| Summary: |
The story starts in the bohemian subculture of post-World War I American cities - where boundaries were being pushed - and in the heartland as well, where the first gay society was founded in 1924. Author Christopher Measom next covers the influence of World War II, which relocated millions of men and women to single-sex barracks and factories, encouraging a freedom and anonymity that helped spark the formation of gay communities after the war. The repressive fifties era saw the launch of two important rights organizations, the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis, that led to the rebellions of the 1960s - culminating in the game-changing Stonewall Uprising of June 1969. The book then explores the devastation of the AIDS crisis, it's impact on gay culture, and the fight to bring awareness to the disease. The narrative is brought up to the present day with coverage of the struggles for equality in marriage, the military, and beyond - and the push for gender rights. With more than 120 photos, posters, artworks, ads, and other rarely seen memorabilia; profiles of icons in the movement such as Christine Jorgensen, Marsha P. Johnson, Harry Hay, and Storme DeLarverie; excerpts from key news reports; speeches by leading activists and political figures including Harvey Milk, Urvashi Vaid, and Barack Obama; and passages from important, dramatic, musical, and literary works such as Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart, this book is a groundbreaking tribute to a historic movement and its milestone achievements and hurdles. |
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