Hobart and William Smith Colleges

29 March 2005 Rimmerman Tells Advocate Visibility is Not Enough

Craig Rimmerman, professor of political science was quoted in the Advocate story Tough times at the HRC. Published in the March 29 issue, the article is the first in a series focusing on leading gay rights activist and service organizations, the work they do, and how they raise and spend money.

This article examined the Human Rights Campaign and said state, local, and grassroots activists are split on the groups effectiveness although it is the countrys most visible gay rights organization.

I think in the short term, visibility is a form of success, but that cant take the place of serious and important policy accomplishments that improve LGBT lives, said Rimmerman.

Rimmerman, who has taught at HWS since 1986, holds Ph.D. and master's degrees in political science from the Ohio State University, and a bachelor's degree in political science and English from Miami University. An expert commentator on issues including gay rights, youth activism, and U.S. presidential evaluation, Rimmerman is quoted across the country from the Philadelphia Inquirer and The Boston Herald to the Tampa Tribune and Times, the Los Angeles Daily News and others. In addition to The New Citizenship, he is the author of several books on gay rights and published From Identity to Politics: The Lesbian and Gay Movements in the United States (Temple University Press, 2001). He is the author of Gay Rights, Military Wrongs (1995) and Politics of Gay Rights (2000).