The Dallas Way: Gay Rights in a Conservative City

Uncovers the untold story of LGBT activism in the American South as they navigated faith, politics, and activismFor more than forty years, historians have researched the formation of gay communities and activism in the United States.Yet, the vast majority of scholarship on gay activism in the United States focuses on liberal urban areas like San Francisco, New York City, and Chicago, as opposed to conservative regions. In The Dallas Way, M. Rhys Dotson examines the development and impact of Dallas's queer community throughout the twentieth century.The book explores the unique challenges and values that impacted queer residents' experiences in conservative regions, from the interplay of traditional family structures, to religious values, and skepticism of rapid social change.Responding to these circumstances, Dotson highlights how early gay activists adopted a nuanced form of activism that both challenged and aligned with their city's conservative values, forging a distinctive path to e