Book Review: First Person Queer
First Person Queer edited by Richard Labonte and Lawrence Schimel
Pansexual Reviews/Anthology
TITLE: First Person Queer: Who We Are (So Far)
AUTHOR: Richard Labonte and Lawrence Schimel
ISBN: 978-1-55152-227-2 PUBLISHER: Arsenal Pulp Press
BOOK BLURB: In this amazing, wide-ranging anthology of nonfiction essays, contributors write intimate and honest first-person accounts of queer (fay/lesbian/bisexual/trans) experience: from coming out to "passing" as straight, to the devastation of meth addiction, to growing old to living proud. These are the stories of contemporary queer life - and by definition, are funny, sad, hopeful, and truthful. Representing a diversity of genders, ages, races, and orientations, and edited by two acclaimed writers and anthologists (who between them have written or edited almost 100 books), First Person Queer depicts the diversity, the complexity, and the excitement of contemporary GLBTQ life.
BOOK REVIEW: This anthology of personal essays is an award-winning collection for a reason. It has won the Lambda Literary Award for GLBT Anthologies and Independent Publisher Award (GOLD) for Gay & Lesbian. This collection shows the writers as people beyond a stereotype of a queer person and anyone could relate to so many of these essays. You'll be amazed at the list of contributors. It ranges from well-knowns to new comers to the GLBTQ literary community.
My favorite essay, Shirts Versus Skins by Christopher DiRaddo discusses body image issues of a young gay man. To me, this essay transcends queer and embraces the issues all teenagers have with their changing bodies. We've all been there at one point in our lives. Some of us are still dealing with them.
Another essay that stuck with me is Threats by Arden Eli Hill. Even he has started testosterone he still relates to the fears of being attacked as a woman. Discussing how he is still vulnerable to them because he's still female-bodied even though the the hormones help him pass as male. As someone who suffers from chronic depression I related to Arden's descriptions of anxiety and mental illness. I felt at home with his essay.
Some essays showed both sides to a political issue. Daniel Gawthrop and Joy Parks discuss the fight for GLBT folks to marry. One for, while the other is against. I understood both sides of the coin, but Joy's essay brought up bad feelings for me. She discussed how the lesbian community fought against the patriarchy and now, we'd be giving in to them. As a femme dyke who has felt that the matriarchy put more strings on me as to who I could be or could not be than the patriarchy ever thought of, I was saddened by her essay.
No matter what your stance is on GLBT issues you'll find these essays to be thought-provoking. I strongly recommend this collection to all readers, no matter what gender, orientation, or any other label you choose for yourself or is chosen for you. This is an essay collection for ALL people.
Review by Ellen Tevault
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
Pansexual Reviews/Anthology
TITLE: First Person Queer: Who We Are (So Far)
AUTHOR: Richard Labonte and Lawrence Schimel
ISBN: 978-1-55152-227-2 PUBLISHER: Arsenal Pulp Press
BOOK BLURB: In this amazing, wide-ranging anthology of nonfiction essays, contributors write intimate and honest first-person accounts of queer (fay/lesbian/bisexual/trans) experience: from coming out to "passing" as straight, to the devastation of meth addiction, to growing old to living proud. These are the stories of contemporary queer life - and by definition, are funny, sad, hopeful, and truthful. Representing a diversity of genders, ages, races, and orientations, and edited by two acclaimed writers and anthologists (who between them have written or edited almost 100 books), First Person Queer depicts the diversity, the complexity, and the excitement of contemporary GLBTQ life.
BOOK REVIEW: This anthology of personal essays is an award-winning collection for a reason. It has won the Lambda Literary Award for GLBT Anthologies and Independent Publisher Award (GOLD) for Gay & Lesbian. This collection shows the writers as people beyond a stereotype of a queer person and anyone could relate to so many of these essays. You'll be amazed at the list of contributors. It ranges from well-knowns to new comers to the GLBTQ literary community.
My favorite essay, Shirts Versus Skins by Christopher DiRaddo discusses body image issues of a young gay man. To me, this essay transcends queer and embraces the issues all teenagers have with their changing bodies. We've all been there at one point in our lives. Some of us are still dealing with them.
Another essay that stuck with me is Threats by Arden Eli Hill. Even he has started testosterone he still relates to the fears of being attacked as a woman. Discussing how he is still vulnerable to them because he's still female-bodied even though the the hormones help him pass as male. As someone who suffers from chronic depression I related to Arden's descriptions of anxiety and mental illness. I felt at home with his essay.
Some essays showed both sides to a political issue. Daniel Gawthrop and Joy Parks discuss the fight for GLBT folks to marry. One for, while the other is against. I understood both sides of the coin, but Joy's essay brought up bad feelings for me. She discussed how the lesbian community fought against the patriarchy and now, we'd be giving in to them. As a femme dyke who has felt that the matriarchy put more strings on me as to who I could be or could not be than the patriarchy ever thought of, I was saddened by her essay.
No matter what your stance is on GLBT issues you'll find these essays to be thought-provoking. I strongly recommend this collection to all readers, no matter what gender, orientation, or any other label you choose for yourself or is chosen for you. This is an essay collection for ALL people.
Review by Ellen Tevault
Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews
posted by Erotically Ellen at 11:24 PM
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