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Why not learn your queer history this summer? Here is The Advocate's must-read list of books that take a closer look at the history-changing riots at the Stonewall Inn more than 50 years ago and the ongoing LGBTQ+ civil rights movement they ignited.
Love and Resistance: Out of the Closet into the Stonewall Era edited by Jason Baumann is a collection of photographs from famed queer photographers Kay Tobin Lahusen and Diana Davies, with an introduction by Roxane Gay. In many respects, the work of Lahusen and Davies can be viewed as a guide for the evolving gay community. Their photographs told stories, from the exuberant smiles of a lesbian couple dancing together to the words of protest on a handwritten sign. The book is organized into four sections: Visibility, Love, Pride, and Protest. Rather than structure the book to provide a traditional accounting of Stonewall and the movement, Love and Resistance instead seeks to capture the vitality and emotion of the movement through the photographer’s works. The book celebrates each of their distinctive perspectives and is designed to coincide with an exhibition of Lahusen and Davies’ photography at the New York Public Library. Baumann coordinates the library’s LGBT Initiative as well as curating many other exhibits at the there. His introduction provides a useful historical context to the collection. (W.W. Norton & Company)
The Children of Harvey Milk: How LGBTQ Politicians Changed the World by Andrew Reynolds is based on interviews with over 50 senior elected officials and high profile candidates around the world. Reynolds weaves these interviews into his text to tell the stories of these gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender officials, and how they, like Milk, are changing the world. Famed politician Tip O’Neill once famously quipped that “all politics is local.” Reynolds here offers his own variation in that the most important catalyst of the queer rights movement is the individual. History is replete with stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things that impact humanity and The Children of Harvey Milk shares the inspiring stories of LGBTQ politicians who are changing the world now. Reynolds retraces the major breakthroughs, successes and setbacks, the heartbreak of ostracism, and the healing of acceptance. The book literally scans the globe with rare vignettes of LGBTQ leaders and figures in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean who face daily the very real threat of violence and death for the rights we often take for granted. Reynolds has penned a book that will inspire the reader and give hope for future generations. (Oxford University Press)
The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets by Gayle E. Pitman is designed to help younger readers learn the history and legacy of the LGBTQ movement through the lens of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Using an abundance of illustrations and news clippings, Pitman provides historical context to the period and place in which the Stonewall riots took place. The book is inviting and easily digestible, and deals with subjects other books might ignore or mention only in passing. Whether it’s a short chapter on the night sticks issued to the NYPD and used the night of the raid, a look at the famed VW Beetle so popular at the time, or articles from The New York Times or the Village Voice, The Stonewall Riots provides a much-needed primer and background information on the seminal event of the LGBTQ rights movement. Pitman also touches on the seedier underbelly of the period, showing how the Mafia controlled the gay scene of the city at the time through people like Fat Tony Lauria and Matthew “Matty the Horse” Ianniello, a capo, or leader, in the Genovese crime family. And of course, the book is also filled with plenty of first-hand accounts of the night, from observers to participants. The Stonewall Riots is the perfect book to introduce young readers to the history of the LGBTQ movement and the full impact of the riots. (Abrams Books)
We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown is a sweeping photographic history of the Queer Liberation Movement just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This inclusive and intersectional coffee table book features meticulously curated photographs with an exhaustively researched narrative. Starting with roots in the late nineteenth century, We Are Everywhere has a deep, rich feel to it with hundreds of fascinating pictures resting alongside plenty of accompanying text to provide background and context. From the Harlem Renaissance to the Stonewall Riots and well into the modern day, Riemer and Brown have compiled an impressive book that is both a visual treat and an intellectual delight. The pair are the creators and curators of the hugely popular Instagram account @lgbt_history and they have effortlessly applied their same talents and attention to detail in We Are Everywhere. By honoring and bringing awareness to the past, the pair hope to influence others as they shape the future. (Ten Speed Press)
In Search of Stonewall: The Riots at 50, the Gay & Lesbian Review at 25: Best Essays 1994-2018, edited by Richard Schneider Jr., is a celebration of not just the 50th anniversary of Stonewall but also the 25th anniversary of the famed Harvard Gay & Lesbian Review. The magazine’s first issue hit the press in the winter following the riots, and Schneider has collected some of the publication’s best and most relevant articles from its 136 issues. The book is broken into four sections: the first is focused on the actual riots themselves, the second sets the stage for Stonewall by examining the background and historical context, while the final two chapters dive deep into the aftermath and legacy of that night. The book includes a variety of authors and content. There’s a letter from Edmund White written shortly after the riot telling his friends about his experiences. Felice Pecano talks about Fire Island. The reader is taken back to the time when astronauts landed on the moon and the LGBTQ community hid in the shadows. Learn how Stonewall was not just an attempt to fight back but also an opportunity to for queers to come out and create a space in open society. (Gay & Lesbian Review)
Out in Time: The Public Lives of Gay Men from Stonewall to the Queer Generation by Perry N. Halkitis is an examination of three generations of gay men and how they share similar consistencies that helped shape and unify their identity formation. Halkitis is an out dean and professor at the School of Public Health at Rutgers University. His previous research has examined the intersection of HIV, drug abuse, mental health, and health disparities of the LGBTQ community. Halkitis’s previous book, The AIDS Generation: Stories of Survival and Resilience, was a 2014 Lambda Literary Award nominee and recipient of the American Psychological Association Distinguished Book Award in LGBT Psychology. Out in Time takes a step back and broadens the approach by looking at the lives of fifteen men taken from three distinct periods in the post-Stonewall era. Halkitis defines these three as the Stonewall, AIDS, and Queer generations. The stories they tell cross not just time and generations, but also race, culture, and socioeconomic status. Despite their obvious differences, they share early life challenges and a coming out experience that would define and shape the course of their lives. By using representatives from three different generations, Halkitis also allows the reader to see how much has changed since Stonewall, along with how much remains to overcome. (Oxford University Press)
Queer X Design by Andy Campbell is a vibrant and colorful look at the symbols and graphic arts that came to represent the LGBTQ movement. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, Campbell has compiled the first-ever illustrated visual history of the iconic imagery of the period, with pictures and illustrations covering over five decades. The book takes its time with each entry, providing large images but also plenty of explanation of both the history and significance of the piece. Readers will instantly remember such iconic art like “Silence = Death” while also learning about early lesbian pulp fiction and their covers that were considered scandalous at the time. Even bathroom signs are examined, and how they evolved to reflect more progressive thinking on gender. Campbell, a PhD-holder, is currently the assistant professor of critical studies at USC-Roski School of Art and Design. He is also a curator, critic, and art historian with more than a decade of experience in higher education and museum institutions. His current focus is on the intersectionality of art history, identity-based political movement, and visual culture. Queer X Design is the result of his efforts: a big, bold, and inspiring collection of the visual imagery that both represented and shaped the identity of the LGBTQ movement. (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
The Stonewall Riots: A Documentary History by Marc Stein is a powerful volume of documents that provides a historically accurate account of not just the riots themselves but also the background and context of the times that made Stonewell probable, if not inevitable. Stein’s book is a serious yet inviting collection of accounts and perspectives. It is divided into three sections that deal with the events and times the preceded and Stonewall, as well as the night itself. There are eyewitness statements and observations, articles and editorials, snippets of interviews, as well as dozens of pictures and illustrations. The book captures the radical spirit of the time, with highly charged opinions and manifestos that proved to form the basis of later actions. Stein lays the contextual foundation for the riots and uprising through documentary evidence, so that the later uprising and movement are more easily understood. The Stonewall Riots also shows the vibrancy of gay life at the time with colorful descriptions of gay bars and bathhouses, inspiring examples of political empowerment and courageous protest. Stein also does not shy from police repressions and blatant homophobia in the news media. This book takes a deep and accurate look at the riots in serious format that provides plenty of real-life evidence. (New York University Press)
The Stonewall Reader edited by The New York Public Library is a comprehensive anthology of writings the provide a greater, fuller understanding of Stonewall and its significance on the community. The anthology is divided into three sections: Before, During, and After Stonewall. Before Stonewall features essays from the likes of John Rechy and Barbara Gittings. During Stonewall encompasses a wide range of first-person accounts, news articles, and forgotten narratives. After Stonewall looks at the immediate aftermath of the riots and the movement that rose up from that night. The Stonewall Reader looks at the often overlooked presence of LGBTQ activism before Stonewall, the emergence of transgender political organizing, and the diversity of the community and protestors. From Mario Martino’s transsexual autobiography to the foreword by Edmund White, The Stonewall Reader is a definitive work that has been expertly edited by The New York Public Library with the assistance of Jason Baumann. Baumann is the Susan and Douglas Dillon Assistant Director for Collection Development at the New York Public Library, and is the curator of the library’s Stonewall exhibition. His introduction itself is an excellent primer for the LGBTQ movement before and after Stonewall. (Penguin Books)
The Queeriodic Table: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Culture by Harriet Dyer is a delightful little book that is small on size but big on content. This cleverly designed book plays on the scientific periodic table of elements, creating its own queer version to honor all aspects of LGBTQ life. There’s a glossary on the most current lingo and slang. There’s an easy to follow timeline and condensed history of queerness in world culture dating back 3,000 years. Dyer has also included fascinating stories of queer pioneers and heroes like Oscar Wilde, Harvey Milk, Christine Jorgensen, and more. The Queeriodic Table also looks at classic works of queer culture and art such as Queer as Folk and The Rocky Horry Picture Show. The book itself feels much like as a cross between a small hardcover and a much larger coffee table book. The layout is certainly unique and the sturdy, colorful, and vibrant pages and backgrounds provide a continuing visual theme from beginning to end. In essence, this celebratory book is a fascinating overview of queer culture in a small, colorful, and inviting format. (Summersdale)
Out of the Shadows: Reimagining Gay Men’s Lives by Walt Odets is the most recent collection of research into the impact of psychological trauma on the trajectories of gay men’s lives. Odets first gained critical notice with the publication of In the Shadow of the Epidemic, an in-depth but compassionate look at the psychological and emotional toll of AIDS on family, friends, community, and sometimes, even those who suffered themselves. Out of the Shadows combines clinical analysis with powerful personal stories to show how trauma and stigmatization can shape our lives well into adulthood. Odets takes a long look at issues of self-esteem, trust, identity, isolation, and intimacy, and shows how they can hinder rewarding relationships as well as provide unrealistic expectations. The acclaimed clinical psychologist addresses the shocking statistics of young men and HIV as well, with numbers that, if unchecked, threaten another crisis situation. This book is a poignant and thought-provoking book that challenges the reader to shatter the personal limitations imposed on us by others while remaining firmly grounded in a safe yet rewarding life. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
The Book of Pride: LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed the World by Mason Funk tells the story of the gay rights movement from the 1960s to the present through a series of interviews with the people who saw the events and helped make them happen. These are stories from a diverse collection of individuals, from ordinary people to activists, from artists to politicians. They fought battles both personal and political. Many times they did so alone, ostracized from their families, depending instead on the support of others in similar circumstances. The Book of Pride seeks to honor and shed light on these remarkable stories in order to empower young people of today. Funk is also the founder of Outwords, an award-winning nonprofit that seeks to document the history of the LGBTQ movement. This book is a worthy companion to his efforts there, providing richly detailed accounts from the people who lived through the times. The stories run the gamut from inspirational to deeply emotional, yet they all sting ring true today. The Book of Pride is a fascinating must-have work that will provide endless inspirations for further research. (HarperOne)
