Adetailedstoryofhowsocialsciencecontributedtogayrightsgainsinthecourts.FormostofAmericanhistory,publicopinionwasstronglyopposedtogayrights.Marriageequalityhadnegligiblepublicsupportthroughoutthe1970s-1980s.Yet,startinginthe1990s,AmericanopiniontowardmarriageequalitychangedmorethananyotherattitudeinthehistoryofAmericanpublicopinion.InRainbowaftertheStorm,MichaelJ.Rosenfeldexplainshowattitudestowardmarriageequalitychangedsomuch,andhowpublicopinionchangedrovechangeattheballotboxandinthecourts.AsRosenfeldshows,inthreecrucialsame-sexmarriagetrials,thesupportersandopponentsofmarriageequalityfacedoff.Rosenfelddescribesthestrugglesofthesame-sexcoupleswho,withfewresourcesattheirdisposal,andagainstformidablestateandreligiousopponents,suedfortherighttomarryandeventuallywon.ThefirstcomprehensiveanalysisofthemarriageequalitymovementintheU.S.,TheRainbowaftertheStormtellsthestoriesofkeyindividuals,thecourtbattles,andthesociety-wideexplanationsfortherapidliberalizationofattitudestowardgayrightsthatmadesame-sexmarriagethelawoftheU.S.soonerthanalmostanyonethoughtwaspossible.
