado Congress conservative cultural decision democratic discrimination discussion efforts election embraced federal gay activists Gay and Lesbian gay community gay liberation gay movements gay rights gender goal grassroots groups heterosexual HIV/AIDS homosexual ibid identity politics important initiative issues legal-rights strategy legislation lesbian and gay liberal democracy Log Cabin Republicans mainstream March Mattachine Mattachine Society ments military ban National Gay percent political and social political strategy political-process President presidential protection Rayside Reagan rights movement rights-based Rimmerman same-sex marriage sexual orientation social movements sodomy laws Supreme Court Task Force tion transgendered unconventional politics Urvashi Vaid Victory Fund vote voters Washington Blade White House York