From Identity to Politics: The Lesbian and Gay Movements in the United States. By Craig A. Rimmerman. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2002. 248p. $69.50 cloth, $19.95 paper

Extract

Although the cover design of the book emphasizes the (perceived) phrase “identity politics,” the true title of the text broadly documents the journey of the lesbian and gay movements through two important components represented by this phrase. The journey from struggles for social sexual identity to struggles for social political rights within the liberal democratic tradition marks a maturation of the movements. While there have been many works dealing with the former (sexual identity), this book is a timely assessment of the current strategies used by a decentralized movement in an attempt to gain equal political rights. In brief, it documents and evaluates the progress and potential of the lesbian and gay movements as social-political forces for change.