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The Rainbow after the Storm: Marriage Equality and Social Change in the U.S.
A detailed story of how social science contributed to gay rights gains in the courts.
For most of American history, public opinion was strongly opposed to gay rights. Marriage equality had negligible public support throughout the 1970s-1980s. Yet, starting in the 1990s, American opinion toward marriage equality changed more than any other attitude in the history of American public opinion. In Rainbow after the Storm , Michael J. Rosenfeld explains how attitudes toward marriage equality changed so much, and how public opinion change drove change at the ballot box and in the courts. As Rosenfeld shows, in three crucial same-sex marriage trials, the supporters and opponents of marriage equality faced off. Rosenfeld describes the struggles of the same-sex couples who, with few resources at their disposal, and against formidable state and religious opponents, sued for the right to marry and eventually won. The first comprehensive analysis of the marriage equality movement in the U.S., The Rainbow after the Storm tells the stories of key individuals, the court battles, and the
society-wide explanations for the rapid liberalization of attitudes toward gay rights that made same-sex marriage the law of the U.S. sooner than almost anyone thought was possible.
For most of American history, public opinion was strongly opposed to gay rights. Marriage equality had negligible public support throughout the 1970s-1980s. Yet, starting in the 1990s, American opinion toward marriage equality changed more than any other attitude in the history of American public opinion. In Rainbow after the Storm , Michael J. Rosenfeld explains how attitudes toward marriage equality changed so much, and how public opinion change drove change at the ballot box and in the courts. As Rosenfeld shows, in three crucial same-sex marriage trials, the supporters and opponents of marriage equality faced off. Rosenfeld describes the struggles of the same-sex couples who, with few resources at their disposal, and against formidable state and religious opponents, sued for the right to marry and eventually won. The first comprehensive analysis of the marriage equality movement in the U.S., The Rainbow after the Storm tells the stories of key individuals, the court battles, and the
society-wide explanations for the rapid liberalization of attitudes toward gay rights that made same-sex marriage the law of the U.S. sooner than almost anyone thought was possible.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published December 3, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 31, 2022
An excellent sociological history of marriage equality in the USA. Rosenfeld shows how the historical context of rapidly changing public attitudes toward homosexuality, driven by gays and lesbians coming out of the closet, and social science research on sexuality and families, created the political opportunity structure for victory in the courts. A compelling and data-rich read from a social scientist who was involved as an expert witness. Highly recommend.
July 9, 2023
Mr. Michael Rosenfeld has done it again... an incredible book!! The middle section was incredibly written (in particular) and the impact that the social sciences had on advancing the gay marriage movement in terms of judicial success is well-emphasized and well-explained.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews