From Identity to Politics

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.

"Rimmerman points a wide angle lens in the direction of the gay and lesbian movement, allowing him to capture the full breadth of its organizations and their varied strategies. He brings toughminded analysis to his topic, and is willing to challenge strategies for change that he finds bankrupt. The result is a book whose insights can only invigorate gay and lesbian politics in the United States today." --John D'Emilio, Professor of Gender and Women's Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago and author of Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities "Craig Rimmerman has written the best kind of academic book, one that is rich in factual detail yet broad in its perspective. His critique of the current lesbian and gay movements clarifies the limitations that are inherent in a narrow identity politics and makes a strong case for building even broader coalitions and doing more grassroots organizing. Any student of social movements, and especially students of the lesbian and gay movements, will find this book a rewarding read." --Patricia A. Cain, author of Rainbow Rights: The Role of Lawyers and Courts in the Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights Movement "Craig Rimmerman has written an insightful book that belongs on the bookshelf of not only students of gay and lesbian politics, but of everyone interested in social movements. His thoughtful critique of various strategies that various movement activists have chosen will be enormously helpful to academics and activists alike." --Clyde Wilcox, Department of Government, Georgetown University "Rigorous but accessible, this poli-sci take on the struggle for gay and lesbian rights offers a blueprint for those readers interested in actively linking identity-driven movements with broader progressive agendas concerning class, race and gender issues to forge a coalition for social and political change." --Publishers Weekly

• Acknowledgments 1. Perspectives on the Lesbian and Gay Movements 2. The Assimilationist Strategy: Electoral Politics and Interest-Group Liberalism 3. The Legal Rights Strategy 4. Unconventional Politics as a Strategy for Change 5. The Christian Right's Challenge 6. Critical Reflections on the Movements' Futures Appendix A: Platform of the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation Appendix B: The Millennium March Agenda: A Status Update Appendix C: Another Divisive Anti-Gay Initiative from the OCA: Bringing Discrimination into Oregon's Schools Appendix D: Basic Rights Oregon Targets Queer Youth Activists Notes References Index