The Emotions of LGBT Rights and Reforms

Emotions are central to the pursuit, organisation, and contestation of LGBT rights in law. The Emotions of LGBT Rights and Reforms: Repairing Law analyses emotions that shape conflicts of rights that emerge between different minoritised groups across law reforms directed at better supporting LGBT people.

This book examines law reform debates about religious exceptions to anti-discrimination laws, legal recognition of trans people, bans on “conversion therapy,” and sex and LGBT education in schools from jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. Drawing from socio-legal theories, this book develops the concept of “emotional grammar” to show how emotions structure law reform pursuits (by threading Hansard, legislation, case law, law reform consultations, statutory guidance) and explains why addressing this emotional grammar is important for scholars, lawyers, judges, legislators, and activists seeking to navigate conflicts over LGBT rights and reforms that aim to repair the inequalities faced by LGBT people.