Overcoming Heterosexism and Homophobia: Strategies That Work.

MESSAGES FROM THE FRONT: STRATEGIES FOR HOMOPOSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS Overcoming Heterosexism and Homophobia: Strategies That Work. Edited by James Sears and Walter Williams. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997, 442 pages. Cloth, $49.50; Paper, $18.50.

Reviewed by Steve James, Ph.D., Goddard College, Department of Psychology, Plainfield, VT 05667.

James Sears and Walter Williams present a rich buffet of 32 chapters that report on successful approaches to improving understanding and acceptance of homosexuality in a wide variety of settings. Organized into five parts, the book begins by offering four chapters on definitions and theoretical foundations. The second section is devoted to seven chapters on specific populations, such as ethnic groups, parents and friends of lesbians and gays, and non-gay spouses. The third section addresses issues of working with students. These six chapters offer curricula and creative ideas for working with high school and college students. Section four contains seven chapters on work done in professional training programs in teaching, counseling, medicine, criminal justice, and law enforcement. The last section purveys eight chapters on work done to improve various institutions, including churches, civic associations, personal and larger economies, corporations, and the media.

While the overall tone of the book assumes that the reader is familiar with efforts to confront homophobia and heterosexism, the majority of its chapters are approachable by anyone with the slightest interest in social justice and the welfare of gay and lesbian people.

The authors take refreshingly positive approaches to the benefits of working to improve their environments of choice, rather than the shrill voice of authors who have become jaded from being in the trenches too long. In reminding their readers of the benefits of acceptance of sexual minorities to their family members, colleagues, students, clients, and others, these authors offer not only environmental improvements for everyone, but also strong selling points that can be used by those interested in trying these approaches. By addressing the cost to larger groups of institutionalized homophobia and heterosexism, these authors keep their readers focused on the real issue for the movement at this time: Equal acceptance makes sense for everyone.

Every collection of this kind invites the reader to wonder about populations, settings, and industries that are not included. This should not be seen as a failing, merely a reflection of the normal limitations of a single book. While the section on ethnic groups and family members does a fine job as a whole, the last chapter, on the use of music to reduce homophobia and heterosexism, might have been better placed elsewhere, and a chapter on working with the children of lesbian and gay parents might have more legitimately fulfilled the promise of the chapter. The section on working with students does not include a chapter on the issues of working with primary grade students and their families. It does offer a particularly compelling report of role-playing exercises used with undergraduate students at an historically Black university. It is this kind of sharing of stories that gives this book its greatest strength, the presentation of concrete ideas that are already working on the front lines of the equal rights movement.

Don't be surprised if, when you open this book (as anyone who shares Sears and Williams' passion for acceptance of homosexuality should do) you hear the sound of cavalry coming over the hill, for this book is nothing if not reinforcement for those of us already in the trenches. For those who are isolated from others fighting the good fight, this book is a welcome message of solidarity and support. For those weary from too many years and too many losses, this book offers refreshing ideas and renewed hope. For those who have been standing on the sidelines, here is a welcoming hand to hold as you take your first steps into the fight for queer equality. If this book was a Robert Duvall character, its line would read, "God, how I love the smell of acceptance in the morning."

Michael R. Stevenson, Ph.D. Department of Psychological Sciences Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306, USA