Sexuality is hotly contested in the 1990s. Battles are being fought over lesbian and gay rights, same-sex benefits, sex education for young people, sexual violence against women, and the needs of people living with AIDS. Sexual relations have become a major terrain of social and political struggle. In this revised edition, Kinsman traces the historical and social roots of these contemporary conflicts. The Regulation of Desire offers insights into the social forces that have organized and maintained lesbian and gay oppression, and pinpoints allies for building coalitions that could allow us to gain more control over our bodies and sexualities, and to build a world free of sexual violence and danger.