Positive View of LGBTQ

Ellen D.B. Riggle is professor of gender and women's studies and political science at the University of Kentucky. She is co-founder of PrismResearch.org, a research group and website focused on issues impacting the wellbeing of LGBTQ individuals and same-sex couples. Her articles have appeared in leading professional journals and she is coeditor of Sexual Identity in the Workplace: Issues and Services and Gays and Lesbians in the Democratic Process: Public Policy, Political Representation and Public Opinion.Sharon S. Rostosky is a licensed psychologist and a professor of counseling psychology at the University of Kentucky. She is co-founder of PrismResearch.org. She has published over 50 academic journal articles and book chapters, including many that focus on the wellbeing of LGBTQ individuals, same-sex couples, and their families. In 2010, she was the recipient of the Society of Counseling Psychology's Social Justice Award.The authors maintain a website at www.PrismResearch.org

• Acknowledgments 1. An Introduction “There are so many positive things about my identity.” Asking an Important Question Multiple Identities and Labels Minority Stress, Coping, and ResilienceSocial Context of Minority StressA Meaningful Life Overview of the Book 2. Authenticity “I can be myself and be more authentic with others.” Discovering Our Authentic SelfLiving an Authentic Life Our Authentic Style Congruent Identity A Caution My Inheritance: 34-Year-Old Gay Man from Indiana Exercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 3. Self-Awareness, Personal Insight, and Growth “Deepening my insight into myself has led to positivedevelopments in my life.” Self-Awareness Personal Insight Personal Growth Questioning Assumptions (and Authority) Spiritual Growth What Is Right for Me? 35-year-old “Transsexual Transman” from EnglandExercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 4. Freedom to Create New Rules “I live beyond the binaries.”Breaking the Rules and Creating New Ones Queering the Rules New Relationship Scripts The Positive “No Label” An Open Identity: 25-Year-Old “Queer Bisexual” from New Jersey Exercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 5. Stronger Emotional Connections with Others “Sharing my true self brings me closer to the people I love.” Sharing Brings Us Closer Connecting with Others Family of Origin Positive Relationships with Our Kids Chosen Family Familiarity with My Partner Investing in Relationships: 49-year-old “Transsexual” from California, Married for 16 Years Exercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 6. Freedom to Explore Relationships and Sexuality “I can love who I want and create a satisfying relationship.” New Relationship Rules A New Family Style Equal Partners Exploring Sexual Expression Same-Sex (Same-Gender) Sexual Understanding Attraction to the Person Opportunity to Explore: 45-year-old Bisexual from Pennsylvania Exercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 7. Compassion and Empathy “If I had turned out straight, I doubt I would be the compassionate person I am today.” Shared Experiences with Prejudice Gay Men Understanding Their Privilege A Unique Perspective Open to the Experiences of Others My Eyes Opened: 60-Year-Old White, Southern, Gay Man from Virginia Exercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 8. Mentors, Role Models, and Activists “I want to go beyond myself and make a difference.” Mentoring and Being a Role ModelThe Model Couple (Modeling Relationships) Activists for LGBTQ Rights Social Justice for All A Mentor and a Role Model: 55-Year-Old Lesbian from ArizonaExercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 9. Belonging to an LGBTQ Community “It’s a great community to be a part of.” Support and Social NetworksFive Different Communities to Choose From Finding Strength in a Diverse Community One Big Family: 50-year-old “Lesbian, Queer, Dyke” Living in Illinois Exercises and Activities for Reflection and Practice 10. A Positive View “This is a very positive part of who I am.” A Queer Sense of Humor A Sense of Optimism Many Cultures and Multiple Identities Final Thoughts Notes Suggested ResourcesReferences IndexAbout the Authors

A standout in a sea of polemical studies, this title combines personal accounts, critical psychology, and counseling models to develop a positive, benefits-based analysis of gay culture. Riggle (gender & women’s studies, political science, Univ. of Kentucky) and Rostosky (psychology, Univ. of Kentucky) surveyed over 1000 LGBTQ-identified people across the United States (as well as some in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand) to develop a narrative picture reinforcing the positive aspects of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, or queer. Organized into eight themes, this book uses personal anecdotes and quotations to convey, among other things, what it might look like to live an authentic LGBTQ life, maintain healthy relationships, live as a model for others, work for change, and identify in solidarity with the larger queer community. Accompanying each theme is a brief, scholarly summary of the topic, along with reflections and exercises for the reader. VERDICT A welcome tonal change in queer literature, this is useful for those not only just coming out but also who have been out for a long time and need support in finding positive meaning in their lives.