Overview

Examining a significant and largely unexplored aspect of Jimmy Carter’s presidency (1977-1981), Harris Dousemetzis radically revises the current understanding of this critical period in American political history. By using a wealth of previously unpublished archival material, along with personal interviews with 43 prominent gay rights activists of the time and 12 senior Carter White House aides, this book documents what actually happened during Carter’s presidency regarding the development and recognition of gay rights and the efforts of the evangelical right to prevent social reform. Investigating the full range of government actions taken and policies implemented, Carter’s personal commitment and support for the movement, as well as the role of activists in bringing about change, this is a significant and original contribution to knowledge about Carter’s presidency, the gay rights movement, and American political development. Dousemetzis situates Carter’s presidency in its rightful place, as a crucial stage in one of the most dynamic areas of change in recent American politics and political culture. Features a Foreword by Stuart Eizenstat and an Afterword by Lilian Faderman.

Full Product Details

Author:   Dr Harris Dousemetzis
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
ISBN:  

9781350381094

ISBN 10:   1350381098
Pages:   352
Publication Date:   22 August 2024
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Introduction Chapter 1: The Issue of Gay Rights in the 1976 Elections Chapter 2: Carter's Appointments Chapter 3: Opening the White House to the Gay Community Chapter 4: Addressing Interests within the Gay Community Chapter 5: The Lesbian Dimension, The National Women's Conference and its Aftermath Chapter 6: Federal Employees and Civil Rights Chapter 7: Taxation and Federal Funding Chapter 8: Immigration Chapter 9: The Military Chapter 10: The Administration and Other Gay Rights Issues Chapter 11: Speaking out for Gay Rights Chapter 12: The White House Conference on Families Chapter 13: Carter's Judicial Appointments Chapter 14: The 1980 Nomination Battle, The Gay Community and Carter v. Kennedy Chapter 15: The 1980 General Elections, Carter v. Reagan and the Gay Community Conclusion: Carter's Gay Rights Legacy Biography Index

Reviews

This ground-breaking account adds immeasurably to our understanding of how and why gay rights became a subject of public policy. It will surprise even experts who thought they knew everything about the Carter Presidency and/or about gay history in the 1970s. * Susan Hartmann, Ohio State University, USA *

Author Information

Harris Dousemetzis is a tutor at the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University, UK. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he is the author of The Man who Killed Apartheid: The Life of Dimitri Tsafendas (2018) and provided the Report to the Minister of Justice, Advocate Tshililo Michael Masutha, in the Matter of Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd’s Assassination.

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