Setting Them Straight

Description

From singer Melissa Etheridge to Olympic champion Greg Louganis, from tennis great Martina Navratilova to the British actor Sir Ian McKellan, celebrities and notables have come forward to put a new face on gay and lesbian sexuality. At the same time, the religious right campaigns to legalize discrimination against gay people and promote an anti-gay prejudice in the general public. The result: cultural attitudes on this topic have never been so polarized—or so openly discussed. The battle is on! With all of this new visibility, tensions between gay people, their families, coworkers, and others have come out in the open as never before.

In Setting Them Straight, experienced therapist Dr. Betty Berzon, author of the classic bestseller Permanent Partners, provides a unique battle plan for confronting discrimination, whether it comes from strangers or beloved friends and family. Understanding why people hate, the origins of prejudice, how to channel anger, the answers to the rhetoric of bigotry, and how to prevail in homophobic encounters are all a part of Dr. Berzon’s discussion. This book is a timely, important, and much needed resource for a community under siege.Setting Them Straight Introduction
Part I – Defining the Problem
1. Antigay Bigotry and You
2. The Anticipation of Angst – Rising Above Expectations
3. Understanding and Managing Your Anger
4. Why People Hate – the Origins of Prejudice
5. Scapegoating: What It Is, How to Deal with It
6. True Morality and the Moral Dilemma
Part II – Finding Solutions
7. There’s More Than One Way to Respond
8. Guidelines for Encoutners with Family, Friends, and Co-workers
9. Guidelines for Encounters with Acquaintances and Strangers
10. Going Public – Radio, Television, Other Forums
11. Dealing with Issues: What Gay Is and Is Not
12. Challenging the Messages and the Messengers of Antigay Bigotry
13. Referendums on Gays and Lesbians in American Life: The Military Ban, Legal Marriage, Antigay Ballot Initiatives
14. Final Words: The Good News
Appendix I. Summary of Points Made in Private Encounters
Appendix II. Interacting with the Issues – Individual, Group, and Workshop Formats
Appendix III. Reading List
IndexBetty Berzon, Ph.D. was a psychotherapist who enjoyed tremendous esteem in the lesbian and gay community. She lived with her partner in Los Angeles, California. She died in 2006.US