Amazon Review
Anyone watching the prime-time sitcom Will & Grace may feel that the first and most essential steps toward gay civil rights in America--visibility and acceptance--have been achieved. Not so fast, says Georgetown University professor Suzanna Danuta Walters, whose readable, witty study tracks the murky relationship between visibility and political progress. In her search for examples, Walters casts a wide net that brings up everything from the hatemongering of Dr. Laura, to gay marriage initiatives, to gay-targeted Budweiser and IKEA ads. She focuses in particular on two pivotal events of the 1990s: the coming out of Ellen DeGeneres and the murder of Matthew Shepard, arguing that "these two events illustrate the confusing and often incomprehensible tenor of the times. We rejoice at breaking down one barrier only to be faced, again, with the ugliness and brutality of another." You win some, you lose some, in other words. While Walters's even-handedness means that her thesis doesn't exactly sizzle, readers will appreciate her thoughtful optimism and the ways in which she brings her own life, and her experiences as a lesbian mom, into her larger argument. --Regina Marler
Product Description
Splashed against the tumultuous Clinton years and framed by the clash between gay political might and anti-gay activism, All the Rage presents the first authoritative guide to the new gay visibility. From the public outing of Ellen DeGeneres to the vicious murder of Matthew Shepard, gay lives and images have moved onto the center stage of American public life. Lesbians and gay men are indeed everywhere, from television sitcoms to Budweiser ads, from the White House to the Magic Kingdom. Combining personal stories with incisive analysis, Suzanna Danuta Walters chronicles this historic moment in our culture, arguing that we live in a time when gays are seen, but not necessarily known.
Many consider the new gay visibility a sign of social acceptance, while others charge that it is mere window dressing, obscuring the dogged persistence of discrimination. Walters moves beyond these positions and instead argues that these realities coexist: gays are simultaneously depicted as the sign of social decay and the chic flavor of the month. Taking on the common wisdom that visibility means progress, All the Rage maps the terrain on which gays are accepted as witty accessories in movies, gain access to political power, and yet still fall into constrictive stereotypes. Walters warns us with clarity and wit of the pitfalls of equating visibility with full integration into the fabric of American society. From the playful TV fantasies of lesbian weddings on Friends to the very real obstacles confronting gay marriage, from the award-winning comedy Will & Grace to Bible-thumping radio superhost Dr. Laura, All the Rage takes on naive celebrants and jaded naysayers alike. With a sophisticated mix of caution and optimism, it provides an illuminating guide through these exciting, controversial times.
