“In this impeccably researched, timely, and engaging book, Stulberg documents the extraordinary impact LGBTQ+ celebrities in the entertainment and sports industries had in winning visibility, acceptance, and change for LGBTQ+ people. By telling their stories in mainstream venues like television, LGBTQ+ activists fundamentally challenged dominant negative representations and public attitudes despite persistent opposition. In the face of the more extreme threat, repression, and backlash to LGBTQ+ civil rights by the current Trump administration, this book is essential reading for scholars and activists seeking to understand how to succeed in winning the culture war! This is the book we’ve been waiting for, and it is urgently needed!”

Verta Taylor, coauthor of "Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret"

"A smart, engrossing book. The revolution will be pop culture and those who know how to wield its power to make societal change. This book makes the crucial case for pop culture’s relevance in society.”

Ira Madison III, author of "Pure Innocent Fun," and creator of the podcast "Keep It"

“Animated by scores of voices gathered over more than a decade, How to Win a Culture War offers a lucid, sociologically rich account of pop culture’s role in the long, uneven fight for LGBTQ visibility, self‑determination, community, and love. A necessary book at a moment when the fight has never mattered more.”

Joshua Gamson, author of "Freaks Talk Back: Tabloid Talk Shows and Sexual Nonconformity"

“Equally accessible to both academics and a general audience, sociologist Stulberg’s latest (after LGBTQ Social Movements, 2018) builds on her earlier work to discuss the LGBTQ+ rights movement in U.S. culture in 2026. . . . The approachable nature of the text makes the book of practical use during this inflection point in U.S. history.”

Booklist