The Inside Story of How Marc Solomon's WINNING MARRIAGE Won Big

by Tom Haushalter
UPNE Marketing Manager

“If I can sell gay marriage, I think I can sell a book.”

That was one of the first things Marc Solomon, author of Winning Marriage: The Inside Story of How Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians and Pundits—and Won, said to the UPNE sales and marketing team when we gathered for lunch in Boston several months before his book's November 2014 publication in our ForeEdge imprint. Although a debut author—of a chronicle of his life's work waging the then-unfinished legal battle for marriage equality in America—Marc came to lunch with questions about book promotion that seemed to be searching for parallels to the grueling public relations campaign he'd been directing (with Freedom to Marry) for years. In other words, this wasn't Marc's first time to the rodeo.

We were all keenly aware of the possibilities surrounding his book, as marriage equality had ascended to being the most important social movement of its time. The end of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), struck down the year prior, made way for several states to begin allowing same-sex unions, and there was an air of inevitability that the Supreme Court would soon hear a case to decide, once and for all, if all Americans, in any state, were free to marry whomever they choose. We weren't worried about establishing a news hook.

But the many uncertainties baked into our plans for Winning Marriage—how soon will SCOTUS take action? And what if they make the wrong decision?—lent elements of surprise that don't accompany every book you get to publish. From that first lunch date through the hardcover's November release, through reviews and a sprawling national tour, through an historic decision and an uncannily timed paperback edition, this book and its tireless, magnificent author found ways to blow away everyone at UPNE. Here are the highlights of our continuous surprise:

They all approve this message

Authors can be fond of loading their blurb/endorsement wish lists with A-listers they’re not sure how to contact, any of whom would be great to have. Marc Solomon furnished us with a list of endorsers that included legendary journalist Bob Woodward, former U.S. congressman Barney Frank, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Wicked author Gregory Maguire, Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes, former White House press secretary Dee Dee Myers, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti—to name a few! Our success rate on those blurbs was 100 percent. (Oh, and Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick wrote the foreword.)

A deluge of media

Marc takes his seat on NBC's Meet the Press.

Here’s another embarrassment of riches. The media coverage for Winning Marriage was like turning on a fire hose. From reviews and stories in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, U.S. News & World Report, Slate, and Politico, to excerpts in the Advocate and New Republic, and a sit-down with Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet the Press—the sheer volume of exposure wasn’t just a boon for the book. Given the timing of its release, the book became the media’s most reliable source for illustrating how far the marriage equality movement had come—and how far it had still to go.

Where in the world isn't Marc Solomon?

As the national campaign director for Freedom to Marry, Marc was never one to sit back and watch the returns come in. True to his word, he sold his book like he sold gay marriage—not that the two weren’t one and the same! At some point, I’ll admit, I lost track of where in America Marc was on a given day, or where he’d be the next. From bookstore readings in Boston to house parties in Los Angeles to college classroom visits in Chicago and St. Louis, he spanned the country over the course of several months.

Countless people, from all walks of life, shared their own stories as part of this movement. Reflecting on the warm reception of his book, Marc says, “I especially loved hearing from younger people, in their 20s and early 30s, who weren’t necessarily paying attention to the early marriage battle in Massachusetts [in 2003], who didn’t realize how intense and focused the fight was even then.”

The Decision and the Revision

By now we all know how the story ends. On June 26, 2015, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ended the nationwide ban on same-sex marriages. Victory celebrations ensued. There was only one problem. The story, as told in Marc Solomon’s book, was incomplete. It needed the final chapter!

We were preparing for this, though. And Marc was probably the most adamant that the paperback edition of Winning Marriage, due out in early fall of 2015, be revised to include an afterword on the historic SCOTUS decision. I do not exaggerate when I say that on the day the decision was handed down, Marc began writing that last chapter. And he turned it in for editing a few days later—the deadline loomed that closely.

Now we can confidently say that the Winning Marriage paperback is the whole story.

“The playbook for progressive causes”

Marc Solomon with the amazing Freedom to Marry team

Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising aspect to the publication of Winning Marriage is its value to other ascendant social justice causes. Publishers Weekly, for one, saw it all along, in its review calling the book “a manual for how to craft a successful political movement in the future.” Later, it was U.S. News & World Report deeming it “the playbook for progressive causes.” Consequently, in recent weeks, Marc has been sought-after as a speaker for a range of organizations, including the Rockefeller Family Fund working on women’s workplace equality, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the Nature Conservancy combatting climate change, as well as litigators for reproductive freedom and organizers for criminal justice reform, hunger alleviation, and economic inequality.

As Winning Marriage becomes enshrined as not only the definitive story of the marriage equality movement in America, but as a guide for any movement to come (see these applicable lessons that Marc learned), Marc Solomon has himself moved on to the next chapter in his career, recently joining the team at Civitas Public Affairs Group, a firm that consults with an array of advocacy campaigns. I believe they know full well the indomitable force for good they’ve gained in Marc.

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This post goes up in honor of University Press Week 2015 (Nov. 8-14), and today other fine UPs are sharing their favorite "surprises" from the past year. So follow the links to the press blogs below and keep reading!

University Press of Florida
University of Michigan Press
University Press of Mississippi
University Press of Kansas
University Press of Kentucky
University of Nebraska Press
University of California Press

#ReadUP #UPWeek

How to Win the Fight: 10 Lessons Learned from the Marriage Equality Movement

by Marc Solomon
National campaign director for Freedom to Marry 
and author of Winning Marriage

As the whole country knows by now, back in June the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples now have the freedom to marry and equal respect for their marriages across America. This ruling has brought immense joy to families and rings out a final victory to the decades-long marriage movement.

Last fall, my book, Winning Marriage: The Inside Story of How Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians and Pundits—And Won, came out in the wake of the Supreme Court's overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act, helping set the stage for this year's ultimate historic ruling. And now, as we reflect on this win, I'm thrilled that my book's upcoming release in paperback will include a new afterword—a final chapter, if you will—on the battle we waged to secure the right for all Americans to marry the person they want.

After more than a decade on the front lines of the marriage movement, what’s now most important to me is ensuring that the most crucial lessons we learned from the battle are available to and understood by other social movements. Every movement offers its own opportunities and challenges and I don’t pretend that the marriage playbook provides all the answers. But I do know that whether we’re talking non-discrimination protections for LGBT people, criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, remedies to economic inequality, or measures to address climate change, there are important lessons to be learned from our fight.

1. Convey a bold, inspirational vision.

Identify a vision of what you really want to accomplish and communicate it early and often. The aspirational possibility of being able to marry spurred hundreds of thousands of regular people to become champions—something a watered-down goal like civil unions wouldn't have accomplished. While half-measures along the way are part and parcel of our political system, accepting increments must not preclude reaching the true goal, reminding people and politicians why it matters, and not ultimately settling for anything less.

Marc Solomon, author of Winning Marriage

2. Have an overarching strategy.

A strategy keeps focus, provides structure, and is crucial when the going gets tough. When Evan Wolfson embarked on winning marriage nationwide, he had a pathway to victory that envisioned a national ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. However, to get the Court to act, he knew—based on the lessons of history—that we needed to rack up victories in a critical mass of states and grow public support beyond a majority. That big-picture strategy for marriage was called the "Roadmap to Victory," and it provided a simple (but not easy!) approach that served us well when the going got tough and people questioned whether we were on the right path.

3. Focus on values and emotions.

With a cause that is as fundamentally important to so many as marriage, tapping into people's fundamental values in making the case is essential. We showed straight America why same-sex couples want to marry: out of profound love and commitment, which are the same reasons they want to! We thus helped them see that supporting marriage for same-sex couples syncs up with their own deep-seated values: the Golden Rule—treating others the way you'd want to be treated—and freedom—the right to live the way you want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. Tapping into those values was a powerful antidote to the fear mongering that our opponents employed (e.g., that the freedom to marry would harm children). One of the mistakes some of our campaigns made along the way was in focusing on messages that polled well but that didn't have emotional resonance.

4. Meet people where they are.

To make lasting change in America, it's crucial to make the case to people who are conflicted about your cause and give them time to really think it through. On marriage, we knew that pretty much everyone grew up in a society where they were taught that marriage was between a man and a woman, and in a faith tradition where they were taught that homosexuality was wrong. Many good people were conflicted, so we were asking them to take a journey that challenged some of their deepest understandings about marriage, family, and religion. That required engaging with them, leaving no question unanswered, and tackling their concerns head on. To get people to yes, we had to encourage them to open their minds and hearts, listen, question, and reconsider. That meant starting early and staying with it, and making the case in multiple ways. A shift like that is much less likely to happen if you write someone off or call those who aren't with you yet a bigot or bad person.

Marching through Greenwich Village in an ecstatic NYC Pride celebration after victory in Albany.

 

5. Find the right messengers.

Who delivers the message and how it is delivered matter as much as what the message is. The target audience—conflicted Americans—must identify with and trust the messenger. It was crucial that same-sex couples made the case in person to family members, neighbors, and friends about why marriage mattered so much. Over the airwaves, however, it was parents who were most effective. They could speak to their own struggle of accepting their child's sexuality and about their journey overcoming that struggle and ultimately wanting their gay kid to have all that they had, including the right to marry. Straight people could identify and empathize with that story. Also, unexpected champions like Republicans, first responders, service members, and clergy were especially effective in explaining and modeling how their own deeply held values of freedom, faith, and service to the country were squarely in line with the freedom to marry.

6. Build state campaigns designed to win.

Winning at the state level requires an experienced campaign manager running a professional campaign, with field organizers, communications professionals, and lobbyists reporting to the manager and a tight board managing the campaign and helping raise sufficient resources to carry out the plan. The campaign must also be designed to meet the challenge. For example, when we needed to fight against the repeal of a freedom to marry law in New Hampshire, where the Legislature was 80 percent Republican, we built a campaign heavy on GOP operatives and business leaders.

7. Invest heavily in local organizing.

Inspiring and mobilizing supporters and then enlisting them to persuade undecided elected officials and voters takes a robust organizing campaign. On challenging issues, too often advocates think they can win in a legislature with top-notch lobbyists or at the ballot exclusively with good television ads. That's simply not the case. Lawmakers and citizens are most often persuaded because they hear from people locally—regular citizens, same-sex couples, and influential leaders living in their own communities. On marriage, it's especially crucial to show that we're talking about same-sex couples and families who are active participants in their communities, not "those people out there in the big city."

Available in paperback, Sept. 15, 2015

8. Accept this political reality: Politicians care about re-election above almost everything else.

The most important priority for the vast majority of elected officials is continuing to be an elected official. That means that if elected officials think they're going to lose their seat by supporting your cause, you're going to lose. So you need to be relentless about engaging electorally. First and foremost, that means helping ensure that those who vote with you win re-election. In the first marriage state of Massachusetts, we re-elected every incumbent who voted our way on marriage—195 out of 195 in 2004 and 2006—in spite of a concerted effort by Gov. Mitt Romney and social conservatives to defeat some of them. And there's simply no better way to show lawmakers you're serious than by defeating a small number who vote against you. That means figuring out who is vulnerable, finding quality candidates to run against them, and using tried-and-true campaign techniques to defeat them. Fight Back New York, a PAC that marriage equality advocates set up in 2010, did just that. They took out three incumbents who voted against us on marriage and completely changed the political calculus in New York state.

9. Be serious about reaching across the aisle.

In today's terribly divided political climate, in order to get an issue to break through, it's extremely helpful—and in many cases essential—for the cause to be bipartisan. For causes that begin as liberal or progressive causes, it's so important to have Republican voices making the case. Doing so effectively means years of dedicated and serious work, demonstrating to sympathetic Republicans that you're serious about enlisting them, sensitive to their political concerns, and committed to helping them make the case in a way that serves both your needs and theirs. Having a Sen. Rob Portman, a Laura Bush, or a Dick Cheney speaking out on marriage was worth its weight in gold in shifting the center of gravity politically on the cause.

Launch of the Maine Yes on One campaign in front of Portland City Hall. Photo by Meagan Dobson.

 

 10. Build momentum every day.

A cause is either moving forward or backward. At the heart of my job as the national campaign director for Freedom to Marry has been figuring out how to grow momentum every single day. That meant being consistently creative and nimble in identifying opportunities to move the ball forward, and building a narrative in the media that your campaign is succeeding. So whether it's enlisting an unexpected Fortune 500 company or a new Republican member of Congress, amplifying a new public opinion poll that demonstrates growth in support, focusing attention on a winning streak in court, or going on television with a TV spot, making real accomplishments and connecting them to a compelling and cohesive narrative demonstrates that you're continuing to progress toward your goal. An especially crucial element of building momentum is conveying optimism—even in the face of defeats. You have to remind the base and the media that you can do this by highlighting the wins, large and small, that the campaign has already secured.


A similar version of this article appeared on Huffington Post. For more about Marc Solomon and his upcoming events, visit marcsolomon.com.

Are We Nearing the Final Chapter of the Marriage Equality Movement?

Newly married couples leaving City Hall in Seattle in 2012, by Dennis Bratland

It's a rare thing to publish a book whose ending hasn't been written.

Maybe rarer when that book, released last November, lands scores of soaring reviews, including a spot on Slate's list of the best of 2014.

We're talking about the definitive—and dramatically unfinished—history of the marriage equality movement. Winning Marriage: The Inside Story of How Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians and the Pundits—and Won, written by Marc Solomon, national campaign director for Freedom to Marry, is the state-by-state chronicle of Solomon's tireless work on the front lines of the battle to ensure that all people have the right to marry anyone they choose.

Publishers Weekly calls the book "a manual for how to craft a successful political movement in the future."

Slate's Mark Joseph Stern says it's "the book that leaders of the movement deserve, and that latecomers to the movement need to read...[and it is] the only account of the gay rights battle yet written that will still be read in decades to come. It's the timeless story of a fierce and vital fight, fast-paced and marvelously detailed."

Writing for the Huffington Post, Julie Enszer is impressed with Solomon's "commitment to recognizing multiple people—activists, lobbyists, and just plain interested citizens—and their role in the struggle for marriage equality. In Solomon's hands, the story of marriage equality is multi-vocal, even cacophonous, with an array of people working with commitment to achieve the goal."

This is what Freedom to Marry's national map looks like today, after state after state began allowing same-sex marriages as a result of last June's overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act:

Tomorrow, Friday, January 9, 2015, may present new milestones in the path toward that ultimate goal. In New Orleans, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear cases out of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Also tomorrow the Supreme Court will meet to consider taking up one of five marriage cases that could lead to a nationwide freedom to marry by June. With every hope for justice for all, tomorrow will be a momentous day.

And with any luck, by June 2015, Marc Solomon—and the untold scores of activists and organizers who have fought this fight for so long—can close the book on the hard-won story of marriage equality.