Come Out and Win: Organizing Yourself, Your Community, and Your World

By Sue Hyde

Book Overview

Come Out and Win will educate, engage, and agitate LGBT and straight activists to become involved in the political movement to win full equality under the law and sexual/gender freedom. Spurring a new generation of activists to positive social action, it not only tells the history of gay liberation but, crucially, offers guidance and practical advice for building organizations and taking concrete action to eradicate homophobia.

From starting a gay-straight alliance in your high school to the most effective way to lobby your state representative face-to-face, Come Out and Win explains how to organize and become politically engaged in a clear and user-friendly manner. Other issues explored include youth organizing, marriage equality, legislative change, public relations, having a voice in the mainstream press, putting on a street demonstration, and political organizing from local to national levels. Grappling with the complexity of grassroots political interactions, Come Out and Win suggests ways for LGBT communities to form coalitions with women's organizations, communities of color, and faith communities.

Between the Lines (Michigan) praises Beacon Press for launching the Queer Action Series:

"Interestingly, Beacon is launching the series at the same time many mass market publishing houses are moving away from LBGT genre books. The national InsightOut Book club has been cancelled and recent shuffling in the industry has left many editors of LBGT genre books looking for work."

"'Beacon actually has, as a part of their mission, to work on social justice issues. So this very much fits into what Beacon is mandated to do. They have prioritized this, ' Bronski said."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807079723
• ISBN13: 9780807079720
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.9" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

KUDOS TO SUE HYDE

CONGRATULATIONS TO SUE HYDE FOR AN EXCELLENT AND CONCISE OVERVIEW TO THE GAY COMMUNITY FOR DEVELOPING A PLAN OF EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION TO MAKE SOCIETY A SAFER AND HEALTHIER PLACE FOR THE GLBT POPULATION. WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATED WAS HER SURVEY OF LEGAL ATTITUDES TOWARD GAYS AND LESBIANS. THIS IS AN AREA THAT IS WIDELY UNKNOWN TO MANY PEOPLE. WHAT WE SHOULD REALIZE AND BE AWARE OF IS THE IMMENSE AMOUNT OF TERROR AND SUFFERING THAT THE SODOMY LAWS INFLICTED UPON THEIR VICTIMS. FROM THE OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE 4TH CENTURY UNTIL WELL INTO THE MID 1900S IN WESTERN EUROPE AND AMERICA HOMOSEXUALS WERE EXECUTED,ARRESTED, TORTURED OR OSTRACIZED. SUE HYDE AND OTHERS LIKE HER DESCRIBE THE RESULTS OF THE APPLICATIONS OF THESE BARBARIC CARRYOVERS FROM PRIMITIVE TABOOS AND ANTI-HUMAN PROTESTANT PURITANISM. KNOWLEDGE OF THIS HISTORY HELPS US TO PREVENT A REOCCURENCE OF THESE INJUSTICES IN THE FUTURE.

"What Are We Gonna Do?"

(...) "What Are We Gonna Do?" Amos Lassen and Literary Pride A great little book came across my desk and it is one that is so needed. Sue Hyde, long-time gay activist has put together a handbook on how to get things done. We all know that winning rights is not a spectator sport but some of us just don't know what to do or how to get involved. "Come Out and Win" is a wonderful manual that shows just how we can join in the effort--whether it be starting a gay-straight alliance in a high school or lobbying our Congressmen. The book is very clear and very user friendly. This is just the book that you need if you are interested in helping advance our rights. Here are ideas that are not meant to be taken lightly even though Hyde presents the ideas in light and easy and understandable ways. Organizing politically is an art, a science and an instinct. We are not all leaders but we can all learn to be part of a movement that will help us gain the rights we deserve. This kind of work is necessary if we are to survive. Because we live in this world we are mandated to improve it not only for ourselves but for everyone. Sue Hyde gives us guidelines we can use to help change the existing order. She knows what she is writing about because she has used the information she gives us and what she says can be used by anyone who is interested in social justice. This is the first time that anyone has written a guide like this and I, personally, find it to be invaluable. It s important to begin to advocate change from the grassroots because, we better than anyone else, know how important it is to organize. Instinct we are born with--everything else must be learned. Even the person who is a "born leader" does not know it all. With each chapter heading we are not only given background and tools but a separate game plan for each issue. This makes the book effective to use as socio-drama. Chapter headings include important topics such as "Tools of Our Trade", "G-d Is Our Weapon" and "How We Became G-d-Fearin', Child-Rearin' Understanding Citizens". The one thing that we must understand is the importance of organizing. Without organization there is little to be gained. When it is done properly, change can and will happen.