Coming Out Queer Online

Coming Out Queer Online

Author: Patrick M. Johnson

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2020-08-03

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 1793613478

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The Digital Closet: LGBT*Q Identities and Affective Politics in a Social Media Age discusses how LGBT*Q individuals occupy a precarious space within society as a marginalized community in the United States. They are afforded representation in some venues yet are often invisible. Through social media, LGBT*Q individuals have sought new ways to forge communities and increase their visibility. This rise in visibility afforded individuals means to seek out and distribute information to help in the coming out process. Combining archival research, observation, interviews, and visual discourse analysis of social media feeds, the Patrick Johnson examines the role social media plays in expressions of LGBT*Q politics, culture, and coming out. Despite the messages not having changed fundamentally, the improved access to LGBT*Q stories have amplified the ones that are sent. Johnson argues that this is positive in acting as intervention for LGBT*Q suicide rates, hate crimes, and discrimination from the outside. However, the author also contends that it has vastly re-centered and prioritized white, cisgender, masculinity, obscuring other stories and creating potentially dangerous environments for POC, women, trans* individuals, and gay men who do not meet this high standard of masculinity. Scholars of gender studies, media studies, and queer theory will find this book particularly interesting.


Book Synopsis Coming Out Queer Online by : Patrick M. Johnson

Download or read book Coming Out Queer Online written by Patrick M. Johnson and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-08-03 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Digital Closet: LGBT*Q Identities and Affective Politics in a Social Media Age discusses how LGBT*Q individuals occupy a precarious space within society as a marginalized community in the United States. They are afforded representation in some venues yet are often invisible. Through social media, LGBT*Q individuals have sought new ways to forge communities and increase their visibility. This rise in visibility afforded individuals means to seek out and distribute information to help in the coming out process. Combining archival research, observation, interviews, and visual discourse analysis of social media feeds, the Patrick Johnson examines the role social media plays in expressions of LGBT*Q politics, culture, and coming out. Despite the messages not having changed fundamentally, the improved access to LGBT*Q stories have amplified the ones that are sent. Johnson argues that this is positive in acting as intervention for LGBT*Q suicide rates, hate crimes, and discrimination from the outside. However, the author also contends that it has vastly re-centered and prioritized white, cisgender, masculinity, obscuring other stories and creating potentially dangerous environments for POC, women, trans* individuals, and gay men who do not meet this high standard of masculinity. Scholars of gender studies, media studies, and queer theory will find this book particularly interesting.

Coming Out, Coming Home

Coming Out, Coming Home

Author: Michael C. LaSala

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2010-06-24

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 0231512996

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The discovery that a child is lesbian or gay can send shockwaves through a family. A mother will question how she's raised her son; a father will worry that his daughter will experience discrimination. From the child's perspective, gay and lesbian youth fear their families will reject them and that they will lose financial and emotional support. All in all, learning a child is gay challenges long-held views about sexuality and relationships, and the resulting uncertainty can produce feelings of anger, resentment, and concern. Through a qualitative, multicultural study of sixty-five gay and lesbian children and their parents, Michael LaSala, a leading expert on this issue, outlines effective, practice-tested interventions for families in transition. His research reveals surprising outcomes, such as learning that a child is homosexual can improve familial relationships, including father-child relationships, even if a parent reacts strongly or negatively to the revelation. By confronting feelings of depression, anxiety, and grief head on, LaSala formulates the best approach for practitioners who hope to reestablish intimacy among family members and preserve family connections as well as individual autonomy well into the child's maturation. By restricting his study to parents and children of the same family, LaSala accurately captures the reciprocal effects of family interactions, identifying them as targets for effective treatment. Coming Out, Coming Home is also a valuable text for families, enabling adjustment through relatable scenarios and analyses.


Book Synopsis Coming Out, Coming Home by : Michael C. LaSala

Download or read book Coming Out, Coming Home written by Michael C. LaSala and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2010-06-24 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The discovery that a child is lesbian or gay can send shockwaves through a family. A mother will question how she's raised her son; a father will worry that his daughter will experience discrimination. From the child's perspective, gay and lesbian youth fear their families will reject them and that they will lose financial and emotional support. All in all, learning a child is gay challenges long-held views about sexuality and relationships, and the resulting uncertainty can produce feelings of anger, resentment, and concern. Through a qualitative, multicultural study of sixty-five gay and lesbian children and their parents, Michael LaSala, a leading expert on this issue, outlines effective, practice-tested interventions for families in transition. His research reveals surprising outcomes, such as learning that a child is homosexual can improve familial relationships, including father-child relationships, even if a parent reacts strongly or negatively to the revelation. By confronting feelings of depression, anxiety, and grief head on, LaSala formulates the best approach for practitioners who hope to reestablish intimacy among family members and preserve family connections as well as individual autonomy well into the child's maturation. By restricting his study to parents and children of the same family, LaSala accurately captures the reciprocal effects of family interactions, identifying them as targets for effective treatment. Coming Out, Coming Home is also a valuable text for families, enabling adjustment through relatable scenarios and analyses.

The Path to Gay Rights

The Path to Gay Rights

Author: Jeremiah J. Garretson

Publisher: NYU Press

Published: 2018-06-05

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 1479881929

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An innovative, data-driven explanation of how public opinion shifted on LGBTQ rights The Path to Gay Rights is the first social science analysis of how and why the LGBTQ movement achieved its most unexpected victory---transforming gay people from a despised group of social deviants into a minority worthy of rights and protections in the eyes of most Americans. The book weaves together a narrative of LGBTQ history with new findings from the field of political psychology to provide an understanding of how social movements affect mass attitudes in the United States and globally. Using data going back to the 1970s, the book argues that the current understanding of how social movements change mass opinion—through sympathetic media coverage and endorsements from political leaders—cannot provide an adequate explanation for the phenomenal success of the LGBTQ movement at changing the public’s views. In The Path to Gay Rights, Jeremiah Garretson argues that the LGBTQ community’s response to the AIDS crisis was a turning point for public support of gay rights. ACT-UP and related AIDS organizations strategically targeted political and media leaders, normalizing news coverage of LGBTQ issues and AIDS and signaled to LGBTQ people across the United States that their lives were valued. The net result was an increase in the number of LGBTQ people who came out and lived their lives openly, and with increased contact with gay people, public attitudes began to warm and change. Garretson goes beyond the story of LGBTQ rights to develop an evidence-based argument for how social movements can alter mass opinion on any contentious topic.


Book Synopsis The Path to Gay Rights by : Jeremiah J. Garretson

Download or read book The Path to Gay Rights written by Jeremiah J. Garretson and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An innovative, data-driven explanation of how public opinion shifted on LGBTQ rights The Path to Gay Rights is the first social science analysis of how and why the LGBTQ movement achieved its most unexpected victory---transforming gay people from a despised group of social deviants into a minority worthy of rights and protections in the eyes of most Americans. The book weaves together a narrative of LGBTQ history with new findings from the field of political psychology to provide an understanding of how social movements affect mass attitudes in the United States and globally. Using data going back to the 1970s, the book argues that the current understanding of how social movements change mass opinion—through sympathetic media coverage and endorsements from political leaders—cannot provide an adequate explanation for the phenomenal success of the LGBTQ movement at changing the public’s views. In The Path to Gay Rights, Jeremiah Garretson argues that the LGBTQ community’s response to the AIDS crisis was a turning point for public support of gay rights. ACT-UP and related AIDS organizations strategically targeted political and media leaders, normalizing news coverage of LGBTQ issues and AIDS and signaled to LGBTQ people across the United States that their lives were valued. The net result was an increase in the number of LGBTQ people who came out and lived their lives openly, and with increased contact with gay people, public attitudes began to warm and change. Garretson goes beyond the story of LGBTQ rights to develop an evidence-based argument for how social movements can alter mass opinion on any contentious topic.

Coming Out Under Fire

Coming Out Under Fire

Author: Allan Bérubé

Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Press

Published: 2010-09-07

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 9780807899649

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During World War II, as the United States called on its citizens to serve in unprecedented numbers, the presence of gay Americans in the armed forces increasingly conflicted with the expanding antihomosexual policies and procedures of the military. In Coming Out Under Fire, Allan Berube examines in depth and detail these social and political confrontation--not as a story of how the military victimized homosexuals, but as a story of how a dynamic power relationship developed between gay citizens and their government, transforming them both. Drawing on GIs' wartime letters, extensive interviews with gay veterans, and declassified military documents, Berube thoughtfully constructs a startling history of the two wars gay military men and women fough--one for America and another as homosexuals within the military. Berube's book, the inspiration for the 1995 Peabody Award-winning documentary film of the same name, has become a classic since it was published in 1990, just three years prior to the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which has continued to serve as an uneasy compromise between gays and the military. With a new foreword by historians John D'Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman, this book remains a valuable contribution to the history of World War II, as well as to the ongoing debate regarding the role of gays in the U.S. military.


Book Synopsis Coming Out Under Fire by : Allan Bérubé

Download or read book Coming Out Under Fire written by Allan Bérubé and published by Univ of North Carolina Press. This book was released on 2010-09-07 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During World War II, as the United States called on its citizens to serve in unprecedented numbers, the presence of gay Americans in the armed forces increasingly conflicted with the expanding antihomosexual policies and procedures of the military. In Coming Out Under Fire, Allan Berube examines in depth and detail these social and political confrontation--not as a story of how the military victimized homosexuals, but as a story of how a dynamic power relationship developed between gay citizens and their government, transforming them both. Drawing on GIs' wartime letters, extensive interviews with gay veterans, and declassified military documents, Berube thoughtfully constructs a startling history of the two wars gay military men and women fough--one for America and another as homosexuals within the military. Berube's book, the inspiration for the 1995 Peabody Award-winning documentary film of the same name, has become a classic since it was published in 1990, just three years prior to the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which has continued to serve as an uneasy compromise between gays and the military. With a new foreword by historians John D'Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman, this book remains a valuable contribution to the history of World War II, as well as to the ongoing debate regarding the role of gays in the U.S. military.

Born to Be Public

Born to Be Public

Author: Greg Mania

Publisher:

Published: 2021-06-15

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 9781944866877

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An NPR Best Book of 2020 - An O, The Oprah Magazine Best LGBTQ Book of 2020 - An Electric Literature Favorite Nonfiction Book of 2020 - A Largehearted Boy Favorite Nonfiction Book of 2020 - A 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Humor - One of Lambda Literary's "Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books of August 2020" - One of BuzzFeed's "15 Books From Smaller Presses You Won't Be Able to Put Down" - A Shondaland 15 Hot Books for Summer In this unique and hilarious debut memoir, writer and comedian Greg Mania chronicles life as a "pariah prodigy." From inadvertently coming out to his Polish immigrant parents, to immersing himself in the world of New York City nightlife, and finding himself and his voice in comedy. Born to Be Public is a vulnerable and poignant exploration of identity (and the rediscovery of it), mental health, sex and relationships, all while pursuing a passion with victories and tragicomic blunders. At once raw and relatable, Mania's one-of-a-kind voice will make you shed tears from laughter and find its way into your heart. PRAISE FOR BORN TO BE PUBLIC "This is a gift of a book from a young writer who seems likely to become a comedy star." - NPR "Comedic gold." - O, The Oprah Magazine "There's a lot of humanity in these pages, and it's a humanity that Mania renders with both tenderness and hilarity." - BuzzFeed "An impressive humorist with a voice all his own." - Kirkus Reviews "Greg Mania is one of the funniest up-and-coming writers cranking out work and he is finally releasing his laugh-out-loud memoir....Come for the laughs, stay for the heartwarming story of coming out in the most millennial way possible." - Electric Literature "Unafraid to tell the messy truths about identity, sex, mental health, and ambition, Mania's memoir is relatable and fun to read at the same time that it is heartfelt and honest. It even has photos, which are pure gold." - Shondaland "A smashing debut." - Lambda Literary "Greg Mania is the Cheesecake Factory of writers, and I say that with the utmost reverence: extravagant, unapologetic, hilarious, and f*cking good." - Lindy West, author of Shrill and The Witches Are Coming "This book is a hilarious wonder. Not only does it prove that Greg Mania was, indeed, born to be a public (and beloved) icon, but also that he was born to be a celebrated writer. It's sheer delight." - Alissa Nutting, author of Tampa and Made for Love


Book Synopsis Born to Be Public by : Greg Mania

Download or read book Born to Be Public written by Greg Mania and published by . This book was released on 2021-06-15 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An NPR Best Book of 2020 - An O, The Oprah Magazine Best LGBTQ Book of 2020 - An Electric Literature Favorite Nonfiction Book of 2020 - A Largehearted Boy Favorite Nonfiction Book of 2020 - A 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Humor - One of Lambda Literary's "Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books of August 2020" - One of BuzzFeed's "15 Books From Smaller Presses You Won't Be Able to Put Down" - A Shondaland 15 Hot Books for Summer In this unique and hilarious debut memoir, writer and comedian Greg Mania chronicles life as a "pariah prodigy." From inadvertently coming out to his Polish immigrant parents, to immersing himself in the world of New York City nightlife, and finding himself and his voice in comedy. Born to Be Public is a vulnerable and poignant exploration of identity (and the rediscovery of it), mental health, sex and relationships, all while pursuing a passion with victories and tragicomic blunders. At once raw and relatable, Mania's one-of-a-kind voice will make you shed tears from laughter and find its way into your heart. PRAISE FOR BORN TO BE PUBLIC "This is a gift of a book from a young writer who seems likely to become a comedy star." - NPR "Comedic gold." - O, The Oprah Magazine "There's a lot of humanity in these pages, and it's a humanity that Mania renders with both tenderness and hilarity." - BuzzFeed "An impressive humorist with a voice all his own." - Kirkus Reviews "Greg Mania is one of the funniest up-and-coming writers cranking out work and he is finally releasing his laugh-out-loud memoir....Come for the laughs, stay for the heartwarming story of coming out in the most millennial way possible." - Electric Literature "Unafraid to tell the messy truths about identity, sex, mental health, and ambition, Mania's memoir is relatable and fun to read at the same time that it is heartfelt and honest. It even has photos, which are pure gold." - Shondaland "A smashing debut." - Lambda Literary "Greg Mania is the Cheesecake Factory of writers, and I say that with the utmost reverence: extravagant, unapologetic, hilarious, and f*cking good." - Lindy West, author of Shrill and The Witches Are Coming "This book is a hilarious wonder. Not only does it prove that Greg Mania was, indeed, born to be a public (and beloved) icon, but also that he was born to be a celebrated writer. It's sheer delight." - Alissa Nutting, author of Tampa and Made for Love

Homoplot

Homoplot

Author: Esther Saxey

Publisher: Peter Lang

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 9780820488752

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Homoplot analyses the lesbian, gay and bisexual coming-out story in fiction and autobiography from the late 1960s to the present day. These stories are recognised as an invaluable record of lesbian, gay or bisexual life. However, this book illuminates their equally vital role as active tools in the arduous project of creating gay, lesbian and bisexual identities - constructing the identities they seem to describe. Homoplot shows how a popular twist of the plot, or a single common character trait, can be a powerful intervention into sexual politics. Approaching these texts with the tools of queer criticism, the book celebrates their success, but also illuminates their chief problem: how the need to create concrete sexual identities has often narrowed the range of queer experiences represented. Despite the ongoing popularity of coming-out stories, this is the first book-length study of the genre. Homoplot surveys hundreds of examples - including in-depth readings of authors such as Jeanette Winterson, Dorothy Allison, Rita Mae Brown, Oscar Moore, Paul Monette and Aaron Fricke - and provides an incisive account of the genre's defining features. The book is essential reading for anyone considering queer literature, or lesbian, gay and bisexual identity in the twentieth century and beyond. Researchers and students considering life history and autobiography will also benefit from its analysis of feminist and queer politics.


Book Synopsis Homoplot by : Esther Saxey

Download or read book Homoplot written by Esther Saxey and published by Peter Lang. This book was released on 2008 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Homoplot analyses the lesbian, gay and bisexual coming-out story in fiction and autobiography from the late 1960s to the present day. These stories are recognised as an invaluable record of lesbian, gay or bisexual life. However, this book illuminates their equally vital role as active tools in the arduous project of creating gay, lesbian and bisexual identities - constructing the identities they seem to describe. Homoplot shows how a popular twist of the plot, or a single common character trait, can be a powerful intervention into sexual politics. Approaching these texts with the tools of queer criticism, the book celebrates their success, but also illuminates their chief problem: how the need to create concrete sexual identities has often narrowed the range of queer experiences represented. Despite the ongoing popularity of coming-out stories, this is the first book-length study of the genre. Homoplot surveys hundreds of examples - including in-depth readings of authors such as Jeanette Winterson, Dorothy Allison, Rita Mae Brown, Oscar Moore, Paul Monette and Aaron Fricke - and provides an incisive account of the genre's defining features. The book is essential reading for anyone considering queer literature, or lesbian, gay and bisexual identity in the twentieth century and beyond. Researchers and students considering life history and autobiography will also benefit from its analysis of feminist and queer politics.

Coming Out Stories

Coming Out Stories

Author: Emma Goswell

Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Published: 2021-01-21

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 1787754960

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'Uplifting and triumphant' JUNO DAWSON 'This book is vital' RUSSELL T DAVIES 'A brilliant resource' LADY PHYLL 'A must-read for anyone grappling with coming out' RIYADH KHALAF 'Inspirational' PETER TATCHELL "He told me being gay was nothing to be ashamed of." - Bill "I put my hands over my eyes as I told her, as I couldn't bear to see her reaction." - Olivia Based on the hugely popular Coming Out Stories podcast, this empowering, humorous and deeply honest book invites you to share one of the most important moments in many LGBTQ+ people's lives. From JP coming out to his reflection in the mirror, to Jacob coming out to their Mum over email, from Christine knowing she was trans as a young child, to Kerry coming out as a lesbian in her late thirties, all of the real life stories in this book show you there is no right or wrong way to come out, whatever your age and whatever your background. Whether you're gay, pan, queer, bi, trans, non-binary, or an ally, this uplifting go-to resource is filled with helpful advice and tips on what to expect, and inspirational quotes from leading LGBTQ+ figures, to help you live your life as your most authentic self. Welcome to the family!


Book Synopsis Coming Out Stories by : Emma Goswell

Download or read book Coming Out Stories written by Emma Goswell and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2021-01-21 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Uplifting and triumphant' JUNO DAWSON 'This book is vital' RUSSELL T DAVIES 'A brilliant resource' LADY PHYLL 'A must-read for anyone grappling with coming out' RIYADH KHALAF 'Inspirational' PETER TATCHELL "He told me being gay was nothing to be ashamed of." - Bill "I put my hands over my eyes as I told her, as I couldn't bear to see her reaction." - Olivia Based on the hugely popular Coming Out Stories podcast, this empowering, humorous and deeply honest book invites you to share one of the most important moments in many LGBTQ+ people's lives. From JP coming out to his reflection in the mirror, to Jacob coming out to their Mum over email, from Christine knowing she was trans as a young child, to Kerry coming out as a lesbian in her late thirties, all of the real life stories in this book show you there is no right or wrong way to come out, whatever your age and whatever your background. Whether you're gay, pan, queer, bi, trans, non-binary, or an ally, this uplifting go-to resource is filled with helpful advice and tips on what to expect, and inspirational quotes from leading LGBTQ+ figures, to help you live your life as your most authentic self. Welcome to the family!

Hola Papi

Hola Papi

Author: John Paul Brammer

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2022-06-07

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1982141514

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The popular LGBTQ advice columnist and writer presents a memoir-in-essays chronicling his journey growing up as a queer, mixed-race kid in America's heartland to becoming the "Chicano Carrie Bradshaw" of his generation.


Book Synopsis Hola Papi by : John Paul Brammer

Download or read book Hola Papi written by John Paul Brammer and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-06-07 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The popular LGBTQ advice columnist and writer presents a memoir-in-essays chronicling his journey growing up as a queer, mixed-race kid in America's heartland to becoming the "Chicano Carrie Bradshaw" of his generation.

Queer Online

Queer Online

Author: David J. Phillips

Publisher: Peter Lang

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 9780820486260

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Textbook


Book Synopsis Queer Online by : David J. Phillips

Download or read book Queer Online written by David J. Phillips and published by Peter Lang. This book was released on 2007 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Textbook

Would You Rather?

Would You Rather?

Author: Katie Heaney

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Published: 2018-03-06

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 0399180958

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A collection of poignant, relatable essays from the author of Never Have I Ever about coming out in her late twenties, entering into her first relationship, and figuring out what it means to be an adult. When Katie Heaney published her first book of essays, chronicling her singledom up to age twenty-five, she was still waiting to meet the right guy. Three years later, a lot changed. For one thing, she met the right girl. Here, for the first time, Katie opens up about realizing at the age of twenty-eight that she is gay. In these poignant, funny essays, she wrestles with her shifting sexuality and identity, and describes what it was like coming out to everyone she knows (and everyone she doesn’t). As she revisits her past, looking for any “clues” that might have predicted this outcome, Katie reveals that life doesn’t always move directly from point A to point B—no matter how much we would like it to. In a warm and relatable voice, Katie tackles everything from the trials of dating in New York City to the growing pains of her first relationship, from obsessing over Harry Styles (because, actually, he does look a bit like a lesbian) to learning to accept herself all over again. Exploring love and sexuality with her neurotic wit and endearing intimacy, Katie Heaney shares the message that it’s never too late to find love–or yourself. Praise for Would You Rather? “[Katie] Heaney’s not afraid to examine her past for ‘clues’ to what she realizes is her truth in the present, and reflects on her changing identity with honesty and wit.”—NYLON “An honest, endearing, and laugh-out-loud account of coming to terms with one’s sexual identity.”—W Magazine “Would You Rather? is an extraordinarily generous and affecting book. Katie Heaney has written something with a remarkable amount of room in it—enough for anyone to spread out and connect with. It’s deeply felt, clear-eyed, joyful, and illuminating.”—Mallory Ortberg, author of Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters “Whether you’re single or in a relationship, whether you’re queer, straight, or questioning, whether or not you’re partial to Harry Styles—you will discover something relatable and self-affirming in this honest, heartfelt, hilarious memoir.”—Camille Perri, author of The Assistants


Book Synopsis Would You Rather? by : Katie Heaney

Download or read book Would You Rather? written by Katie Heaney and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2018-03-06 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of poignant, relatable essays from the author of Never Have I Ever about coming out in her late twenties, entering into her first relationship, and figuring out what it means to be an adult. When Katie Heaney published her first book of essays, chronicling her singledom up to age twenty-five, she was still waiting to meet the right guy. Three years later, a lot changed. For one thing, she met the right girl. Here, for the first time, Katie opens up about realizing at the age of twenty-eight that she is gay. In these poignant, funny essays, she wrestles with her shifting sexuality and identity, and describes what it was like coming out to everyone she knows (and everyone she doesn’t). As she revisits her past, looking for any “clues” that might have predicted this outcome, Katie reveals that life doesn’t always move directly from point A to point B—no matter how much we would like it to. In a warm and relatable voice, Katie tackles everything from the trials of dating in New York City to the growing pains of her first relationship, from obsessing over Harry Styles (because, actually, he does look a bit like a lesbian) to learning to accept herself all over again. Exploring love and sexuality with her neurotic wit and endearing intimacy, Katie Heaney shares the message that it’s never too late to find love–or yourself. Praise for Would You Rather? “[Katie] Heaney’s not afraid to examine her past for ‘clues’ to what she realizes is her truth in the present, and reflects on her changing identity with honesty and wit.”—NYLON “An honest, endearing, and laugh-out-loud account of coming to terms with one’s sexual identity.”—W Magazine “Would You Rather? is an extraordinarily generous and affecting book. Katie Heaney has written something with a remarkable amount of room in it—enough for anyone to spread out and connect with. It’s deeply felt, clear-eyed, joyful, and illuminating.”—Mallory Ortberg, author of Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters “Whether you’re single or in a relationship, whether you’re queer, straight, or questioning, whether or not you’re partial to Harry Styles—you will discover something relatable and self-affirming in this honest, heartfelt, hilarious memoir.”—Camille Perri, author of The Assistants