Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights, 1945-1990: An Oral History

In this thorough oral history of the gay rights movement in America during the last 45 years, Marcus ( The Male Couple's Guide to Living Together ) calls upon individuals as varied as Abigail Van Buren and Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong, and many gay people as well, to discuss their efforts to promote the acceptance of homosexuals in society. While the AIDS crisis and legal advances of the last decade might receive short shrift in this overview, Marcus correctly places the Stonewall riots--precipitated by a police raid on a gay bar in Greenwich Village in 1969 and often mistakenly seen as the source of the movement--as an event that accelerated momentum already ongoing. Speakers reflect changing generational views, from the assimilationist desires of elders to the in-your-face demands for acceptance by younger gays, demonstrating the shift in the movement from the early position that ``we're just like everyone else except for what we do in bed'' to that of today's gay person taking pride in his or her unique nature. The book is a testament to the courage of individuals who have effected a positive change in our society. (June)