The Campaign Within: A Mayor's Private Journey to Public Leadership (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781936833269)

The powerful story of a closeted Republican politician from Arizona battling blackmail to the point of coming out publicly and finding self-acceptance as one of the nation's chief spokespeople on LGBT equality. Neil Giuliano is a former four-term mayor of Tempe, Arizona (pop 175,000) and four-year president of GLAAD--the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, one of the most prominent media advocacy and anti-defamation groups in the country working for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) equality. Neil was officially in the closet until age 39, when increasing pressure from right-wing religious opponents in Tempe compelled him to publicly acknowledge his sexual orientation. He went from being terrified of public exposure to being an openly gay mayor--Tempe was the largest city in America with an openly gay mayor for six years--to leading one of the most high-profile gay rights organizations in the country and quite often the media face for the broader movement for LGBT equality. It was an extraordinary transition fueled by an emotional and societal awakening that brought him great personal courage. The Campaign Within is both Neil's memoir and a call to arms for all who care about human rights. Honestly and tenderly, Neil tells his story of growing up, coming to terms with who he is, his political and personal successes and failings, and finally choosing to live openly as a gay man. Forcefully, passionately and with authority he describes why such a path continues to remain challenging and closed to so many Americans and how legal equality is denied to LGBT citizens, engineered by a religion-based bigotry that retains a cultural grip on government. About the Author Neil Giuliano: Neil G. Giuliano is an educator, activist, philanthropy advisor, leadership coach, and speaker. A former mayor and president of a national advocacy organization, he has been involved with community service and public affairs his entire career. Giuliano is the former four-term mayor (1994-2004) of Tempe, Arizona. He wrote the proposal for and then co-chaired hosting the third debate of the 2004 United States presidential elections. He served as President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) from September 2005, and stepped down from the post in June 2009. In December 2010, he was appointed CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and he currently serves as President/CEO of Greater Phoenix Leadership.