Gay Marriage and Democracy combines serious scholarship with lively polemic. Claire Snyder dissects the contentious debate over gay marriage, revealing faulty logic, flawed legal arguments, failures to live up to the promises of equality enshrined in our country's founding documents, and feverish attempts to breech the wall separating church from state. She demostrates that anxiety over sexuality still generates bad public policy proposals in the United States, even if gay marriage is currently not banned in Boston.

Chip Berlet, co-author of Right-Wing Populism in America

I know of no other work that provides such a comprehensive and focused explanation of why democracy demands gay marriage. Professor Snyder identifies and deconstructs the major arguments against same-sex unions, invoking political philosophy, legal history and religious tradition as the basis of her critique. But more importantly, she makes a convincing case for why the core values of American politics require that gay marriages be permitted in the United States.

Rebecca Mae Salokar, Florida International University

Snyder argues compellingly that an America that denies legal equality to same-sex couple families is an America that is no longer democratic. Citing democratic theory, she explains the critical difference between democracy and simple majoritarianism, or mob rule. She also exposes the un-American nature of the would-be theocrats of the Christian right.

Sean Cahill, PhD, Director of Health Policy Research, The Fenway Institute

In presenting her own argument concisely, the author neatly synthesizes a wide swath of legal and theoretical literature in building her case ans in answering critics in the communitarian, religious conservative, and queer libertation schools of thought. . . . this well-written text enhances both introductory and more advanced conversations about and issue that seems certain to remain front and center in American political debates through the first decade of the century. Highly recommended.

Choice Reviews

Cutting through the fear and self-righteousness that make it so difficult to talk honestly about gay marriage, R. Clare Snyder presents a powerful case for full equality before the law. Written with clarity and purpose, Gay Marrige and Democracy reveals the great strength of democracy's most basic principle. Snyder's impressive discussion is a wonderful example of intelligent analysis and fidelity to justice.

John Ehrenberg, author of Civil Society: The Critical History of an Idea

As a book that hopes to 'convince the read that the fundamental principles of American Democracy not only allow but also require the legislation of same-sex marriage,' Claire Snyder's Gay Marriage and Democracy archives its purpose well. By the end, I found myself convinced of the central argument through her thorough use of evidence, deep citation, and varied examples. One of the greatest achievements of this book is the multi-angled approach it takes to scholarship….Snyder makes compelling and relevant arguments for her central goal, and thus Gay Marriage and Democracy stands as a good resource for anyone engaging academic debates on democracy, rights, or same-sex marriage.

Rhetoric & Public Affairs