A Queer Thing Happened to America: And What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been - Hardcover

Brown, Michael L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0615406092 ISBN 13: 9780615406091

Publisher: Equaltime Books, 2011

Synopsis

Forty years ago, most Americans said they didn't know anyone who was homosexual and claimed to know little or nothing about homosexuality. Today, there's hardly a sitcom without a prominent gay character, movies like Milk and Brokeback Mountain have won Oscars, and even People magazine celebrated the marriage of Ellen Degeneres and Portia DeRossi. A Queer Thing Happened to America chronicles the amazing transformation of America over the last forty years, and addresses the question head-on: Is there really a gay agenda, or is it a fiction of the religious right? Written in a lively and compelling style, but backed with massive research and extensive interaction with the GLBT community, this forthright and yet compassionate book looks at the extraordinary impact gay activism has had on American society. This could easily be the most controversial book of the decade. Read it and find out why the publishing world was afraid to touch it.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

A Queer Thing Happened to America chronicles the dramatic cultural changes that have taken place in our country in relation to homosexuality and pointedly asks the question: Are we heading in the right direction? Written in a lively and compelling style and at the same time backed with massive research, this forthright and yet compassionate study evaluates the extraordinary impact gay activism has had on our society, from elementary schools to college campuses, from the press to the courts, and from the world of business to the world of religion.

Forty years ago, most Americans said they didn't know anyone who was gay or lesbian and claimed to know little or nothing about homosexuality. Today, there's hardly a sitcom without a prominent gay character, gay-themed movies have won Oscars, the media celebrates the marriages of same-sex celebrities, elementary school textbooks indoctrinate children with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender ideology, many churches and synagogues now ordain gay clergy - and one of our elected officials is a man with cleavage who often wears a dress and high heels to work. In the courts, religious rights are consistently losing the battle to gay rights, while university students have been expelled from their programs for refusing to endorse homosexual practice.

We have come to a point in our history in which it is common for the mainstream media to portray someone as intolerant and bigoted if they fail to affirm (or even celebrate) homosexuality and transgenderism, and we now find ourselves with little opportunity for constructive, honest dialogue or even the right to put forth a differing opinion. That's why the publishing world was afraid to touch this book, and that's why A Queer Thing Happened to America could be the most controversial book of the decade.

From the Back Cover

THE BOOK THAT THE PUBLISHERS WERE AFRAID TO TOUCH
 
From a conservative pundit: "Book publishing is a difficult business now, and no media is willing to promote a book that opposes homosexuality. . . . Economic self-interest is going to make it very tough for a publisher to say yes."
 
From a conservative publisher: "There would be a very concrete, though difficult to measure financial penalty to pay for publishing your book. . . . Practically speaking it could actually destroy the firm . . . ."
 
From a bestselling conservative author: "Honestly, there is no NY publisher . . . who will touch this manuscript."
 
From the head of a New York City publicity firm: "Unfortunately [he] spoke with his team and he doesn't have anyone willing to take on Dr. Brown's book."
 
From a publishing insider: "I'd be better off burning the money in my fireplace.  . . . . The economics of publishing a book like this are bleak."
 
From a top literary agent who farmed the manuscript out to a number of major publishers: "Most thought the material was too controversial....all felt that the title would need to be changed."

Edition details

• Publisher: Equaltime Books
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0615406092
• ISBN 13: 9780615406091
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 691