advertisement
advertisement
|
By AMY CAVANAUGH
Friday, February 02, 2007
Gays depicted in the media are usually shown populating traditional gay meccas—San Francisco, New York City and Los Angeles—meaning that popular entertainment does not accurately represent the lives of many gay Americans. The following selection of fiction and non-fiction books explores the lives of gay people all across America—from Midwestern farms to tiny Southern towns, where gay lovin’ is served up with a side of grits.
All She Wanted (Boys Don’t Cry) by Aphrodite Jones.
Before the movie, there was the book, describing the true story of Teena Brandon, a 21-year-old who reversed her names and moved to Falls City, Neb., on the run from both her family and the law (for forging checks). Though Brandon passed as a man, when he began dating Lana Tisdel, his sexual identity was revealed, and he was found shot to death in an isolated farmhouse. Jones talked to Brandon’s ex-girlfriends and family and the accused murderers to create a portrait of Brandon Teena’s life.
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café
By Fannie Flagg. “Tomatoes” is the story of women’s lives spanning the 20th century, beginning with gray-haired Cleo who tells the story of her life to middle-aged Evelyn during the ’80s. Cleo’s memories focus on the story of two women living during the ’30s—tomboy Idgie and her friend Ruth, who ran a small café in Alabama. Though not explicitly lesbian, Idgie and Ruth’s relationship is one of love and affection, and both the book and the 1992 film are considered gay-friendly.
Farm Boys: Lives of Gay Men from the Rural Midwest edited by Will Fellows.
“Farm Boys” collects the stories of more than 30 gay men who grew up on farms in the Midwest. The men recall the confining boyhood experiences of rural life—including isolation, rigid gender roles and religious conservatism—while also speaking of their love for farming and their strong ties to community.
Rubyfruit Jungle
by Rita Mae Brown In Brown’s seminal lesbian novel, a southern couple adopts Molly Bolt, a feisty girl who beats up the boys and realizes that she’s a lesbian. Molly’s sexual liberation earns her the scorn of the world, and she is kicked out of college for immorality. She moves to New York, where she turns the heads of female admirers with her beauty, wit and determination.
My Lives: An Autobiography by Edmund White.
This autobiography about growing up gay in Middle America is a humorous account of an era when psychotherapy was an effort to “cure” homosexuality. White begins with his adolescence in the ’50s, tracing his sexual experiences, therapy sessions and personal relationships up until the present. He has arranged his memoir by topic rather than chronology, and chapters include “My Shrinks,” “My Blonds” and “My Hustlers.”
Mama’s Boy, Preacher’s Son: A Memoir of Becoming a Man by Kevin Jennings.
This carefully crafted memoir chronicles the experiences of growing up gay and poor in the South and details how Jennings found solace in academia. However, when he began his career as a teacher, he went back into the closet and witnessed other teachers and students struggling with their sexual orientations. Jennings’ second coming out was more complicated, but this time it resulted in the formation of GLSEN, a national education organization that ensures that youth learn to respect everyone regardless of sexual orientation.
|
