Thursday, May 12, 2016

Stand by Me: The Forgotten History of Gay Liberation

Jim Downs (Connecticut College), Stand By Me: The Forgotten History of Gay Liberation (Basic Books 2016).

"In Stand by Me, the acclaimed historian Jim Downs rewrites the history of gay life in the 1970s, arguing that the decade was about much more than sex and marching in the streets. Drawing on a vast trove of untapped records at LGBT community centers in Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia, Downs tells moving, revelatory stories of gay people who stood together—as friends, fellow believers, and colleagues—to create a sense of community among people who felt alienated from mainstream American life."
 —Publisher's description