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Party Crasher: A Gay Republican Challenges Politics as Usual
by Richard Tafel
I've always been intrigued by gay Republicans.
Not the self-hating closet cases, mind you. You know the type — the ones who oppose gay rights and think that being gay is something that they do, mostly on weekends, as opposed to who they are.
I'm talking about the folks who are out and proud about both their sexual orientation and their politics, and not necessarily in that order. Log Cabin Club executive director Richard Tafel, an ordained minister, gives readers an opportunity to understand his journey as an out and activist member of the GOP in Party Crasher: A Gay Republican Challenges Politics as Usual.
In Part I of his book, Tafel offers a unique, albeit biased, look at gay history. His review of how gays react to rejection (assimilationists, liberationists, and libertarians) is interesting. According to Tafel, assimilationists like the Human Rights Campaign want to be liked, liberationists like ACT UP want to overturn the entire system, and libertarians reject identity politics, hate big government, and take responsibility for their own lives.
Party Crasher also offers a look at Tafel's coming out process. Sadly, Tafel describes his struggle with whether to come out as a Republican while a student at Harvard Divinity School — not his struggle with coming out as a gay man. "I made the decision to be honest with my classmates that day, to tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. I came out as a Republican," he writes. Not exactly a bold move for a white guy presumed to be straight at Harvard.
Tafel's book contains other disappointments; a big one is a misunderstanding of the political spectrum. He characterizes HRC executive director Elizabeth Birch as "far left" in spite of the fact that the HRC endorsed Sen. Al D'Amato (R-NY) in his unsuccessful reelection bid and has abandoned the transgendered community in the ENDA debate. Why then does Tafel characterize Birch as "far left?" His explanation is inadequate.
Tafel's revisionist view of history also applies to his love fest with the Reagan administration. He even goes so far as to make excuses for Reagan's response to the AIDS crises. "President Reagan didn't veto any AIDS bills," he writes. Unfortunately Tafel's analysis completely misses any discussion of Reagan's lack of leadership on AIDS; one is left wondering if Tafel has ever heard of the term.
Throughout Party Crasher, Tafel is rightfully critical of President Clinton's "compromise" on the military ban. Ironically, though, Tafel himself advocates a "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding sexuality. He profiles high-ranking gay Republicans who lived their professional lives in the closet, uses pseudonyms to describe some of the other people in the book, and even touts a speech by a closeted gay man at the 1996 Republican national convention.
Additionally, he is critical of Gay Pride marches. According to Tafel, Gay Pride marches provide liberationists an opportunity to prove "how loud and radical" they are and assimilationists with an opportunity to demonstrate "how organized and powerful" they are. Apparently "liberationists" like Tafel just stay home — more "don't ask, don't tell."
In spite of the book's flaws, Party Crasher is worth reading. Although biased, Tafel's views are sincere and rarely heard by the gay community — or by the GOP, for that matter. "Changing the Republican Party on gay issues should be the single most important goal of gay Democrats, Republicans, and Independents," he says when summarizing his view of gay political strategy. If you also believe this, no matter what your politics, Party Crasher is worth a look.
