Historically, June is a momentous month for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) movements—the Stonewall riots of 1969, the first Gay Pride parades, and last year’s landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing same-sex couples the right to marry—all transpired during the month of June. Pride Month has been celebrated during June for years, but it wasn’t recognized in an official capacity until just last week when Obama made a presidential proclamation honoring “the acts of courage of the millions who came out and spoke out to demand justice and of those who quietly toiled and pushed for progress…”
Interested in the history of LGBT movements and the individuals behind them? Read on to discover three titles sure to pique your interest this June!
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Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights
by Ann Bausum
A riveting exploration of the Stonewall riots and the national Gay Rights movement that followed, Stonewall recounts the historic police raid of a gay bar in Greenwich Village one sweltering, hot night in June 1969. Acting as a catalyst for the Gay Rights movement, the riots became a focal point for activists. Also describes the growth of gay and lesbian activism, the impact of HIV/AIDS, and present-day struggles for equality.
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Travels in a Gay Nation: Portraits of LGBTQ Americans
by Philip Gambone
A collection of the author’s 40 interviews with lower-profile LGBTQ voices, including a retired Naval officer, a transgender scholar and “drag king,” a Princeton philosopher, the founder of a gay frat house, and a pair of Vermont garden designers.
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A Murder Over a Girl: Justice, Gender, Junior High
by Ken Corbett
On February 12, 2008, 14-year-old Brandon McInerney shot and killed his classmate, Larry King, who had recently begun to call himself “Leticia” and wear makeup and jewelry to his California middle school. Profoundly shaken by the news and unsettled by media coverage that sidestepped the issues of gender identity and of race integral to the case, psychologist Ken Corbett traveled to LA to attend the trial. Deeply compassionate and brimming with wit and acute insight, A Murder Over a Girl is a riveting and stranger-than-fiction drama of the human psyche.
Non-fiction not your thing? Head over the LBPH catalog to find and request great fiction about the multifaceted LGBT experience!