Trailblazers: Profiles of America’s Gay and Lesbian Elected Officials (winner of the Victory Foundation Civic Leadership Award) is a quick reference to the most comprehensive list of the country’s openly gay and lesbian officials. You’ll read about 14 of these representatives in greater depth, getting to know them personally and professionally.

Trailblazers identifies representatives from local, state, and national levels from all over the country. In each profile, you’ll examine the relationship between the elected official and his or her constituency. You’ll also explore public reactions to openly gay and lesbian politicians, some of whom are also ethnic minorities, and how this affects the job that they do. Trailblazers offers an in-depth, personal look at the lives of some of the politicians involved in the history of gay and lesbian activism over the last 20 years. Specifically, you’ll read about the lives of:

• Tina Podloski, a lesbian mother and Seattle Councilwoman
• Tom Duane, a New York Councilman with HIV
• Sabrina Sojourner, an African-American lesbian shadow representative in Washington, DC
• William Weybourn, the founder of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which helps to elect gay and lesbian candidates to public office
• Jose Plata, a gay Hispanic Dallas School TrusteeIn addition to giving you keen insight into the lives of these officials, Trailblazers can help you if you decide to run for election, putting a checklist of campaign dos and don’ts at your fingertips. An enlightening book about the private and public achievements of our gay and lesbian politicians, Trailblazers is a valuable addition to any personal or professional library.