Try This at Home!: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Winning Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights Policy

Try This at Home! is a practical, no-nonsense guide for individuals and grassroots groups on how to pass laws and policies that protect lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals from discrimination. Written by the director of the Lesbian and Gay Rights Project of the ACLU, the book suggests strategies to use at the state and local government levels, and at private institutions—including universities, corporations, banks, and social service organizations. The book includes information on:

• Building support in the lesbian and gay community
• Designing your campaign organization
• Developing an endorsement strategy
• Building relationships with the media
• Writing and negotiating policy
• Lobbying
• Domestic partnership policies

Written in response to the hundreds of requests for assistance Coles has received, Try This at Home! also contains anecdotes from those who have helped enact pro-gay policies, sidebars on what works and what doesn’t, and appendixes with the actual wording Coles recommends for gay-friendly amendments to all manner of policies and legislation.