cover image From the Closet to the Courtroom: Five LGBT Rights Lawsuits That Have Changed Our Nation

From the Closet to the Courtroom: Five LGBT Rights Lawsuits That Have Changed Our Nation

Carlos A. Ball, . . Beacon, $27.95 (286pp) ISBN 978-0-8070-0078-6

Ball (The Morality of Gay Rights ), Rutgers professor of law, offers an in-depth analysis of the five lawsuits that have moved America closer to full legal equality for LGBT people. The groundbreaking legal decisions include Nabozny v. Podlesny (1996), in which a seventh-grader received such brutal bullying and beatings that he required abdominal surgery successfully sued his school for discrimination in refusing to protect him, after they claimed the brutal treatment was his fault because he was openly gay, and Romer v. Evans (also 1996), in which a lesbian policewoman's fellow officers harassed her and ignored her calls for backup in dangerous situations. Ball does an excellent job of showcasing the stories of the lawyers, activists, and defendants involved. He points out that although these cases were essential to get the process started, until marriage equality is protected under federal law and “don't ask, don't tell” is repealed, there is yet a long way to go. The tone of this book sets it apart from similar studies; Ball approaches his subject with vigor and sensitivity and makes a poignant plea for justice. (June)