New from Rutgers University Press:
Law and the Gay Rights Story: The Long Search for Equal Justice in a Divided Democracy, by
Walter Frank (independent scholar). The Press explains:
For much of the 20th century, American gays and lesbians lived in fear
that public exposure of their sexualities might cause them to be fired,
blackmailed, or even arrested. Today, they are enjoying an unprecedented
number of legal rights and protections. Clearly, the tides have shifted
for gays and lesbians, but what caused this enormous sea change?
In
his gripping new book, Walter Frank offers an in-depth look at the
court cases that were pivotal in establishing gay rights. But he also
tells the story of those individuals who were willing to make waves by
fighting for those rights, taking enormous personal risks at a time when
the tide of public opinion was against them. Frank’s accessible style
brings complex legal issues down to earth but, as a former litigator,
never loses sight of the law’s human dimension and the context of the
events occurring outside the courtroom.
Chronicling the past half-century of gay and lesbian history, Law and the Gay Rights Story offers
a unique perspective on familiar events like the Stonewall Riots, the
AIDS crisis, and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Frank pays
special attention to the constitutional issues surrounding same-sex
marriage and closely analyzes the two recent Supreme Court cases
addressing the issue. While a strong advocate for gay rights, Frank also
examines critiques of the movement, including some coming from the gay
community itself. Comprehensive in coverage, the book explains the legal
and constitutional issues involved in each of the major goals of the
gay rights movement: a safe and healthy school environment, workplace
equality, an end to anti-gay violence, relationship recognition, and
full integration into all the institutions of the larger society,
including marriage and military service. Drawing from extensive
archival research and from decades of experience as a practicing
litigator, Frank not only provides a vivid history, but also shows where
the battle for gay rights might go from here.
A few blurbs:
"Walter Frank discusses the role of law in advancing the gay rights
movement, at the same time providing a broad overview of the legal,
political, and cultural changes involving gay people over the last fifty
years. While covering virtually every important gay rights legal case,
Frank also interweaves compelling human stories about the challenges and
joys of being gay in America."
—Carlos Ball
"This
is a great and timely book about a still-evolving highly controversial
issue. Frank's perceptive analysis, fluent writing, and engaging voice
make Law and the Gay Rights Story irresistible and endlessly instructive."
—Daniel J. Kornstein
More information is available
here.
