Subject: gay activism anthology--call for writers
From: [email-masked] (JOEY MANLEY )
Date: 14 Aug 1995 21:13:28 GMT

While big national events, such as the March on Washington or Stonewall
25, get all the press, it is the activist victories and defeats in
ordeinary towns -- Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for example, or Louisville,
Kentucky -- that have made the most difference in the life of the
average gay man, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgendered person.  Many
local activists have worked years, even decades, for the cause; they
are probably the most experienced players in sexuality rights politics
today.

With this in mind, I am preparing an anthology of practical and
tactical wisdom on matters relating to sexuality rights activism,
written by the grassroots activists themselves.  I hope to get a wide
representation geographically and politically, as well as a variety of
strategic philosophies.

Some of the topics I would like to suggest to potential writers are:

How to get started -- expecially how to organize a group around an
issue.

Know your enemy -- analysis of common right wing tactics and advice on
how to counteract etc.

Know the law -- analysis of the actual text of the sodomy laws, and
advice on good ways to argue against them; also articles reviewing
other laws relevant to activism and/or sexuality rights, etc.

Words into actions -- methods to lead meetings toward a consensus to
act.

Municipal ordinances -- how to get an ordinance sponsor; explaining the
need for legislation to alderpersons, etc.; or perhaps an analysis of
some successful local ordinances, how they were worded and why.

How to use the media -- good ideas for photo ops; how to talk to the
media; some examples of media coverage, and how it was manipulated
either by our side or the opposition.

Managing human resources -- how to attract volunteers and use them most
effectively, with examples, etc.

How to maintain a long-term organization.

Fund-raising & how to spend money effectively.

How to play nice -- including an analysis of when to play nice, context
and goals; practical information on obtaining permits to march, use
public buildings, etc.

How to be loud -- when to be loud, context and goals, some good ideas
for protest demonstrations, why they worked and how; getting arrested,
why and how.

How to handle a defeat.

How to handle a victory.

If you are interesting in writing something for the book, please let me
know as soon as possible.  The above topics are only jumping-off
points.  Don't imagine that you must limit yourself to one topic, or
that you can't write about something not on the list.  Imagine you've
been invited to speak at a meeting of a new organization.  They're
asking you questions: what do you know?  what have you done?  how did
you do it?  why?  did it work?  why did it work?  why didn't it work? 
what are you going to do next?  And so on.  You don't have to be a
writer to do this.  We'll polish the thing together, if you want.  Just
jot down your ideas.

If you know someone else who may be interested in writing something,
please pass this along.

Aoubt myself:  among other things, I organized a public display of
affection in front of the student union building at the University of
Alabama a few years ago, drawing 50 participants and a lot of media. 
This was to protest the pending cut-off of funding for the gay and
lesbian student organization on campus.  We won that battle.  St.
Martin's Press published my novel, The Death of Donna-May  Dean, in
1991.  I have sense written for a number of magazines.  I am working on
a second novel, Music for Our Desire.

I should mention that my editor at St. Martin's is informally
interested in this anthology.  If it does happen to sell to St.
Martin's, or some other large commercial press, any advance money will
be split among the authors and/or their favorite political
organizations.