The Accidental Activist - Softcover

Gingrich, Candace; Bull, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0684836556 ISBN 13: 9780684836553

Publisher: Scribner, 1997

Synopsis

When the Republican landslide of 1994 propelled her brother, Newt Gingrich, to the top of national politics, Candace Gingrich knew her life would never be the same. Alarmed at the epidemic of gaybashing in America and her own brother's support for antigay legislation, Candace felt she had to act. The Accidental Activist chronicles her journey from being an unknown, part-time truck loader for UPS to a nationally renowned activist for gay rights.
Whether she is exposing the hypocrisy in Newt's "family values," discussing the experiences of famous families with gay members, or trying to reconcile her love for her brother with her hatred of his politics, Candace Gingrich's poignant memoir -- now updated with a new epilogue -- reflects her extraordinary candor and courage.

About this title

Review

After the 1994 elections, Newt's zealous promotion of "family values" made lesbian little sister Candace a prime media target. The attention she received not only embarrassed Newt and his cronies, it launched Candace on an unexpected career as a political activist. The Human Rights Campaign Fund recruited her as a spokesperson and for the last two years she's been traversing the country, speaking everywhere from rallies to gay bars and spearheading a voter registration effort. With Chris Bull, a correspondent for the Advocate, a national gay news magazine, Ms. Gingrich tells of her rise to fame and how she hopes it will undo the "accident" that put her in the spotlight in the first place.

From the Publisher

This book has been nominated for a Lambda Literary Award!

When Candace Gingrich met Roseanne Barr at a GLAAD dinner in 1995, the actress said, "Don't worry, honey, I've got a weird brother, too." Candace laughed, and at the same time realized how significant the moment was: She was speaking to a celebrity at a gay rights fund-raiser about her conservative half-brother. Her lesbianism, and her relation to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, had catapulted her to a position both exhilarating and terrifying. She had become, quite accidentally, an activist.

This is the story of how a lesbian named Candace grew up surrounded by a loving, supportive family, went to college, came out of the closet, fell in love, worked hard at her job and played hard at rugby in a sleepy little town in Pennsylvania. Her life was quiet, her circle of friends tight, her family accepting of her girlfriend. But all the while, Candace's half-brother was realizing his political aspirations, gaining the ears of mighty, conservative politicians, and becoming a major presence in Congress. It wasn't until the Republican sweep of both houses in 1994, when Newt Gingrich became Speaker of the House, that Candace began listening to his political ideas. Newt had become conservative with a capital "C," aligning himself with antigay figures like Pat Robertson. How, Candace wondered, could her brother, the one who treated her girlfriend and their relationship with the utmost respect, be espousing discriminatory rhetoric? How could he vote to reject President Clinton's compromise on the gays-in-the-military issue, to prohibit use of federal funds for public schools that allow open discussion of gay concerns, to discharge people in the military who test HIV-positive, and to overturn a District of Columbia bill that allows unmarried couples to register as domestic partners, all without any stirrings of conscience?

Though Candace was troubled, she did not speak out. It was not until a perceptive reporter "outed" her to the press that, suddenly, she was fielding phone calls from every network. And just as suddenly, she realized it was time to challenge her brother on his hateful policies.

In The Accidental Activist, Candace Gingrich takes us on an intimate tour of life in the Gingrich family, growing up gay, and finding her activist voice. Her mother is convinced that she and Newt could find common ground if they just sat down and took the time. Until then, Candace will continue her crusade. A tireless lobbyist for gay issues and a political force in her own right, Candace, who was named Spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign in 1995, is not giving up hope for Newt, but she's surely giving him a run for his money.

About this edition

• Publisher: Scribner
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0684836556
• ISBN 13: 9780684836553
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256