During 1980 and 1990, a series of bitter political and culture battles over issues of sexuality convulsed the nation--battles over the regulation of pornography, the scope of legal protections for gay people, the funding of allegedly "obscene" art, the contents of safe-sex education, and more.

This book is a collection of essays written during that time, generated as part of other, larger activist efforts going on at the time. Read together, the essays trace the progress of the conversations between different activist groups, and between the authors of the pieces, Lisa Duggan and Nan Hunter, creating a bridge between feminists, gay activists, those in politics, and those in the law.

Since the 1995 publication of Sex Wars, the political landscape has altered significantly. Yet the issues and essays--are still relevant today. This anniversary edition will contain a new chapter dealing with the changes in the law since the book's publication, including Lawrence v. Texas.