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gothamballer39's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
This book felt like a fun conversation with a good friend; funny, heartfelt, serious at times, profound and inspriing. A good reminder of the humanity throughout this country and how we're not as divided as the click bait articles and politicians want us to think we are. Also a good reminder to not be complacent and to continue fighting to make a more equal world for everyone, regardless of where we call home.
torabella216's review against another edition
5.0
I wish I could force several elite gays and coastal progressives to read this book.
abarnhart's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
emceeee's review against another edition
4.0
real queer america is a lovely, informative, heartwarming tour through lgbtq+ communities in various red states. samantha allen intertwines her own story, of growing up as a closeted trans woman in a mormon family in utah, and later coming out and attending graduate school in georgia and doing research in indiana, with the stories of the queer & trans friends, old and new, she makes in the red states she roadtrips across. she tells all of their stories, and the stories of their communities, so lovingly.
the downside of the whirlwind roadtrip approach is that some of the people she comes across aren't highlighted quite as much as they might deserve, but i think that's a worthwhile tradeoff for the expansive nature of this book—part of its beauty is in showing that these communities aren't anomalies, but rather exist everywhere, no matter how liberal or conservative we might conceive of an area as being, and proving that point necessarily entails touring lots of states and interviewing lots of people.
i'm so glad allen wrote this book. lgbtq+ communities in america are so often associated with blue cities—new york and san francisco foremost among them—and that does a real disservice to the hard work that the people who stay in their red states do every day to make those states better for their communities. i'm so glad i know a little more about those amazing people & their communities now.
the downside of the whirlwind roadtrip approach is that some of the people she comes across aren't highlighted quite as much as they might deserve, but i think that's a worthwhile tradeoff for the expansive nature of this book—part of its beauty is in showing that these communities aren't anomalies, but rather exist everywhere, no matter how liberal or conservative we might conceive of an area as being, and proving that point necessarily entails touring lots of states and interviewing lots of people.
i'm so glad allen wrote this book. lgbtq+ communities in america are so often associated with blue cities—new york and san francisco foremost among them—and that does a real disservice to the hard work that the people who stay in their red states do every day to make those states better for their communities. i'm so glad i know a little more about those amazing people & their communities now.
egexe's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Really a wonderful collection of stories around the US, about a journey of healing and understanding what brings the LGBTQ community together, where and why it's integral to our existence no matter where we are
go2hellstephanie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
This was a really hopeful book. A lot of queer literature and history focuses on the common places--NYC, San Francisco, and other northern cities--but there are queer people everywhere. And I loved Allen's focus on the southern and red state queer lives.
While written in 2017, this book was still very hopeful. Times are changing, and sometimes, they're for good.
While written in 2017, this book was still very hopeful. Times are changing, and sometimes, they're for good.
pitchafitz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0