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Long Road to Freedom: The Advocate History of the Gay and Lesbian Movement
An oversized retrospective of news items, essays, interviews, and more than one thousand photographs and illustrations reflects a quarter-century of rebellion and reform in the gay and lesbian movement. $50,000 ad/promo.
420 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Mark Thompson
12 books8 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Mark Thompson is an American writer, editor and activist. His work centers around gay issues, particularly spirituality.
Mark Thompson is an American writer, editor and activist. His work centers around gay issues, particularly spirituality.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 1, 2018
They say if you don't know your history then you are bound to repeat the mistakes. Or you remain ignorant of what your forebears went through so you can have the freedoms you do now. That seems to be truly the case with the LGBTQ community which seems to easily take for granted all the positives of 2018. Reading this book one truly sees the long road that was paved by those who gave their blood, sweat, and tears for what the LGBTQ community now has.
What a fascinating read through the history of the LGBTQ movement. This book chronicles the years 1967 to 1992. During those twenty-five years, the gay rights movement went through a lot of growing pains with strides made and losses accumulated. To see where things have unfolded since 1992 makes reading this book interesting because the reader gets to see how the first fights over marriage equality and the end of Don't Ask Don't Tell began. The reader gets to see how the AIDS epidemic decimated the lives of many, but also thrust others into the roles of advocacy, activism, and leadership. The reader gets to see how far Hollywood has come in the portrayals of LGBTQ characters in movies and television. The reader gets to see the censorship, the harassment, the discrimination, the hatred and bigotry gays and lesbians have dealt with since the 1960s.
This book has so much detail and information. The only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars is because I wish the pictures had been in color, but other than that, this is a worthy read and a nice book to add to anyone's collection.
What a fascinating read through the history of the LGBTQ movement. This book chronicles the years 1967 to 1992. During those twenty-five years, the gay rights movement went through a lot of growing pains with strides made and losses accumulated. To see where things have unfolded since 1992 makes reading this book interesting because the reader gets to see how the first fights over marriage equality and the end of Don't Ask Don't Tell began. The reader gets to see how the AIDS epidemic decimated the lives of many, but also thrust others into the roles of advocacy, activism, and leadership. The reader gets to see how far Hollywood has come in the portrayals of LGBTQ characters in movies and television. The reader gets to see the censorship, the harassment, the discrimination, the hatred and bigotry gays and lesbians have dealt with since the 1960s.
This book has so much detail and information. The only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars is because I wish the pictures had been in color, but other than that, this is a worthy read and a nice book to add to anyone's collection.
February 15, 2026
This was understandably a hard book to read. Yet, at the same time, heartening . For each step of progress the LGBTQI+ community takes forward, there are those that take us back. Both outside the community, and inside.
While reading about the Sixties and Seventies, it was like reading a story, and knowing what is to come. If things were bad before, they got worse in the Eighties.
But, there were delights in the book. Gay marriage, gays in the military, etc. Also, some of the pieces made me laugh.
This is one of the books that I think all LGBTQI+ people should read. You can't know what to do now, unless you know the past.
While reading about the Sixties and Seventies, it was like reading a story, and knowing what is to come. If things were bad before, they got worse in the Eighties.
But, there were delights in the book. Gay marriage, gays in the military, etc. Also, some of the pieces made me laugh.
This is one of the books that I think all LGBTQI+ people should read. You can't know what to do now, unless you know the past.
my-books
December 7, 2008Contributed chapter, "Maud’s last stand: Rikki Streicher closes “the world’s oldest lesbian bar” and an era ends."
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews