HEAR US OUT!
Lesbian and Gay Stories of Struggle, Progress, and Hope, 1950s to the Present
by Nancy Garden
Garden, the author of the GLBT teen classic Annie On My Mind (1982), offers this chronological collection of essays and stories. There are two stories taking place in each decade from the 1950s to the 2000s. Each duo of stories is accompanied by an essay highlighting setbacks and strides forward within the GLBT community and in its quest for equal rights. The essays include specific names, cases and dates; unfortunately, however, there is no index. Some of the stories center on big political issues of the decade; in the ’70s, Catholic teen Teresa feels she’s crazy until she hears on the news that the APA has taken homosexuality off its list of mental disorders. Others focus on more personal issues; in the ’80s, Josh and Frank lose an adult friend to AIDS. The stories are, in most instances, more vignettes than full-fledged narratives. The characters often lack background, and some of the scenarios are one note. Nonetheless, GLBT teens will find themselves in this important collection and likely come to appreciate the roots of their Pride all the more. (Fiction. YA)