A Safe Place With You by César L. Baquerizo

     A Safe Place With You is a book that truly let's you in to a world unvisited by most.  Unless you fit into the category of LGBTQI.  I didn't even know there was an "I" to add- so it's true, you learn something new!  (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex)  Anyway, the author, César L. Baquerizo has done his homework.  He's also an open book, sharing the most intricate of experiences in his life, as well as the perspicacity of others.  

     The story, A Safe Place with You, is about Tomás.  He is gay and recently come "Out of the closet".  He also lives in Ecuador during a time when homosexuality is viewed as a mental illness and not a way of life.  His home is distraught and no one knows what to say, so they say nothing, which is an equivalent of anything harshly spoken.  While alone one afternoon, Tomás hears about neighborhood boy who'd committed suicide after trying to cope with being gay and loved by family.  This news announcement sends Tomás to the young man's house, where he breaks into the home and finds something so precious, so resplendent, he goes on a spiritual journey.

     Leaning totally on faith and knowledge, Tomás reads bibles, articles and clings tot he words of  people like Harvey Milk, Alan Turig and even Ellen Degeneres.  People who were open and honest about who they were and how they felt about life and where they'd stand on it all.  They inspired Tomás, but just as he was prepared to make a true stand, he's sent away.  To a place that also sees homosexuality as a disease, a sin and a side affect of issues such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  This is where the story truly takes flight.
​      First, I must say, I struggled with the reading of this book.  Not because it was poorly written or because it was initially written in another language, then translated to be shared with the world.  No, nothing so simple in the scheme of things.  It worked at my conscience and my own faith.  The story gives the perspectives of everyone in it, yet distant enough to not show any favoritism towards any one character, other than Tomás.  With this detachment, I found myself angry at characters and totally not liking others.

     My issue was the book had two personalities.  In the beginning, it felt as if I was going to read like a documentary   It gives a lot of information and felt stringent- even when dealing with the characters of the story.  Yet, at other times, it felt the story attempting to immerse me within the story.  I couldn't truly form relationships with them from the style of writing.  I even found myself irritated with Sebastian, due to the lack of emotional development I truly feel could have brought this book to near perfection!  Don't get me wrong- I found an appreciation for the tale and will share its story with those I know and media friends.  

     In a Safe Place With You, I found insight and even more understanding on the need of tolerance for those of the LGBQTI community.  No matter who and what we are, we have to be kind, we have to show love and we have to seek out understanding.  On to the next book!