Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation

by Urvashi Vaid

A veteran activist tackles urgent questions about where the gay movement should go and what the movement wants with a unique combination of visionary politics and hard-earned pragmatism.

"A valuable, encyclopedic compendium of the gay movement’s modern history and challenges." — San Francisco Chronicle

Since the decade to lift the ban on gays in the military, the emergence of gay conservatives, and the onslaught of antigay initiatives across America, the gay and lesbian community has been asking itself tough questions. In Virtual Equality, Urvashi Vaid offers wise answers.

Genres: Queer, Nonfiction, LGBT, History, Politics, Queer Studies, Sociology

464 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Urvashi Vaid is an Indian-American LGBT rights activist. She received a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston in 1983, where she founded the Boston Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance, a non-partisan political organization that interviews and endorses candidates for political office and advocates for Boston's gay community. Her books are "Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation" and "Irresistable Revolution: Confronting Race, Class and the Assumptions of LGBT Politics."

Reviews

[Danika at The Lesbrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was written in the mid-90s, so obviously it's out of date, and some parts that are just dense history of 90s activism doesn't translate very well, but it also has some really interesting ideas about organizing queer activism/activists. I'd definitely recommend this for people who are part of queer activist communities. It also was an interesting look at recent queer history, and I was glad to get a perspective that acknowledged the presence of racism and sexism within the movement.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, which was written as a manifesto in 1994, is now quite famous and quoted regularly by queer scholars. Urvashi Vaid rails against the mainstreaming of the gay liberation movement, which has failed to achieve many of its political goals, is mainly controlled by white gay men, is failing to counter the challenge of the Christian right, and has good leaders, and has many organizations but no one national organization that LGBT people can turn to to get involved. This book is long but very on-point. Not everyone agrees with her, but she still has a lot to say.

[Jessica Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

more 90s gay. very good history of that era. OMG, it's history now! we're so old and gay!!!

smart analysis, nice mix of theory and memoir. accessible but also challenging in a good way. worth reading.

[Walt Odets · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're gay, just read it. It's a very important piece of work.

[Gierdka · Rating 3 out of 5]

** unbearably cis book.** Trans people don’t exist here at all, aside from a few mentions, and the entire thing is devoted exclusively to LGB community.

There are some good observations here, which is why I didn’t put the book down for 600 pages. It’s sad to read a book from 30 years ago whose diagnosis of the dead end we, as the LGBT movement, have gotten ourselves into still feels relevant today. Unfortunately, the author—despite being aware of more radical and transformative tendencies and proposals—stops halfway. After making an accurate diagnosis, her solutions still rely on the same civil rights-focused approach and ridiculously lib solutions.

The vision of a grand unification is also unsettling. Despite repeating that we won’t all agree and that we’ll have differing opinions, there’s a strong desire to build one big movement heading in the same direction, though on different paths. The problem is that the supposedly unifying demands that “everyone agrees on” aren’t actually so neutral or obvious, as the author would suggest. And in this vision of unity and federalization the big question remains unanswered: who will be the one to decide, in the end, what is important and how to achieve the goal?

There are books that frustrate and anger you, but help clarify your own views and reflections. This is probably one of them.

[Vickie Woodard · Rating 5 out of 5]

CONFIDANT. KNOWLEDGEABLE.

The author is an (Asian) Indian American lesbian with vast experience in political action.
I found the book to be dated. The most recent experiences cited were from 1995. But it's a good overview of the struggles and the little bit of progress LGBTQ Americans have made.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much excellent information, movement history, and ideas in here. Things could get a bit repetitive from chapter to chapter, though. And while she had a lot of good recommendations and criticisms which work for the LGBT movement, the feminist movement, and every other movement I've ever been part of or read about, which I certainly agreed with, she also did some forgiveness-badgering at the end, which is so tiresome, as well as overly-optimistic. Overall, though, yes, I really did appreciate this book. Vaid focused on some issues that were important in the 1990s and have sadly not abated in their importance today. The chapters on racial differences and the religious right were particularly chilling. Also, some of the people she quotes and refers to are completely brilliant. People I haven't heard of, and they absolutely blew me away.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some friends and I met in Urvashi Vaid in a DC hotel many years ago. When she asked if we were part of her conference, we nervously lied and said yes. She's "married" to the lesbian comedian Kate Clinton.

[bruin · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this as part of the planning for a trip for teenagers on LGBTQ histories of resistance--totally incredible and *so* pertinent right now, nearly fifteen years after it was written. if you read it, i totally want to talk to you about it! recommended.

[tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

her critique of the queer movement is amazingly still relevant today.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having worked as a professional gay for a time I must say this book is an excellent analysis on what's going on in the field, and still timely given all that's going on with ENDA. Check it out.

[Jean Marie Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book about LGBT activism from the soma who was the executive director of the NGLTF.