First Person Queer: Who We Are (So Far)

by Richard Labonté (Editor), Lawrence Schimel (Editor)

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Winner, Lambda Literary Award, LGBT Anthologies Winner, Independent Publisher Award (GOLD), Gay/Lesbian In this amazing, wide-ranging anthology of non-fiction essays, contributors write intimate and honest first-person accounts of queer (gay/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 show more 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. Contributors include S. Bear Bergman (Butch is a Noun), Kate Bornstein (Gender Outlaw), Sharon Bridgforth (The Bull-Jean Stories), Ivan E. Coyote (Bow Grip), Katherine V. Forrest (Curious Wine), Daniel Gawthrop (The Rice Queen Diaries), George K. Ilsley (ManBug), Nalo Hopkinson (The New Moon's Arms), Josh Kilmer-Purcell (I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir), Tim Miller (Body Blows, Shirts and Skin), Achy Obejas (Memory Mambo), Stan Persky (Buddy's), Simon Sheppard (Kinkorama). show less

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Member Reviews

4 reviews
Kind of put off by the fact that two of the first three essays are by a cis woman who only dates queer men and calls herself a "queer heterosexual" (it's not like queer is a reclaimed slur or anything, nooo) and a cis woman who only dates trans and gender variant people and casually throws around a lot of slurs. I'm sticking this out for Ivan E. Coyote, but I'm not as excited about it as I was. :/

ETA: Okay, it turns out that those two essays were the most iffy in the book. Lots of interesting stuff about different relationship models from gay and queer guys. Some other good ones I'm not remembering. Ivan's was all the way at the end and worth the wait, but sad. Overall: decent, but not amazing.
This is an easy, enjoyable read. It's full of essays that reflect the ever-changing definition of queer, and how one can be socially ostracized from the heterosexual scene for being queer and from one's own queer group for not being queer enough. One essay that I particularly enjoyed, written by Karen Taylor, discussed how, for her, being a lesbian and a strong woman was linked to her Jewish faith. This anthology is also filled with blatant truths that left me smiling and chuckling to myself. A worthwhile read.
First Person Queer was, overall, a great anthology. I especially loved Nalo Hopkinson's essay.
½
A diverse and exciting collection of essays.

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Editor
51+ Works 1,281 Members
Picture of author.
Editor
137+ Works 2,289 Members

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Bach, Mette (Contributor)
Bergman, S Bear (Contributor)
Bornstein, Kate (Contributor)
bridgforth, sharon (Contributor)
Coyote, Ivan E (Contributor)
Dalton, Joshua (Contributor)
Davies, Mary M (Contributor)
DiRaddo, Christopher (Contributor)
Findlay, David C. (Contributor)
Forrest, Katherine V (Contributor)
Fowles, Stacey May (Contributor)
Gawthrop, Daniel (Contributor)
Gay, R. (Contributor)
Gilbert, Sky (Contributor)
Han, Chong-suk (Contributor)
Hill, Arden Eli (Contributor)
Hopkinson, Nalo (Contributor)
Ilsley, George K (Contributor)
Kilmer-Purcell, Josh (Contributor)
Lambert, Sandra (Contributor)
Marchand, Blaine (Contributor)
Metcalfe, Robin (Contributor)
Miller, Tim (Contributor)
Morris, Bonnie J (Contributor)
Obejas, Achy (Contributor)
Parks, Joy (Contributor)
Persky, Stan (Contributor)
Quan, Andy (Contributor)
Read, Kirk (Contributor)
Roberts, Gayle (Contributor)
Rotin, Jeffrey (Contributor)
Scott, D. Travers (Contributor)
Sheppard, Simon (Contributor)
Syms, Shawn (Contributor)
Szymanski, Therese (Contributor)
Taylor, Karen (Contributor)
Timermanis, Jason (Contributor)
Van Ingen, Jane (Contributor)
Woods, Gregory (Contributor)

Awards and Honors

Classifications

Genres
LGBTQ+, Sexuality and Gender Studies, Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
306.766Society, government, & cultureSocial sciences, sociology & anthropologySocial Behavior - Dating, Marriage, DivorceSexual relationsSexual orientation, transgender identity, intersexualityHomosexuality
LCC
HQ75.15 .F57Social sciencesThe family. Marriage, Women and SexualityThe Family. Marriage. WomenSexual life
BISAC

Statistics

Members
95
Popularity
338,932
Reviews
4
Rating
½ (3.65)
Languages
English
Media
Paper
ISBNs
2
ASINs
2