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Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World
World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—and you’ve never heard of many of them.
Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.
Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
May 1, 2017
“I understand you. I know how much you have suffered.” More beautiful words were never spoken.
Try and read this without becoming an emotional wreck. Just try.
Queer, There, and Everywhere is an interesting, accessible, wonderful history book. It offers short biographies on twenty-three queer people throughout history, and serves as a reminder that gay, bi, trans, genderqueer, nonconforming, intersex, asexual and others all have long, beautiful, difficult histories. From Ancient Rome to modern day San Francisco, a single resounding cry echoes through the millennia: You are not alone.
I love that the author has remembered all these people so beautifully. She offers many of them in death what they were often denied in life - the correct gender pronouns - and, where possible, Prager has included direct quotes from them, capturing their humanity so that they become more than long-gone figures of history. They become painfully real.
Some of these chapters are heartwarming true romances, others about a lifelong fight for identity and rights, and a few are educational tales about the darkest times of history. I now really want to read Josef Kohout's (Heinz Heger) account of his time as a gay prisoner during the Second World War: The Men with the Pink Triangle. I have read many memoirs from Jewish holocaust survivors, but none from gay survivors, and I plan to remedy that.
Though I did know this, it was great to get a reminder that the history of LGBTQIA+ people is not all about hatred and intolerance. I'm sure many teens will be interested in learning about how early societies often accepted non-het and trans people, and it was common for rulers to take both husbands and wives. Contrary to popular belief, the persecution of queer people rose with Christianity, particularly in the fifteenth to twentieth centuries.
If anything, I just wish that the book had contained people from outside Europe and North America as well. The intro talked about queerness all across the globe, and yet none of the twenty-three people were from Asia, Africa or South America. Though many were POC. I would love to see more books on queer history from the author, and to see them expand to include other people around the world.
That being said, it was still wonderful. The relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua had me in tears, as did the love between Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. I cannot explain the happiness I felt upon learning that Albert Cashier (transgender Civil War soldier) was not misgendered in death, and was allowed to have his true name on his headstone. And, oh shit, this from Glenn Burke (gay baseball player):
“As I reach my final days, I’d like to be remembered as just a down-to-earth good person. A man that tried to never have a bad thought in his mind. A man who really tried to get along with everybody at all times, no matter what the situation. A man who will always love his friends and family. Despite what people are going to say or write about me after I die, I want it to be known that I have no regrets about how I lived my life. I did the best I could.”
I'm not crying, I swear. *sobs*
Just... a beautiful book. The author's engaging, conversational tone made it so easy to read too. How I wish I had Queer, There, and Everywhere when I was a teen.
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May 23, 2017
Today is a time when this book is just so incredibly important for some to understand that queerness has always been around before we even had words to label the acts occurring. I am approaching this from the perspective of someone who views firsthand the resistance of certain people to recognize the way a person identifies - they refuse to accept the normality..joke about the preferred pronoun, and just cannot understand. It infuriates me so much. But this book is a step to remedy such ignorance. While this book doesn’t provide all of the information by any means..what it does do is illustrate that queer people have always been around.
Some of the people included are prominent historical figures who impacted the world in ways that earned their way into our history classes not having anything to do with their queerness, but this doesn’t take away from what they in fact were. Great men (and women) do great things. What shouldn’t matter is what your sexuality or gender is (or skin color for that matter). It is the individual. What is harmful is pretending their feelings did not exist and rewriting their histories to make us more comfortable. Assuming someone is straight because history doesn't outright say otherwise is illogical. The idea here is this:
Some of these individuals did incredible things for the queer rights movement, whether it was acknowledged at that time or not. Some of these individuals may not have "changed the world" as much as some of the others, but they all were ahead of their time in that they weren't afraid to be themselves and there is a very beautiful thing in that.
The chapters are fairly short with mini biographies on each of the twenty three people included. Many queer identities are represented in these pages, though I cannot say all are. I still think the author did an excellent job at including the several that are. The book is well-researched with an annotated bibliography, plus a glossary. Also, the illustrations were lovely.
What would have been nice is if the book didn’t focus so much on European and North American individuals. I appreciated every person included. It just feels harmful for the book to be called Queer there and Everywhere and ultimately leave out the everywhere part. I loved learning about the history of queerness, however brief, all around the world as it was provided in the intro where the author touches on Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America too. I just wish there was more information. And definitely individuals included from these nations in the 23 people who changed the world. I am left hoping that Sarah Prager decides to write an additional volume..maybe even more. It would be nice to see more individuals represented and have more information too.
This book shows that history can be fun!
Some of the people included are prominent historical figures who impacted the world in ways that earned their way into our history classes not having anything to do with their queerness, but this doesn’t take away from what they in fact were. Great men (and women) do great things. What shouldn’t matter is what your sexuality or gender is (or skin color for that matter). It is the individual. What is harmful is pretending their feelings did not exist and rewriting their histories to make us more comfortable. Assuming someone is straight because history doesn't outright say otherwise is illogical. The idea here is this:
Recognizing the world's rich history of queerness would help reduce homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, and welcome queer identities to the mainstream with love and acceptance.
Some of these individuals did incredible things for the queer rights movement, whether it was acknowledged at that time or not. Some of these individuals may not have "changed the world" as much as some of the others, but they all were ahead of their time in that they weren't afraid to be themselves and there is a very beautiful thing in that.
The chapters are fairly short with mini biographies on each of the twenty three people included. Many queer identities are represented in these pages, though I cannot say all are. I still think the author did an excellent job at including the several that are. The book is well-researched with an annotated bibliography, plus a glossary. Also, the illustrations were lovely.
What would have been nice is if the book didn’t focus so much on European and North American individuals. I appreciated every person included. It just feels harmful for the book to be called Queer there and Everywhere and ultimately leave out the everywhere part. I loved learning about the history of queerness, however brief, all around the world as it was provided in the intro where the author touches on Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Latin America too. I just wish there was more information. And definitely individuals included from these nations in the 23 people who changed the world. I am left hoping that Sarah Prager decides to write an additional volume..maybe even more. It would be nice to see more individuals represented and have more information too.
This book shows that history can be fun!
August 31, 2020
This book had some very interesting bits but ultimately had some flaws.
The narrative style was a bit juvenile. I know that's a totally weird complaint to have, because usually I love non-pretentious history books. But this was almost too casual. And the jokes were usually not funny. In general, I'd recommend this more to preteens.
The decision to write about Joan of Arc as a queer person frankly kind of annoys me. She wore men's clothing because it was freeing for her at a time when women wore dresses. When I picked up the book and saw the entry, I was ready to read about her having feelings for a woman or stating that she felt like a man internally or something. But no, her dressing in men's clothing to fight was all the evidence. Usually, I'm all up for interpreting every single person in history as lgbtq, and I'd love to read some kind of alternate history about her. But there's just no evidence in her entry. It really takes down the credibility of the book.
Altogether, interesting but not life-changing, as I already knew almost all of these people were lgbt (with one notable exception) and knew the lesser-known heroes. Maybe that's just me.
div17: diverse nonfiction
The narrative style was a bit juvenile. I know that's a totally weird complaint to have, because usually I love non-pretentious history books. But this was almost too casual. And the jokes were usually not funny. In general, I'd recommend this more to preteens.
The decision to write about Joan of Arc as a queer person frankly kind of annoys me. She wore men's clothing because it was freeing for her at a time when women wore dresses. When I picked up the book and saw the entry, I was ready to read about her having feelings for a woman or stating that she felt like a man internally or something. But no, her dressing in men's clothing to fight was all the evidence. Usually, I'm all up for interpreting every single person in history as lgbtq, and I'd love to read some kind of alternate history about her. But there's just no evidence in her entry. It really takes down the credibility of the book.
Altogether, interesting but not life-changing, as I already knew almost all of these people were lgbt (with one notable exception) and knew the lesser-known heroes. Maybe that's just me.
div17: diverse nonfiction
July 4, 2017
What is remarkable, and at once unsurprising, is that all twenty-three of these queer people lived with such vivd, incandescent variety. Diversity is one of the only constants that queerness has always had, and our unique individuals are connected precisely because they diverged from what society expected.
I had such a great time reading this book!
At first I was a bit worried that this book would end up being boring, but not at all. I've read this book so quickly and learned so much.
I liked the way it was written because I didn't feel like someone was patronizing me, or just giving a Historical course, no, I felt like someone was telling me all these things, that we had a conversation.
I have to be honest, I didn't know most of these people, like I only knew Jeanne D'Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Lili Elbe, Frida Kahlo, Eleanor Roosevelt, Alan Turing, Harvey Milk and George Takei . . . and I didn't even know most of them were queer in some way.
So knowing about all these queer people who shaped our world and our community, was just amazing. It's true that you never think if a Historical figure was or wasn't straight, most of the time, you just assume, and you assume wrong.
I loved reading about each of them, their life, what they accomplished, what happened to them, what they did for the community and how brave they all were in their own way.
It's definitely a book I would recommend to everybody, you don't have to be ‘queer’ to enjoy this book, you being straight doesn't mean you won't learn something interesting. This book is for everybody who wants to learn. Learn about the truth.
Ultimately, the lesson from our twenty-three incredible individuals is that there is no wrong way to be queer. You can be low-key; you can be fabulous; you can exclusively wear shirts with unnecessarily convoluted Judith Butler quotes in very small fonts. You can crusade publicly for equality or pursue your passions while keeping your business your own. All these stories are about people who brought originality, courage, and love to their work - whatever that work was, whatever way they set themselves to it. And as we see in all these transformative lives, and from the effect reading about them has on us today, however you want to live is valid and important - because the mere fact of you, living, makes the world more radiant.
Live bravely.
3.5
P.S. I'm changing my rating from 4.75 to 3.5 because in her definition of LGBTQIA+ the author said A stood for Ally and NO. BY DOING THIS YOU'RE ERASING EVERY SEXUALITY BEGINNING WITH A. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? The A never stood for Ally and it's not going to happen any time soon. If you call yourself an ally and seriously think the A stands for you, then you're not an ally.
Around the Year in 52 books 2017.
25. A book about a famous historical figure
I had such a great time reading this book!
At first I was a bit worried that this book would end up being boring, but not at all. I've read this book so quickly and learned so much.
I liked the way it was written because I didn't feel like someone was patronizing me, or just giving a Historical course, no, I felt like someone was telling me all these things, that we had a conversation.
I have to be honest, I didn't know most of these people, like I only knew Jeanne D'Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Lili Elbe, Frida Kahlo, Eleanor Roosevelt, Alan Turing, Harvey Milk and George Takei . . . and I didn't even know most of them were queer in some way.
So knowing about all these queer people who shaped our world and our community, was just amazing. It's true that you never think if a Historical figure was or wasn't straight, most of the time, you just assume, and you assume wrong.
I loved reading about each of them, their life, what they accomplished, what happened to them, what they did for the community and how brave they all were in their own way.
It's definitely a book I would recommend to everybody, you don't have to be ‘queer’ to enjoy this book, you being straight doesn't mean you won't learn something interesting. This book is for everybody who wants to learn. Learn about the truth.
Ultimately, the lesson from our twenty-three incredible individuals is that there is no wrong way to be queer. You can be low-key; you can be fabulous; you can exclusively wear shirts with unnecessarily convoluted Judith Butler quotes in very small fonts. You can crusade publicly for equality or pursue your passions while keeping your business your own. All these stories are about people who brought originality, courage, and love to their work - whatever that work was, whatever way they set themselves to it. And as we see in all these transformative lives, and from the effect reading about them has on us today, however you want to live is valid and important - because the mere fact of you, living, makes the world more radiant.
Live bravely.
3.5
P.S. I'm changing my rating from 4.75 to 3.5 because in her definition of LGBTQIA+ the author said A stood for Ally and NO. BY DOING THIS YOU'RE ERASING EVERY SEXUALITY BEGINNING WITH A. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? The A never stood for Ally and it's not going to happen any time soon. If you call yourself an ally and seriously think the A stands for you, then you're not an ally.
Around the Year in 52 books 2017.
25. A book about a famous historical figure
November 20, 2017
This could be better, but I can appreciate it for what it is. Drawbacks: majority Americans (14/23) despite claims of "world" (others are European or Mexican, no where else is represented); only 7 POC; only 6 (7?) bi people; only 7 trans people (incl. 1 non-binary person and Joan of Arc, whose inclusion seems a bit forced).
I mean, I get the difficulty of picking people to profile and the difficulty of researching places and people where there might be little information in English. But really, how hard would it have been to find one person at least from the entire continents of South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania? There are English speaking countries in some of those places! (like India and South Africa) For example, what about that guy who was a huge part of anti-apartheid work who made sure same sex marriage and protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation were in South Africa's new laws and constitution? Especially because of the title and the fact that all the continents are profiled in the introduction, I expected more diversity.
Perhaps it would have been better for the author to simply focus on Americans and not mislead people (the title, though, may not have been the author's choice). Still though, even if only Americans were included, the number of POC should definitely be higher. I think that's really important given how queerness is assumed to be white and how much that hurts QTPOC. I think it would have been better to cut Abraham Lincoln (which seems like speculation anyway?) and Eleanor Roosevelt and include Marsha P Johnson and Miss Major, maybe. And maybe more trans men and genderqueer people, since there was only one of each. I'm sure there are many people I've never heard of.
Those limitations aside, I enjoyed the write-ups and mostly thought they were very interesting, a few fascinating. They were well aimed at a younger YA audience, albeit a bit of "adult trying to sound hip" writing. The structure of starting in medias res with a hook and then backtracking was a nice writing strategy.
I mean, I get the difficulty of picking people to profile and the difficulty of researching places and people where there might be little information in English. But really, how hard would it have been to find one person at least from the entire continents of South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania? There are English speaking countries in some of those places! (like India and South Africa) For example, what about that guy who was a huge part of anti-apartheid work who made sure same sex marriage and protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation were in South Africa's new laws and constitution? Especially because of the title and the fact that all the continents are profiled in the introduction, I expected more diversity.
Perhaps it would have been better for the author to simply focus on Americans and not mislead people (the title, though, may not have been the author's choice). Still though, even if only Americans were included, the number of POC should definitely be higher. I think that's really important given how queerness is assumed to be white and how much that hurts QTPOC. I think it would have been better to cut Abraham Lincoln (which seems like speculation anyway?) and Eleanor Roosevelt and include Marsha P Johnson and Miss Major, maybe. And maybe more trans men and genderqueer people, since there was only one of each. I'm sure there are many people I've never heard of.
Those limitations aside, I enjoyed the write-ups and mostly thought they were very interesting, a few fascinating. They were well aimed at a younger YA audience, albeit a bit of "adult trying to sound hip" writing. The structure of starting in medias res with a hook and then backtracking was a nice writing strategy.
April 21, 2018
This book was just. A lot. BUT NOT IN A BAD WAY. AT ALL! 23 stories about incredibly strong and inspiring people. I heard most of the people mentioned in the book but mostly? No clue. And that's a fault on me. After reading this book it made me want to go out and learn more about the people mentioned here.
RTC because I'm exhausted but I will say this: the only reason I'm not giving the book a five star rating is because I wish it included people outside of North America/Europe. I don't have anything bad to say about the book but that's the only thing I wished was better.
REGARDLESS THIS WAS A FANTASTIC READ AND I RECOMMEND IT TO ALL! It shows these historical figures in a new light that doesn't try to sugar coat anything and I think that's really important!
RTC because I'm exhausted but I will say this: the only reason I'm not giving the book a five star rating is because I wish it included people outside of North America/Europe. I don't have anything bad to say about the book but that's the only thing I wished was better.
REGARDLESS THIS WAS A FANTASTIC READ AND I RECOMMEND IT TO ALL! It shows these historical figures in a new light that doesn't try to sugar coat anything and I think that's really important!
April 10, 2020
Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, transphobia
Representation: Lesbian, gay, trans, POC
Original Rating: 5
Revised Rating: 4
I got wrapped up in the gay it happens.
Queer, There and Everywhere is here to help the LGBTQ+ kids of today discover their history in a fun and accessible way.
From what I’ve heard this book is the first of its kind, an LGBTQ+ history book written for teens!
That’s hella important and so great that teens are finally going to be able to learn that history was never entirely straight and that is a huge step forward!
So much of history has been straightwashed. We have made leaps and bounds forward only to take a million steps back time and time again in the history of civilization across all cultures and I really happy that this new wave of LGBTQ+ historians are making it their mission to teach the world that we have always been here and you can never get rid of us.
This book is written in a way that will engage teens and that is so important. The reason so many teens find learning about history boring is that it’s written that way, all the fun is sucked out leaving dry text that’ll have teens begging for something more interesting to read.
It’s the reason I didn’t know I liked history until I was in my early 20s. History is made so much more fun and interesting for children, I’m talking primary school aged, but as soon as you hit your teens you’re expected to hold interest even though the fun has been taken away.
When I was a little kid I loved learning, specifically, I was super into learning about Ancient Egypt. I would set myself projects to do during the holidays, picking something that interested me and then researching it and making a poster about what I had learned.
And then I became a teenager and learning was no longer fun, it was exhausting and boring and oh god please just stop I don’t want to learn about difficult men going to war and sacrificing lives over things they could have solved if they just talked. I couldn’t tell you a single thing I learned about history in my high school history class other than there was a cold war and some bomb threats and also witches. They made learning about witches boring! Can you imagine???
If I had a book like this when I was a teen I would have learned and retained a lot more about history, more importantly, I might have actually realised I wasn’t as straight as I thought.
History is important, it’s especially important for marginalised people who have had people in power try and rip their history out from under them.
Some complaints I have is that it’s a little more juvenile than I expected. This would be more suited for 12-15-year-olds in my opinion but in saying that, that’s a crucial bridge between children and teens there and having something like this would probably be great for keeping that age interested enough in history to keep seeking out more of it.
I also would have liked a little more variety. I would have liked to get more than just the LGT part of our history but I also understand that a lot of the labels we have now didn’t always exist and it’s hard to find people in history who might have identified with them but that didn't stop the author from including Joan of Arc even though there isn’t much evidence to support her belonging in the community.
All in all, this is a great addition to the world of history and to any teen’s library.
—
I read this book as part of my 2018 Library Love binge, where I read as many library books as possible to take advantage of my great local library network before I move interstate!
___
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Representation: Lesbian, gay, trans, POC
Original Rating: 5
Revised Rating: 4
I got wrapped up in the gay it happens.
“I cannot understand those so-called 'normal' people who believe that a man should love only a woman, and a woman loves only a man. If this were so, then it disregards completely the spirit, the personality, and the mind, and stresses the importance of the physical body.”
Queer, There and Everywhere is here to help the LGBTQ+ kids of today discover their history in a fun and accessible way.
From what I’ve heard this book is the first of its kind, an LGBTQ+ history book written for teens!
That’s hella important and so great that teens are finally going to be able to learn that history was never entirely straight and that is a huge step forward!
So much of history has been straightwashed. We have made leaps and bounds forward only to take a million steps back time and time again in the history of civilization across all cultures and I really happy that this new wave of LGBTQ+ historians are making it their mission to teach the world that we have always been here and you can never get rid of us.
This book is written in a way that will engage teens and that is so important. The reason so many teens find learning about history boring is that it’s written that way, all the fun is sucked out leaving dry text that’ll have teens begging for something more interesting to read.
It’s the reason I didn’t know I liked history until I was in my early 20s. History is made so much more fun and interesting for children, I’m talking primary school aged, but as soon as you hit your teens you’re expected to hold interest even though the fun has been taken away.
When I was a little kid I loved learning, specifically, I was super into learning about Ancient Egypt. I would set myself projects to do during the holidays, picking something that interested me and then researching it and making a poster about what I had learned.
And then I became a teenager and learning was no longer fun, it was exhausting and boring and oh god please just stop I don’t want to learn about difficult men going to war and sacrificing lives over things they could have solved if they just talked. I couldn’t tell you a single thing I learned about history in my high school history class other than there was a cold war and some bomb threats and also witches. They made learning about witches boring! Can you imagine???
If I had a book like this when I was a teen I would have learned and retained a lot more about history, more importantly, I might have actually realised I wasn’t as straight as I thought.
History is important, it’s especially important for marginalised people who have had people in power try and rip their history out from under them.
Some complaints I have is that it’s a little more juvenile than I expected. This would be more suited for 12-15-year-olds in my opinion but in saying that, that’s a crucial bridge between children and teens there and having something like this would probably be great for keeping that age interested enough in history to keep seeking out more of it.
I also would have liked a little more variety. I would have liked to get more than just the LGT part of our history but I also understand that a lot of the labels we have now didn’t always exist and it’s hard to find people in history who might have identified with them but that didn't stop the author from including Joan of Arc even though there isn’t much evidence to support her belonging in the community.
All in all, this is a great addition to the world of history and to any teen’s library.
—
I read this book as part of my 2018 Library Love binge, where I read as many library books as possible to take advantage of my great local library network before I move interstate!
___
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April 2, 2017
This book is fantastic and so, so important. More non-fiction like this in YA, please.
February 27, 2018
*3.5 stars
full review now posted: I originally picked this up because I’m queer and there’s nothing like a good lesson on queer history, at least I think. When I picked it up originally, I was expecting to fall in love with it. But… I was disappointed. Now, to get it straight (although I’m not*), I loved the stories in this. And I found them all to be so interesting! But, the problem I had with this was the writing. It was just so… childish. It felt like it was aimed at a younger audience, which I didn’t appreciate at all. And I also found some of the stories dragged on for a lot longer than necessary and repeated a lot of the same information more than once. So, in general, the idea and the content was good, but the execution could have been better.
full review now posted: I originally picked this up because I’m queer and there’s nothing like a good lesson on queer history, at least I think. When I picked it up originally, I was expecting to fall in love with it. But… I was disappointed. Now, to get it straight (although I’m not*), I loved the stories in this. And I found them all to be so interesting! But, the problem I had with this was the writing. It was just so… childish. It felt like it was aimed at a younger audience, which I didn’t appreciate at all. And I also found some of the stories dragged on for a lot longer than necessary and repeated a lot of the same information more than once. So, in general, the idea and the content was good, but the execution could have been better.
August 4, 2020
Queer, There, and Everywhere provides a brief history of 23 lgbtq+ individuals throughout history, from Elagabalus––a Roman emperor who enjoyed dressing and acting as a woman--to George Takei--an openly gay, Japanese-American actor and social justice activist.
This book was well researched, and the short biographies were presented in an engaging manner. I wish each section would have been longer, and that we could have gone a bit more in depth about each person, but that's just personal preference. The writing was on the simple side, and I'm not sure what the target age range for this book was, as it read at a middle-grade level, which is absolutely fine if it makes this information more accessible to younger readers, but it's not my preference. This book was informative, heartwarming, and frustrating all at once, as I read about how hard these people worked to overcome obstacles that shouldn't have been there in the first place. I appreciate how this book included the 'q+' in lgbtq+, because those identities are often not represented enough. I do, however, wish that some of the stories took place outside of Europe or North America.
3.75 stars
This book was well researched, and the short biographies were presented in an engaging manner. I wish each section would have been longer, and that we could have gone a bit more in depth about each person, but that's just personal preference. The writing was on the simple side, and I'm not sure what the target age range for this book was, as it read at a middle-grade level, which is absolutely fine if it makes this information more accessible to younger readers, but it's not my preference. This book was informative, heartwarming, and frustrating all at once, as I read about how hard these people worked to overcome obstacles that shouldn't have been there in the first place. I appreciate how this book included the 'q+' in lgbtq+, because those identities are often not represented enough. I do, however, wish that some of the stories took place outside of Europe or North America.
3.75 stars
June 12, 2017
Overall I thought this was a very informative look at 23 queer individuals from history, some well known and some unheard of. I really liked Prager's conversational and humorous tone in regards to these people's lives. I learned about a lot of people I'd never even heard of and several of these small entries made me tear up. I liked the focus more on the things these people accomplished than being an emphasis on them being queer. I just wish the entries had been longer so that I could have gotten more information on these people.
April 25, 2017
"And as we see in all of these transformative lives, and from the effect reading them has on us today, however you want to live is valid and important-because the mere fact of you, living, makes the world more radiant.
Live bravely."
Um? So I'm meant to review this now? Can my review be a recording of me sitting in a corner, crying in gratitude and understanding of these people? (And crying from anger on their behalf, too.)
Look, bottom line: read this. Queer or not, read it. Trans or NB or Cis, read it. It will make you feel a full gamut of feelings - hopelessness, despair, fury, empathy, and it'll probably make you smile and laugh. Most of all, if you are queer, this book is full of so much hope and determination. This book is a gift. I want a second volume immediately!
Live bravely."
Um? So I'm meant to review this now? Can my review be a recording of me sitting in a corner, crying in gratitude and understanding of these people? (And crying from anger on their behalf, too.)
Look, bottom line: read this. Queer or not, read it. Trans or NB or Cis, read it. It will make you feel a full gamut of feelings - hopelessness, despair, fury, empathy, and it'll probably make you smile and laugh. Most of all, if you are queer, this book is full of so much hope and determination. This book is a gift. I want a second volume immediately!
June 19, 2018
What a fantastic book!! As inclusive as the US is starting to be, for much of its history, it insisted that any form of being queer was wrong and sinful, and we even had laws to forbid any queer expression. (It boggles my mind that NYC used to *require* that a person wear a minimum of three pieces of clothing that matched one's biological gender at birth.) Prager teaches us that not only were things different in other time periods and other countries, but that queer people achieved some pretty amazing things throughout history.
I do have a few quibbles with the book. The writing is meant to be conversational, like Prager is hanging out with you over a coffee and dishing about how rad these people are, but at times it detracted from the information itself. It became a bit too jarring. She also includes Joan of Arc, though I don't see how she can really be included as queer just because she wore men's clothing. She was, however, quite a badass.
I know this book is meant to be a biography of individual people and their contributions to the world, but I became quite interested in the non-Western ideas of sex and gender that Prager brings up in the introduction. If she couldn't have found enough information to create an entire biography of a non-Western queer person, perhaps she could have written an epilogue to share in more depth how some of these non-Western cultures viewed sex and gender. As it is, all of those featured come from either North America or Europe. It would have been a bit more inclusive to have written about more African and Asian queer people; I would have liked to learn more about Jin Xing, for example, a Chinese transgender woman who was one of the first to receive government permission to undergo sex reassignment surgery, and one of the first transgender women to be recognized as a woman by the Chinese government.
That said, this is an extremely important one, and one that will give comfort to many queer teens that feel that they're all alone in the world. You're not alone, and you will do great things.
I do have a few quibbles with the book. The writing is meant to be conversational, like Prager is hanging out with you over a coffee and dishing about how rad these people are, but at times it detracted from the information itself. It became a bit too jarring. She also includes Joan of Arc, though I don't see how she can really be included as queer just because she wore men's clothing. She was, however, quite a badass.
I know this book is meant to be a biography of individual people and their contributions to the world, but I became quite interested in the non-Western ideas of sex and gender that Prager brings up in the introduction. If she couldn't have found enough information to create an entire biography of a non-Western queer person, perhaps she could have written an epilogue to share in more depth how some of these non-Western cultures viewed sex and gender. As it is, all of those featured come from either North America or Europe. It would have been a bit more inclusive to have written about more African and Asian queer people; I would have liked to learn more about Jin Xing, for example, a Chinese transgender woman who was one of the first to receive government permission to undergo sex reassignment surgery, and one of the first transgender women to be recognized as a woman by the Chinese government.
That said, this is an extremely important one, and one that will give comfort to many queer teens that feel that they're all alone in the world. You're not alone, and you will do great things.
June 25, 2018
There are some amazing people that historians have forgotten or refuse to acknowledge. While many academics will say Queer, There and Everywhere just glosses over the surface on these twenty-three historical persons, I say bravo! The more people talk about these inspirational people, the better.
I grew up reading Marlo Thomas’ Free to Be You and Me and while it dealt with other themes, the similarities between Thomas' and Prater’s writing styles are very apparent. Fun, approachable vignettes allowing the reader to learn about these amazing people changing history for the better.
My absolute favorite quote:
“I do not understand the difference between a man and a woman, and believing only in the eternal value of love, I cannot understand these so-called ‘normal’ people who believe that a man should love only a woman, and a woman love only a man. If this were so, then it disregards completely the spirit, the personality, and the mind, and stresses the importance of the physical body.”
The quote above is one of the greatest statements I’ve ever read. It also sums up this book. Love is love and people are people, no matter what form or identity. A brilliant, educational book that everyone from teens to seniors will enjoy. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
I grew up reading Marlo Thomas’ Free to Be You and Me and while it dealt with other themes, the similarities between Thomas' and Prater’s writing styles are very apparent. Fun, approachable vignettes allowing the reader to learn about these amazing people changing history for the better.
My absolute favorite quote:
“I do not understand the difference between a man and a woman, and believing only in the eternal value of love, I cannot understand these so-called ‘normal’ people who believe that a man should love only a woman, and a woman love only a man. If this were so, then it disregards completely the spirit, the personality, and the mind, and stresses the importance of the physical body.”
The quote above is one of the greatest statements I’ve ever read. It also sums up this book. Love is love and people are people, no matter what form or identity. A brilliant, educational book that everyone from teens to seniors will enjoy. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
Read
August 5, 2021This is truly a wonderful book. It shares the repressed queerness throughout history. From the fourteen year old emperor of Rome to George Takei. Our history is diverse and bold and subtle and everything in between. The one thing that I didn't really like was the almost flippantness and the joking tone that took over the book. Yes, this is a book aimed to teens and really bad things have happened to these people that can't be shared in a 260 page book, but it could've been heavier and taken a bit more seriously. But I am glad that I have this book and I read it because it screams the message that you will never be alone and you are not the first person to experience these things and you won't be the last.
January 12, 2018
This was a great resource, and it had a good mix of people I knew were queer and wanted to know more about, people I'd heard of but didn't know were queer, and people I'd never heard of but really should have!
A couple of ways this book lost points from me:
1) I don't think including people like Joan of Arc was the best choice. I get that the historical definition of queer is a bit bigger because there's so much room for doubt, but from everything I've read about her, it sounds like she was cisgender, heterosexual, and heteroromantic.
2) in the glossary: "You may see...'A' (asexual or ally)" A IS NOT FOR ALLY. ALLIES ARE NOT QUEER. STOP.
A couple of ways this book lost points from me:
1) I don't think including people like Joan of Arc was the best choice. I get that the historical definition of queer is a bit bigger because there's so much room for doubt, but from everything I've read about her, it sounds like she was cisgender, heterosexual, and heteroromantic.
2) in the glossary: "You may see...'A' (asexual or ally)" A IS NOT FOR ALLY. ALLIES ARE NOT QUEER. STOP.
July 3, 2019
This is a wonderful exploration of various queer people throughout history, some known to me beforehand and many not. I had no idea, for example, that Abraham Lincoln may have been gay. It was both an educational and entertaining read.
The author starts each chapter by detailing a significant moment in the person’s life and then goes on to tell the person’s full history. These are summaries though, so there’s definitely more to learn about each person here. Every individual is handled with respect and care, including using their preferred pronouns or those that seem appropriate based on how the person lived their life.
You can tell the author is inspired by these particular people but she also says so in her acknowledgments. For me it felt very validating to see queer people in history, especially women, who were not afraid to be themselves and in much harder times for lgbt people than we live in now. Their insistence on being themselves unapologetically was a unifying theme of the book.
The author starts each chapter by detailing a significant moment in the person’s life and then goes on to tell the person’s full history. These are summaries though, so there’s definitely more to learn about each person here. Every individual is handled with respect and care, including using their preferred pronouns or those that seem appropriate based on how the person lived their life.
You can tell the author is inspired by these particular people but she also says so in her acknowledgments. For me it felt very validating to see queer people in history, especially women, who were not afraid to be themselves and in much harder times for lgbt people than we live in now. Their insistence on being themselves unapologetically was a unifying theme of the book.
December 18, 2017
I'm honestly just really happy this book exists! This is a collection of mini (micro, really, they're only like 3-5 pages each) biographies of people throughout history who likely identified as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. It's awesome that these sorts of books are being published, and I hope there are more in the future. It's not the best written thing, and it could have gone a lot more in depth, but this is a very important book nonetheless. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to learn about all of the awesome people included in this! 3 1/2 stars
June 28, 2017
A book that makes you question everything you (think you) know, that teaches you things aren't always as we've been told.
July 18, 2017
So I've started applying a test to books about queer history: in the coverage of Stonewall, are Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson featured? Can I find them in the index or the table of contents? A depressing number of books fail this test.
I found Sylvia Rivera right at the beginning of this book, in the table of contents, and her brief bio did not pull any punches.
Choosing only 23 people to exemplify queer history is obviously limiting, but it also allows for a tightly structured yet accessible reading experience. Prager's chatty writing style feels welcoming, the short sections are are ideal for browsers, and there's a glossary and bibliography at the end for those who want to learn more. Most of the people profiled are Western, but they aren't all white and cis; many of the usual suspects appear (Alan Turing, Harvey Milk), but also several that teens may be less familiar with (Ma Rainey, Juana Ines de la Cruz).
When it comes to queer history for teens, this book is a distinct step up from its predecessors. It's not perfect, but the title--besides being a cute pun--tells you that the tone here is less "Gay Inc." and more "not gay as in happy but queer as in fuck you." It's a good start.
tl;dr: Buy it, read it, share it, talk it up.
I found Sylvia Rivera right at the beginning of this book, in the table of contents, and her brief bio did not pull any punches.
Choosing only 23 people to exemplify queer history is obviously limiting, but it also allows for a tightly structured yet accessible reading experience. Prager's chatty writing style feels welcoming, the short sections are are ideal for browsers, and there's a glossary and bibliography at the end for those who want to learn more. Most of the people profiled are Western, but they aren't all white and cis; many of the usual suspects appear (Alan Turing, Harvey Milk), but also several that teens may be less familiar with (Ma Rainey, Juana Ines de la Cruz).
When it comes to queer history for teens, this book is a distinct step up from its predecessors. It's not perfect, but the title--besides being a cute pun--tells you that the tone here is less "Gay Inc." and more "not gay as in happy but queer as in fuck you." It's a good start.
tl;dr: Buy it, read it, share it, talk it up.
November 13, 2017
Look, I get it. I've been in love with the same girl since high school. My dog is my best friend. I wear Chacos when there is no clear need to wear Chacos.
But as much as I love the idea of this book, I can't help but be disappointed by it. I was expecting a concise summary on the lives of some of the most established queer trailblazers in history. Instead, I found myself reading a collection of YA pseudo queer theories, and I did not enjoy them. I was looking forward to discovering more people like Marsha P. Johnson and Frida Kohla, people from history who left lasting impressions for LGBT+ people everywhere! And I did, to an extent.
I just was NOT expecting all of the conspiracy theories, stating Lincoln's homosexuality as fact, or toting Joan of Arc's intense religious crusade as a validation to express gender identity. Just not what I was looking for I suppose. It all came across just a little too, pandering, maybe?
(This would have gotten 2 stars, but I am literally so pissed about these sources. Vanity Fair? Blogspot? Podcasts? Is this a middle school English paper?? What is this?)
But as much as I love the idea of this book, I can't help but be disappointed by it. I was expecting a concise summary on the lives of some of the most established queer trailblazers in history. Instead, I found myself reading a collection of YA pseudo queer theories, and I did not enjoy them. I was looking forward to discovering more people like Marsha P. Johnson and Frida Kohla, people from history who left lasting impressions for LGBT+ people everywhere! And I did, to an extent.
I just was NOT expecting all of the conspiracy theories, stating Lincoln's homosexuality as fact, or toting Joan of Arc's intense religious crusade as a validation to express gender identity. Just not what I was looking for I suppose. It all came across just a little too, pandering, maybe?
(This would have gotten 2 stars, but I am literally so pissed about these sources. Vanity Fair? Blogspot? Podcasts? Is this a middle school English paper?? What is this?)
July 19, 2017
TW: misgendering, deadnaming (the author has given disclaimers for these in the intro), casual amisic language
This is an interesting book covering some well-known queer people in history. It was also great to read about some people that I'd never come across before. I do wish it had been a little more inclusive, considering the audience is YA. For instance I'd have much rather read about disabled queer people, and more QPOC like Marsha P. Johnson, Janet Mock, Kalki, etc. than speculate about Eleanor Roosevelt or Abe Lincoln. The glossary includes the definitions of asexuality and aromanticism, but there's a fair amount of causal amisic language throughout the book.
This is an interesting book covering some well-known queer people in history. It was also great to read about some people that I'd never come across before. I do wish it had been a little more inclusive, considering the audience is YA. For instance I'd have much rather read about disabled queer people, and more QPOC like Marsha P. Johnson, Janet Mock, Kalki, etc. than speculate about Eleanor Roosevelt or Abe Lincoln. The glossary includes the definitions of asexuality and aromanticism, but there's a fair amount of causal amisic language throughout the book.
August 30, 2017
Put this in every middle school library, every high school library. Give it to every teen.
July 9, 2017
To check out my reviews: https://dancinginth3dark.wordpress.co...
The only reason why I read this book was by the recommendation of Shane Bitney Cone. If you do not know who this man is then I highly recommend you to checkout his epic documentary called Bridegroom. I’ve been in a reading slump for the last few months and having the mega monstrosity of IT by my nightstand makes it difficult for me to invest in another novel. When I saw the list of his recommendations, I doubted that the library had these books available lo and behold not only did were it available, no one has checked them out so I placed a request and it arrived in less than 3 days!!
I figured this book would be my best bet to read first considering that it deals with biographies. I was shocked not only that I read this book in less than 24 hours, what impressive me was this book was written for middle school and the context of having short and concise biographies made the whole reading experience memorable. Queer, There, and Everywhere tells 23 unique stories of historical figures that have left an impact in the world and yet for countless reasons have had their life story revised to cater an agenda. What I mean by that is we hold famous icons such as Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and others on a pedestal that we forget to think they are human beings. Human beings with complex lives living in an era where they would be ostracized from society if they were not heterosexual. With this general sense of fear, their private life is difficult to research in the 21st century and we the general public assumed that they are straight and that homosexuality and other members of the LGBT was created in the last 200 years.
Was I shocked by any of these revelations Not really. I would say 40% of the individuals that were selected for this book I had no clue who they were to begin with, 60% I knew who they are and I have heard countless stories to suggest that they are not straight. Overall I was extremely impress about this book and I would highly recommend this book to be read for middle schoolers because when I came out to myself at the age of 11, I had no gay icons laying around on display ready to tell me everything is going to be alright. I had to research on my own, iPhones didn’t exist, the only social media site was MySpace, there was no It Gets Better Campaign, and half of the celebrities that have come out of the closet now in 2017 were definitely still in the closet in 2007. Luckily for me I was able to do this in the comfort of my own home where my mother could careless what I searched for on the Internet. I can guarantee you for millions of teenagers that luxury is rare and I believe by having this book available can provide comfort for kids who are trying to discover who they are and that they are not alone.
This book is informative and provides plenty of definitions for concepts such as what is asexual, bisexual, transgender, and others that it can help kids identify these feelings that is surging inside of themselves. Plus what I loved about Sarah Prager is giving the proper pronoun to these famous figures. The term heterosexual and homosexual was not invented until the 19th century so for a good chunk of this book, these icons either did not recognize themselves as gay instead dealt with how they felt as a human being and Sarah does her best to portray that and give credit where credit is due. If I was a teenager again I would rate this book 5 stars without blinking an eye but this time around this was a solid 4 stars. I wanted to give it 5 but my main argument is this is written for children. Some of the biographies were short and I understand that the author was trying to highlight the aspects of queer life in each biography but there was huge gaps in some of these stories that it followed a generic formula. In the end I believe the author could have gotten the extra mile and include more background info to illustrate that all these 23 individuals were complex but being a member of the LGBTQIAA did not stopped them for achieving greatness even when society has treated them as outcasts.
In the end this book pays homage to the countless sacrifices our ancestors have made in order to achieve a brighter future and even though so much has accomplished in the last century, there is still plenty of room for us to fight for. Especially with who is running this country and his VP choice (*Cough Cough Might Be President Cough Cough*) we will definitely be out in the streets fighting for our equal rights. I hope everyone who reads this book realize that you are special, there is nothing wrong with you, you are loved, and there is plenty of communities who welcomes you with open arms.
The only reason why I read this book was by the recommendation of Shane Bitney Cone. If you do not know who this man is then I highly recommend you to checkout his epic documentary called Bridegroom. I’ve been in a reading slump for the last few months and having the mega monstrosity of IT by my nightstand makes it difficult for me to invest in another novel. When I saw the list of his recommendations, I doubted that the library had these books available lo and behold not only did were it available, no one has checked them out so I placed a request and it arrived in less than 3 days!!
I figured this book would be my best bet to read first considering that it deals with biographies. I was shocked not only that I read this book in less than 24 hours, what impressive me was this book was written for middle school and the context of having short and concise biographies made the whole reading experience memorable. Queer, There, and Everywhere tells 23 unique stories of historical figures that have left an impact in the world and yet for countless reasons have had their life story revised to cater an agenda. What I mean by that is we hold famous icons such as Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and others on a pedestal that we forget to think they are human beings. Human beings with complex lives living in an era where they would be ostracized from society if they were not heterosexual. With this general sense of fear, their private life is difficult to research in the 21st century and we the general public assumed that they are straight and that homosexuality and other members of the LGBT was created in the last 200 years.
Was I shocked by any of these revelations Not really. I would say 40% of the individuals that were selected for this book I had no clue who they were to begin with, 60% I knew who they are and I have heard countless stories to suggest that they are not straight. Overall I was extremely impress about this book and I would highly recommend this book to be read for middle schoolers because when I came out to myself at the age of 11, I had no gay icons laying around on display ready to tell me everything is going to be alright. I had to research on my own, iPhones didn’t exist, the only social media site was MySpace, there was no It Gets Better Campaign, and half of the celebrities that have come out of the closet now in 2017 were definitely still in the closet in 2007. Luckily for me I was able to do this in the comfort of my own home where my mother could careless what I searched for on the Internet. I can guarantee you for millions of teenagers that luxury is rare and I believe by having this book available can provide comfort for kids who are trying to discover who they are and that they are not alone.
This book is informative and provides plenty of definitions for concepts such as what is asexual, bisexual, transgender, and others that it can help kids identify these feelings that is surging inside of themselves. Plus what I loved about Sarah Prager is giving the proper pronoun to these famous figures. The term heterosexual and homosexual was not invented until the 19th century so for a good chunk of this book, these icons either did not recognize themselves as gay instead dealt with how they felt as a human being and Sarah does her best to portray that and give credit where credit is due. If I was a teenager again I would rate this book 5 stars without blinking an eye but this time around this was a solid 4 stars. I wanted to give it 5 but my main argument is this is written for children. Some of the biographies were short and I understand that the author was trying to highlight the aspects of queer life in each biography but there was huge gaps in some of these stories that it followed a generic formula. In the end I believe the author could have gotten the extra mile and include more background info to illustrate that all these 23 individuals were complex but being a member of the LGBTQIAA did not stopped them for achieving greatness even when society has treated them as outcasts.
In the end this book pays homage to the countless sacrifices our ancestors have made in order to achieve a brighter future and even though so much has accomplished in the last century, there is still plenty of room for us to fight for. Especially with who is running this country and his VP choice (*Cough Cough Might Be President Cough Cough*) we will definitely be out in the streets fighting for our equal rights. I hope everyone who reads this book realize that you are special, there is nothing wrong with you, you are loved, and there is plenty of communities who welcomes you with open arms.
July 6, 2021
I’m never really sure of how to rate nonfiction books but I felt like I was learning so much with every bio, and this book was fun and easy to pick up whenever I was in the mood for it.
April 10, 2020
Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager is a more than worthwhile collection of short biographies. I learned quite a bit about people I wasn't familiar with from the start and learned more about some figures I already knew a bit about. I hope the author in the future will focus on more queer people from other places in the world that are barely touched upon here. The conversational tone and style kept me invested from the start.
January 22, 2024
THIS IS A MUST READ
Oh my gosh where do I even begin with this book! I’ve had this book for a while just sitting on my shelf afraid to read it because I thought it was going to read like a history book lesson. But boy was I wrong!
This book talks about queer people in our history that have been forgotten or we didn’t really know they were queer. These people range from artists to presidents!
This quite possibly will be the best book I’ve read all year. I read it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down! If you’re going to read one book this year please please make it this one! This book deserves way more hype
Oh my gosh where do I even begin with this book! I’ve had this book for a while just sitting on my shelf afraid to read it because I thought it was going to read like a history book lesson. But boy was I wrong!
This book talks about queer people in our history that have been forgotten or we didn’t really know they were queer. These people range from artists to presidents!
This quite possibly will be the best book I’ve read all year. I read it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down! If you’re going to read one book this year please please make it this one! This book deserves way more hype
August 30, 2017
I didn't really care for it. It was very flip in the stories and the stories themselves where not all that fleshed out and some were completely speculative. The theory about Lincoln is not accepted by most historians as it was possible but felt to be highly unlikely. The group I was in was upset that some people where left out. Why no chapters on Liberace, Freddie Mercury, Rock Hudson, or Rupaul.
It felt like the author was just doing fun profiles of people but the foreward makes it seem like it is going to be serious. It just really had a tonal problem.
It felt like the author was just doing fun profiles of people but the foreward makes it seem like it is going to be serious. It just really had a tonal problem.
Read
July 10, 2017Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: More Like This
Drinking Buddy: Um, Hell Yes
Testosterone/Estrogen/Whatever Level: Brave
Talky Talk: Trust, But Verify
Bonus Factor: Mainstream
Bromance Status: I'll March With You
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: More Like This
Drinking Buddy: Um, Hell Yes
Testosterone/Estrogen/Whatever Level: Brave
Talky Talk: Trust, But Verify
Bonus Factor: Mainstream
Bromance Status: I'll March With You
Read the full book report here.
September 18, 2017
"Live bravely."
~¤~
This book is different to books I usually read, as I prefer to refrain from non-fiction and biographies (I've read a few this year though). This book was really interesting and I loved learning about all these people I had and hadn't heard of, and how we never get taught about their queer side. I also loved the little illustrations of each person- it helped me imagine the people. As a cisgender straight female, I didn't relate to any of these historical figures, yet their stories still struck a chord in me. Many people I know are part of the LGBTQ+ community (which isn't represented properly in books and movies but that's another discussion). What if the friends I hold dearest to me had to suffer through the same hardships the people in this book did? What if they were assaulted and degraded in these ways and I had to stand by and watch it happen? Because what this book really made me see, is that progress for the LGBTQ+ community has been in the works for hundred of years, and acceptance of this community will continue to grow. But, can we really wait that long? How much longer until LGBTQ+ people can live freely without being harassed and discriminated against? Because my friends do suffer just for being themselves. Not to the extent of some of these historians, but discrimination is still a challenge they must overcome. It's not huge- it's the little things like the normalization of calling someone a fag or how my friend's sexuality preference is always brought up for no good reason. "Miss he's gay" is shouted in class, almost like they believe homosexuality is something to ridicule. I know this review has just turned into a whole paragraph on social issues so let me end with this: Queer, There and Everywhere is an amazing diverse book that will resound with anyone who is part of the LGBT+ community or anyone who is an ally. This book is definitely a must read for anyone- it's important to remember and include diversity in our past as well as the present and future. Because diversity is normal.
~¤~
This book is different to books I usually read, as I prefer to refrain from non-fiction and biographies (I've read a few this year though). This book was really interesting and I loved learning about all these people I had and hadn't heard of, and how we never get taught about their queer side. I also loved the little illustrations of each person- it helped me imagine the people. As a cisgender straight female, I didn't relate to any of these historical figures, yet their stories still struck a chord in me. Many people I know are part of the LGBTQ+ community (which isn't represented properly in books and movies but that's another discussion). What if the friends I hold dearest to me had to suffer through the same hardships the people in this book did? What if they were assaulted and degraded in these ways and I had to stand by and watch it happen? Because what this book really made me see, is that progress for the LGBTQ+ community has been in the works for hundred of years, and acceptance of this community will continue to grow. But, can we really wait that long? How much longer until LGBTQ+ people can live freely without being harassed and discriminated against? Because my friends do suffer just for being themselves. Not to the extent of some of these historians, but discrimination is still a challenge they must overcome. It's not huge- it's the little things like the normalization of calling someone a fag or how my friend's sexuality preference is always brought up for no good reason. "Miss he's gay" is shouted in class, almost like they believe homosexuality is something to ridicule. I know this review has just turned into a whole paragraph on social issues so let me end with this: Queer, There and Everywhere is an amazing diverse book that will resound with anyone who is part of the LGBT+ community or anyone who is an ally. This book is definitely a must read for anyone- it's important to remember and include diversity in our past as well as the present and future. Because diversity is normal.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews