Jack Nichols, Gay Pioneer: “Have You Heard My Message?”

Abstract

Reviews the book, Jack Nichols, gay pioneer: Have you heard my message? by J. Louis Campbell III (2007). Placing the name of Jack Nichols to the left of the colon in the title implies that Nichols is the focus, and this book delivers on that promise. 'Have You Heard My Message?' is largely biographical with elements of gender theory, family studies, and even social history as it outlines the changing American GLBT community across the life of Jack Nichols. Through previously unpublished interviews and Nichols' own extensive publications, author Campbell pieces together the life of a gay pioneer. this book is well worth the read. Nichols' early views on how patriarchy constructs restrictive gender roles through the nuclear family will be of interest to readers of the Journal of GLBT Family Studies. Considering the pre-World War II America in which Nichols was born, these radical gender views alone speak volumes about Nichols' status as a gay pioneer. Add in Nichols' continuous activism from the homophile movement of the 1950s through gay liberation and on to protesting Reagan for his inattention to HIV/AIDS, and it is apparent that Nichols represents an important figure in GLBT history. The author offers us an accessible and fascinating portrait of the life of Jack Nichols, and this reviewer recommends that you hear his message. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)