Dangerous Liaisons: Blacks, Gays, and the Struggle for Equality

Rating:
Summary: If nothing else, an excellent resource!
Review: Personally, I was amazed at the wealth of information cramped into the 300 pages of this book. I can definitely say that, after reading the collection of essays, I have gained a better understanding of what it is like to live both as an African-American and as a homosexual (I am a gay Caucasian) in America today. The book calls itself an "unprecedented undertaking", and frankly, I couldn't agree more. It was essentially written to provide a platform for debate between the leading minds of the African-American and gay communities on the two volatile topics that often divide them: racism and homophobia. It includes a wide variety of essays written by well-known historians, political analysts, activists, writers, and philosophers. The topics adressed include high-profile hate crimes against blacks and gays, racism in gay/lesbian rights organizations, homophobia in the black church, the spread of HIV from the gay community to the black community, and stereotypes in books and films. One of my favorite essays in this book is called "Whosoever Is Welcome Here: An Interview with Reverend Edwin C. Sanders III" by Gary David Comstock. Through Comstock, Sanders shares the strugges of his predominently-black Metropolitan church in fighting homophobia. His ministry is centered on the words of John, which say "whosoever believes... shall have eternal life." I will admit that I didn't find every essay interesting, but what I did find was that there is a large quantity of information in this book that would be extremely helpful to students writing research papers. But even if you're not writing a research paper, I'd still recommend the book, as it puts a wonderful perspective on the challenges of living in two, sometimes conflicting, minority groups.

Rating:
Summary: Well-written and insightful
Review: With the Christian right actively working to drum up support among black ministers, this book is extremely important. Brandt and his contributors want to bridge the gap between blacks and gays. They also make it obvious that the two groups are not mutually exclusive, that black gays and lesbians have an especially difficult row to hoe in this country.