An in-depth examination of the relationship between gay rights, public opinion, and legislation since the late 1800s.

In this comprehensive overview of how the American legal system has approached issues pertaining to sexual orientation and how the law has advanced—or hindered—civil rights, author Lee Walzer reveals that while the United States has the world's most developed lesbian and gay community, it lags other countries on equality for sexual minorities.



Gay Rights on Trial focuses on four significant cases that have shaped the development of gay rights, including detailed discussion of majority and dissenting decisions and analysis of their legacy and impact. Also included are a chronology; a section of key people, laws, and concepts; a table of cases; key legal documents such as the Defense of Marriage Act and the Vermont Civil Union Act; and an annotated bibliography.









Introductory essay covers issues from the changing notions of morality and the law to the various sides in gay rights disputes



Contains edited excerpts of key legal documents such as Bowers v. Hardwick (1986), in which the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of state laws prohibiting homosexual conduct