4* An amazing insight and education into how LGBT rights in the US are *NOT* as widespread and respected as in the UK. Makes me feel privileged to be British, and angry at America.

This book is HEAVY on minutiae to do with the various cases and people that helped the 2015 SCOTUS ruling making gay marriage legal in the whole of the US. I found that aspect a bit tiring, tbh, and yes, I did end up skipping small amounts, but, the tale hit me hard. Hit me in my heart, in my brain and in my wallet.

As a straight female Brit, I found it almost incomprehensible that the US, which is seen at the forefront of so much in the world, can, frankly, be so bigoted, hate-filled, right-denying, prejudiced and unfriendly towards such a huge part of their people. This review is not going to be well-worded, because I am filled with so many emotions. Happiness. Anger. Sadness. Fear for friends who live in Texas and are LGBT. Disbelief. Relief that things are changing. Frightened that the new presidency is undoing so much of the good that the last did.

It's a book that makes me glad to be British, where LGBT people are protected in law, respected in the workplace, free to live the lives they want to live, have support, feel safe, don't need to watch over their shoulders and worry who might turn on them. It's also a book that makes me wish I was American, as I damn would well be pulling my finger out, as we Brits say, and taking a stand against the injustice that exists in the country. It's a book that's made me ask myself what I can be doing, and I am sad to say that other than making financial contributions, I find that there isn't much I can do to have my voice heard. It's heartbreaking and I know that the US feels so unsafe for so many friends right now.

I hope this book gets read by a varied audience, specifically an American one, that is moved to make a stand.

ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

I loved this book. It both laid out the political and social history that led to gay marriage boht in Texas/the US and for these two men. I also liked how it slyly measured progress: mentioning that in 1997 JC Penney refused to advertise during Ellen, but then featured her in a 2012 commercial.