Raymond A. Smith - Gay and Lesbian Americans and Political Participation: A Reference Handbook

Cover

Page i

Gay and Lesbian Americans and Political Participation

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Political Participation in America

Raymond A. Smith, Series Editor

forthcoming

African Americans and Political Participation,

Minion K.C. Morrison, Editor

Disabled Americans and Political Participation,

Richard K. Scotch and Kay Schriner

East Asian Americans and Political Participation,

Tsung Chi

Jewish Americans and Political Participation,

Rafael Medoff

Native Americans and Political Participation,

Jerry D. Stubben and Gary A. Sokolow

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A Reference Handbook

Raymond A. Smith and Donald P. Haider-Markel

Foreword by U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin

Santa Barbara, California

Denver, Colorado

Oxford, England

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Copyright 2002 by Raymond A. Smith and Donald P. Haider-Markel

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publishers.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Smith, Raymond A., 1967Gay and lesbian Americans and political participation : a reference handbook / Raymond A. Smith and Donald P. Haider-Markel.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-57607-256-8; 1-57607-731-4 (e-book)

1. GaysUnited StatesPolitical activityHandbooks, manuals, etc. I. Haider-Markel, Donald P. II. Title.

HQ76.3.U5 S59 2002

305.906640973dc21

2002003519

07 06 05 04 03 02 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ABC-CLIO, Inc.

130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911

Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Manufactured in the United States of America

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To the memory of Robert W. Bailey (19512001), of Columbia and Rutgers Universities, a pioneer in the study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender politics as well as a friend and mentor to us both

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Contents

Foreword, U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin xi

Series Foreword, Raymond A. Smith xiii

Preface xv

1 Overview

Basic Definitions,

Demographics,

History of the LGBT Movement,

Positioning LGBT People in U.S. Politics,

Internal Politics of the LGBT Community,

Typology of Political Views,

Appendix: New Data on LGBT Political Participation,

References and Further Reading,

2 Protest Politics

A History of LGBT Protest Politics,

The Logic of Protest: LGBT Pride Marches,

Conclusion,

References and Further Reading,

3 Interest Group and Social Movement Participation

The Homophile Movement,

The Gay Liberation Movement and Lesbian Feminism,

AIDS Activism and Assimilation,

The 1990s and Beyond,

Organized Local Groups,

Transgender Groups,

Page viii

Organized National LGBT Groups,

National Interest Group Relationships,

Conclusion,

References and Further Reading,

4 Electoral and Political Party Participation

Voting Behavior: The Lavender Vote Thesis,

Getting Out the Vote,

The LGBT Vote at the Local Level,

The LGBT Vote at the State Level,

The LGBT Vote at the National Level: Congressional and Presidential Races,

Political Party Involvement,

Conclusion,

References and Further Reading,

5 Being Out in Public Life

Public Opinion,

Why Does It Matter? LGBT Officials and Political Representation,

Elected Officials,

Appointed Officials,

Unofficial Public Figures and Movement Leaders,

Conclusion,

References and Further Reading,

Documents

Bowers v. Hardwick and the Zone of Privacy,

Romer v. Evans and Equal Protection under the Law,

Baker v. State (of Vermont) and Same-Sex Marriage,

The Denver Principles, ACT UP, and the Politics of AIDS,

Executive Orders Barring Discrimination,

Pride Proclamation,

Coming Out Statement of U.S. Representative Jim Kolbe,

Key People, Laws, and Terms

Resources

Selected National Groups,

Page ix

Selected State and Local Groups,

Selected Information, Media, and Resources,

Chronology

Annotated Bibliography

Index

About the Authors

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We stand at an interesting point in history for the lesbian and gay movement in America. The movement for social acceptance and legal protection has achieved some stunning results in a relatively short period of time, but many lesbian and gay Americans still face discrimination, violence, and social rejection because of their sexual orientation. Moreover, organized efforts to block further gains and overturn past victories continue into the new millennium, with no clear end in sight. The lesbian and gay movement continues to face these challenges, including some from within, such as the full inclusion of bisexual and transgendered people within the movement, with the eventual goal of achieving a society where LGBT identity is not a basis for discrimination or fear.

LGBT political participation, at one time limited to relatively secretive and anonymous homophile groups, now includes every type of activity in the U.S. system, from voting, to interest group lobbying and litigation, to the appointment and election of openly LGBT officials. LGBT participants in the movement and political system are also more diverse now than they were in the past, with greater numbers of women, ethnic and racial minorities, and persons from middle- and working-class backgrounds. The newer diversity within the LGBT movement has led to an increasing diversity of voices with new issues to be addressed, including same-sex marriage, adoption, parenting, conflicts over liberal versus conservative beliefs within the movement, acceptance of religious faiths, and gender and racial discrimination within the movement.