by Michael Nava and Robert Dawidoff

About the authors: Michael Nava, a lawyer, and Robert Dawidoff, a historian, are the authors of Created Equal: Why Gay Rights Matter to America.

Gay men and lesbians . . . do not want to continue through life abused, bashed, and discriminated against in their own country. They do not want to labor under the vicious stereotypes that incite violence and justify denial of their civil rights. They do not want to have to struggle so hard to live their lives. Life is trouble enough without the distracting burden of defending yourself from fear and prejudice at every turn.

What Gays and Lesbians Want

So what do gays and lesbians want? What do we want? We want more than the absence of abuse. We want our rights as citizens; we...