Katherine Moennig

this was fun, even as i found the show terrible in so many ways back in the day (although of course watched every episode because it was all we had). i really appreciate how they (leisha in particular) address the biggest mistakes the show made, really calling out the things we were calling out at the time, even as most people seemed to be normalizing it. (the transphobia in particular, but really she touches on a lot of it.) it made me feel almost nostalgic for a show that i loved to hate show more years ago. show less

So Gay for You, by Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig, is a nice glimpse at their lives before, during, and after starring in The L Word. Coupled with the many anecdotes from working on the series this is essential reading for fans.

I wasn't watching much TV during the run of the series so I only saw a couple of episodes. Because one of my areas of study and teaching was Women and Gender Studies, I read far more about the series than I watched. So my appreciation of this book will be a bit show more different from many.

What I enjoyed was the way we learn about the paths that led each of them to the show and ultimately helped them become great friends. While I would love to read their individual memoirs, if they choose to write them, which would allow them to go into more reflective analytical territory, I thought they found a nice middle ground with this joint memoir. We see how their lives sometimes mirrored each other, sometimes were very different. We get enough thoughtful commentary to understand some of the obstacles, personal and professional, they overcame. But it is all done in a relatively light manner that keeps this in the realm of a great book for fans, from the most casual to the most ardent.

The anecdotes probably meant less to me since I don't have an intimate knowledge of all the people involved, but everything is set up so well that I could still appreciate them as both fun stories and meaningful tidbits contributing to the big picture.

While definitely a must read for fans of the show, I think anyone who enjoys behind-the-scenes books about the entertainment industry will find a lot to enjoy.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

2025. Ok so I heavily skimmed this book. The women I thought were so fake as lesbians on tv come off much better as lesbians in real life. It’s worth it for the baby dyke pictures of them as kids alone. I respect them and what they did with the show more than I expected to. This has a lot of sweet moments and interesting tidbits about everyone involved in the show. It’s pretty fluffy, I don’t think I could have made myself carefully read the whole thing. Maybe if you were really into show more the making of television shows you could. show less

I'm glad I read this!