Choice Review
This reference work answers 49 questions related to common misconceptions about members and supporters of the LGBTQ community. Authors Michelson (Menlo College) and Harrison (Carleton College), who previously coauthored Transforming Prejudice: Identity, Fear, and Transgender Rights (CH, Aug'21, 58-3670), team up again to explain what being LGBTQ means. They leave no stone unturned. Formatted as a Q and A, the book is organized thematically with chapters considering the origins of the LGBTQ movement, political and legal history, sexual orientation, gender identity, and health-related issues, among other topics. The text addresses everything from using gender-neutral pronouns to the discrimination LGBTQ people continue to face today through clear and unbiased answers to common questions. With credible sources and easy-to-understand definitions, this book debunks common myths and long-held misconceptions that have perpetuated both fear and misunderstanding of the LGBTQ community in American society. Answers are detailed and evidence-based, and the writing style and tone create an inviting, accessible read for a general audience seeking answers to questions about LGBTQ people or to gain a deeper understanding of this community's experiences. Given the current sociopolitical climate, this reference provides much-needed information on the challenges the LGBTQ community faces today. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. --Hali J Black, University of Southern Mississippi
Library Journal Review
Michelson (political science, Menlo Coll., CA) and Harrison (Humphrey Sch. of Public Affairs, Univ. of Minnesota)--the co-authors of 2020's Transforming Prejudice: Identity, Fear, and Transgender Rights--ask and answer 49 questions across seven chapters on the myths, misconceptions, and misinformation about LGBTQ people in the United States. They explain and describe what it means to be LGBTQ, what the different segments of the LGBTQ community have in common and how they differ, how societal and cultural expectations place an undue burden on LGTBQ people, and the ways in which the movement for LGBTQ rights continues. Each chapter begins with a question, followed by a brief response, several pages of in-depth discussion explaining the answer, and a concluding further reading section. The topics are thought-provoking and wide-ranging, addressing everything from the changing meaning of the word queer to the differences between sexual orientation and gender identity, origins of the LGBTQ movement, types of discrimination against LGBTQ people, and the intersection of race and sexuality. The authors are exceedingly knowledgeable, and their answers are detailed, quantifiable, and evidence based. Equally important, they write in an evenhanded and inviting tone, expertly providing their core audience of high school and undergraduate students and general readers a much deeper understanding of the topic. VERDICT Accurately describes the diversity, challenges, and needs of LGBTQ Americans while at the same time dispelling false, misleading, and long-held misperceptions in an unbiased, fact-based, and engaging style.--Rob Tench