First published 2015
Marc Solomon sits at the strategy table as the marriage equality movement transforms American politics. A decade earlier, no state permitted same-sex marriage and public support barely reached thirty percent. Politicians avoided the issue entirely. Solomon guides readers through legislative fights in Massachusetts and New York, the crushing California ballot defeat in 2008, and the sweet victories of 2012. He chronicles securing Obama's endorsement and winning at the Supreme Court. The movement battles the Catholic hierarchy, religious conservatives, and political operatives determined to block progress. Solomon reveals the tactical decisions and behind-the-scenes negotiations that shifted public opinion from thirty percent support to majority approval. His account captures the grit required to advance civil rights against entrenched opposition and the satisfaction of achieving what seemed impossible.
Genres: history, biography-memoir, activism, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: behind-the-scenes, underdog-story
Setting: Massachusetts, New York, California
Period: 2000s, 2010s
412 pages · Kindle Edition · Foreedge