Description
Book SynopsisThis book is a valuable resource that combines autobiographical sources, personal interviews, and questions for reflection to explore issues relevant to everyone's sexual orientation and gender status, be they heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or intersexual. Its readily accessible format assists individuals, study groups, civic groups, spiritual groups, or congregations create an open forum for the discussion of sexuality. It is helpful for personal journaling and sharing with relatives and friends, and is also very useful as a college text, therapy supplement, and as a catalyst for group discussions regarding gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues; gay rights; the coming-out process; and gay marriage.Trade ReviewSilent Lives is a graphic and accurate description of the high costs of the closet, not just to individuals but to society, written by a human rights activist who knows what she's talking about. Frequently posed, thought-provoking questions make this book appropriate for group discussion. I highly recommend it for people who sincerely want to know what they can do to further the cause of justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gender, and intersexual people. -- Virginia Ramey Mollenkott Ph.D, co-author of Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?: A Positive Christian Response, author of Sensuous Spirituality: Out from Fundamenta
Inspiring, Hopeful and Affirming! Silent Lives stands as a beacon of light for the healing of our larger humanity. -- Jean E. Balestrery, Social Worker * Amazon.Com *
Sara Boesser graphically illustrates the high price GLBT people, their families, and society pay for the silence of the closet. Sara's personal anecdotes, exercises for reflection and group discussion, and tips for coming out can help families break the silence that hurts everyone. -- http://cflag.dioceseny.org
[Silent Lives is a] . . . stunning new book! It's beautifully crafted and keenly argued. -- Rev. Bennet Sims, former Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta
This is a book that can be used by religious, educational, and civic groups. Acknowledging her appreciation for the work of Virginia Ramey Mollenkott and Letha Dawson Scanzoni in Is the Homosexual My Neighbor?, Boesser integrates religious issues into this work but does not focus on them. Thus this work brings forward fresh questions and positive points that can be raised in a variety of social and civic arenas where human rights issues remain to be resolved. Silent Lives: How High a Price? is a new approach and very helpful addition to the national dialog concerning human sexuality. -- Nancy A. Hardesty, Clemson University
Accessible, informative, and practical, long-time activist Sara Boesser has done her part here in bravely helping to shed light on how the pressure to pass as heterosexual in order to achieve safety and acceptance impacts individuals, institutions, and society. Part autobiography, part interviews, part workbook, Boesser succeeds in peeling away the silences-layer by layer-until we are left with a sense of what things could be like if we would only value, rather than devalue, each other in all of our differences. -- Andrew R. Gottlieb Ph.D
Readers not well informed about GLBT will find…[Silent Lives]…to be as inspiring as the author intended. This book would be a good choice for the general public…including parents, friends, relatives, coworkers, educators, and social service personnel / practitioners…as an excellent example of the discourse about the coming-out process. -- Rujira Rojjanaprapayon Ph.D, University of Minnesota, Morris * The Journal Of Glbt Family Studies *
Sara Boesser has written a radiantly beautiful book that asks us to consider the profound spiritual, emotional and social costs of silence and of "passing", both for those whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual, and for those who are. -- Jampa Naphtali Williams * Jampasong: A Journal Of Witness *
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Acknowledgments Chapter 3 Introduction to the Author Chapter 4 Part One: The Personal Price of Silence: What Are the Personal Costs for Individuals Who Pass as Heterosexual?: Secret Lives: The Veil of Silence; What is the Price for Children Who Realize They Are "Different"?; What is Passing's Price as Individua Chapter 5 Part Two: The Fabric of Our Lives: What Are the Costs to Society?: What Are the Ripple Effects When People Pass? How do the Societal Pressures that Demand Passing Hurt Everyone? Chapter 6 Conclusion: Silent No More: The Personal; The Political; Beyond Silence; Everyone Can Come Out, A-Z Chapter 7 Contact Information: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG); Bisexual Resource Center; Transgender: The International Foundation for Gender Education(IFGE); Intersex Society of North American (ISNA); Straight Spouse Network (SSN) Chapter 8 Endnotes Chapter 9 Reference Chapter 10 Index Chapter 11 About the Author
