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xiv Preface to fight for and against rights, accounts of key events, and articles on such contro- versial topics as the push to “repair” sexual orientation through sexual orientation change efforts and the efforts of some Americans to promote antigay legislation in Africa. Each entry provides a selected bibliography for further reading, allowing for more research and study on the topic. Part Two (in Volume 2) is a section of 163 primary or historical documents highlighting controversial issues, legislation, and debates. Arranged chronologically from biblical times to 2014, these documents and excerpts proclaim the progress and lack of progress as people who are gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender try to assert and claim their rights as human beings. These texts provide a sometimes-hor- rifying, disturbing but also inspiring text. Letters, reports, research, speeches, eyewit- ness accounts, official statements by organizations, court cases, and laws make up Part Two. Each document or excerpt begins with an introduction that gives the item as much context as necessary. Part Three (in Volume 3) provides an introduction and 52 state-by-state (includ- ing District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) overviews of LGBT laws and issues and the status of current legislation. Each entry provides a historical introduction and in- formation about state legislation, if any, related to the following topics: adoption and foster care, conversion therapy, custody and visitation law, donor insemination law, gender change on state issued id, hate crimes laws, health care laws, marriage and family law, nondiscrimination in employment, school laws, sodomy law, surrogacy law. Volume 3 ends with an extensive and valuable section of recommended re- sources: books, journals, and websites, and organizations connected to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender interests and rights. A comprehensive index completes this reference work. There are 92 writers who have contributed to the richness of this work, includ- ing scholars, professors, lawyers, writers, and health professionals. Each brings keen interest, knowledge, and experience to writing about his or her topics. Their profes- sional biographies are featured at the end of the book. We hope that readers of Proud Heritage: People, Issues, and Documents of the LGBT Experience will use this ref- erence work as a springboard to their own research on the issues of lesbian, gay, bi- sexual, and transgender rights. Acknowledgments A writing project of this size includes the help of so many. So many academics and editors helped make this project possible. In particular, I would like to thank the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the University of Southern California for granting permission to many historical documents used in this encyclopedia. ONE has been at the center of the modern gay rights movement and is a treasure trove of documents and artifacts.