The history shaping todays debate over gay equality written by george chauncey describes the history that has set the stage for the debate over gay marriage today the book begins with a history of gay and lesbian individuals in the us and their struggle to enter and gain acceptance in the public sphere up until the 1930s during the great depression gay and lesbians were not viewed with such . George chauncey one of our countrys preeminent historians of gay life shows how the gay quest for marriage rights resulted from generations of change in marriage itself as well as decades of struggle over gay rights in an account of the changing place of lesbians and gay men in american society he recalls the pervasive discrimination faced by lesbians and gay men only a few decades ago . Angry debate over gay marriage has divided the nation as no other issue since the vietnam war why has marriage suddenly emerged as the most explosive issue in the gay struggle for equality at times it seems to have come out of nowhere but in fact it has a history george chauncey offers an electrifying analysis of the history of the shifting attitudes of heterosexual americans toward gay . Why marriage the history shaping todays debate over gay equality item preview the history shaping todays debate over gay equality by chauncey george publication date 2004 topics gay rights united states same sex marriage united states same sex marriage law and legislation united states homophobia united states publisher cambridge ma basic books collection . Angry debate over gay marriage has divided the nation as no other issue since the vietnam war why has marriage suddenly emerged as the most explosive issue in the gay struggle for equality at times it seems to have come out of nowhere but in fact it has a history george chauncey offers an electrifying analysis of the history of the shifting attitudes of heterosexual ame