Description
Book SynopsisIt started as a class projecta young, married, small-town white woman interviewing a gay acquaintance and his circle of friends. From this developed a three-year exploration of the complexities of carrying on gay-straight friendships. This reflexive, thoughtful, and compellingly written study moves from gay bars to softball leagues to visits with families and friends, both gay and straight. During its course, the author develops a growing understanding of the differences between the two communities, the difficulties of developing bonds across groups, and the inherent rewards of seeking (and being) the Other in contemporary society. She explores sexuality, marriage, lifestyles, and the meanings of friendship, culminating in a boisterous dissertation defense attended by her new community of friends. As a study of a gay community, a narrative of personal development and change, and an exploration of the use of friendship in conducting research that transforms both participants and researc
Trade ReviewA resource to some family or friends who are just coming to terms with their son as part of the gay community, or may be a guide to someone who wants to learn how to be a better straight ally. * Pflagpole *
A lively first-person account of her experiences, her husband's and their gay, lesbian and straight friends. -- Richard Ousky * The Graphic, Lake City, Mn *
[This] compelling story... started out as a class project—studying a community of gay men living in Tampa—and ended up a narrative of personal experience, friendship and growth. -- Samantha Puckett * St. Petersburg Times *
The study itself is challenging in that it does not merely involve choosing an object and then "studying" it, but takes friendship as its guiding framework....it does discuss a particular community and a particular woman's responses to it. The is not an attempt at generalizing in the way that readers might expect of more typical research. The book does not deal with political issues, but stays with the personal and interpersonal, wherein lies its strengths. -- Sarah Redshaw, Centre for Cultural Research, Univ of Western Sydney * Forum: Qualitative Social Research, Vol 3.4 (November 2002) *
Tillmann-Healy has written an easy-to-read narrative study that all began when [her husband] Doug started playing softball with a queer friend from work. Clear, compelling and vunerable, this book offers a real-life look at the tests, triumphs and ramifications of friendships between homos and heteros. -- Aaron Hartzler * Instinct *
