Theodore L. McEvoy: Theodore L. McEvoy was a counselor at the UCLA Student Counseling Center. Since his retirement he has been an affiliated scholar of ONE Institute.
Candace Gingrich is the younger sister of Newt Gingrich, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. She has written an engaging account of her path from being non-political, to her public coming out as the lesbian sister of a leading Republican conservative, which led her toward a vocation as a political activist.
Ms. Gingrich was born in 1966, making her 23 years younger than her half-brother. She had little contact with him when she was growing up. She was occupied with her own life, in school, college, competitive sports, her job with United Parcel Service, and a warm family life. Though she came out into the lesbian community of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at first Candace took little note of her brother's political agenda. Then when Newt became Speaker of the House, and had a major impact on the 1994 Congressional elections, she was galvanized into action.
This book is a warm, funny and candid account of a young woman transforming herself from a quiet, happy small-town girl into an articulate, determined and courageous national leader against institutionalized homophobia. The book provides the reader with a detailed portrait of Newt Gingrich as well as the efforts of far right religious and political leaders to discredit and oppress gay men and lesbians. It is a chronicle of her work with the Human Rights Campaign. Ms. Gingrich takes satisfaction in her ability, through her own experience, to act also as a spokeswoman for blue collar workers, especially among gay men and lesbians. Throughout it all, she retains a generous, caring and optimistic outlook.
commenting closed for this article