Historical Dictionary of the Lesbian and Gay Liberation Movements

JoAnne Myers

Sep 2013 · Scarecrow Press

About this ebook

Not so long ago hardly anything was said of the Lesbian Liberation Movement and the Gay Liberation Movement, indeed, the terms gay and lesbian were not even used if some other expression could be found. Today, by contrast, hardly a day passes when something important does not occur, and is carried by the major media and disseminated on more personal levels through blogs and the social media. If anything, there is perhaps too much “news” and not enough “information.” Obviously, a book like this cannot keep up with the news, but it can do something equally important when it comes to information, by reminding us of the past and what has been going and just how fast events are moving.

The Historical Dictionary of the Lesbian and Gay Liberation Movements covers the history of this movement through a cross-referenced dictionary with over 1000 entries on specific countries and regions, influential historical figures, laws that criminalized same-sex sexuality, various historical terms that have been used to refer to aspects of same-sex love, and contemporary events and legal decisions. Including a comprehensive chronology and bibliography, this book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone interested in learning more about the struggle for equality.

About the author

JoAnne Myers wrote a much appreciated Historical Dictionary of the Lesbian Liberation Movement about a decade ago, and now she has joined it with similar material on the Gay Liberation Movement. In fact, having the two together is particularly advantageous since both face similar problems and increasingly cooperate. This Dr. Myers realizes, since she is both an academic and an activist as well as an out lesbian. In addition to writing and lecturing, she teaches political science at Marist College where she is the co-director of the Women’s Studies Program.