The Antigay Agenda

by Didi Herman

Gay rights are a volatile political issue in the United States today. For some, gay rights are the culmination of a fiercely waged campaign for full citizenship. For others, notably the Christian Right, the extension of rights to lesbians and gay men symbolizes the moral excesses of a culture out of control. For both proponents and opponents, gay rights is an issue that is not only close to hearts, but also reflective of the individual and collective soul. The Antigay Agenda is a shrewd, lucid analysis of the mobilization of the Christian Right against homosexuality. Didi Herman probes the values, beliefs, and rhetoric of the chief opponents of gay rights - the organizations of the Christian Right. Tracing the emergence of their antigay agenda, Herman explores how and why the Christian Right made antigay activity a top priority, and how it both extends and departs from their past politics. Combining the insights of sociology, legal studies, political science, history, and literary crit