If you’ve read The October That Changed Everything, you know who that lesbian character is. If you have yet to read it, I will not include spoilers here. But suffice it to say that this character has a good reason for keeping her secret.
The story takes place at a pivotal moment in American history. Besides being the autumn when the threat of nuclear war hung over our collective heads, 1962 was a year when huge changes were underway in American society. Among the developments about to expand our perceptions of human rights, was the gay rights movement. Which included the push for acceptance and equal rights for gays and lesbians.
But there’s no avoiding the fact that being a lesbian or a gay man in 1962 was no walk in the park. In fact, a walk in the park could be dangerous for gay and lesbian people at that time. Some lesbian activists tried to join forces with other groups fighting for women’s rights. Ironically, some women leaders, including Betty Friedan, didn’t want to include lesbians in the feminist movement fearing they would “taint the reputation of the feminist movement” and drive potential supporters away from “more important campaigns for women’s equality.” Lesbians also suffered pushback from some male gay rights activists, who shared the sexist views held by straight men – that women were “less than” men.
Not surprisingly, most lesbians lived a closeted life in the early 1960s, many not even letting their families know their sexual orientation. Like the other characters in my book, the lesbian character is deeply affected by the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
The October That Changed Everything is available on Amazon, B&N, Walmart and other retailers.
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