Coming out Republican A history of the gay right

In Coming Out Republican, Young, who previously authored We Gather Together (CH, Apr'16, 53-3482), has written a first-of-its-kind and remarkably important history of LGBTQ+ Republicans and conservatives, some closeted, some out of the closet. Overall, it is a story of the conservative movement's rejection of LGBTQ+ rights and the difficulty of being out in the party, especially after the rise of the religious right in the 1970s and 1980s and its strong attachment to the party. Even before then, homophobic figures like William F. Buckley ensured that staying closeted was the only way to achieve real power in the movement. Local activists in cities could be more visible, but they never gained permanent influence. More recently, organizations like the Log Cabin Republicans have lost influence as any support for LGBTQ+ rights has become anathema in the party and movement. Many mostly gay men are profiled here, as are conservative LGBTQ+ voters. They are conservatives first and foremost, which makes queer identity formation difficult, compounded by hostility from the movement. This book helps readers understand why such a miniscule percentage of elected officials are openly LGBTQ+ and why the current party has engaged in an anti-LGBTQ+ legislative wave. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. --Jason Arthur Pierceson, University of Illinois at Springfield