Growing Up Gay: The Sorrows and Joys of Gay and Lesbian Adolescence [Paperback]

Rita Reed (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1997

Rita Reed, out of a concern over the high rate of suicide among gay and lesbian teens, and convinced that the stories of Amy and Jamie will make others feel less isolated, gained the trust of these two young people and was allowed into their developing lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Surprising as it may seem, there has not been a book of portraits of gay and lesbian young people. Now there are two. As a young gay man, photographer Mastoon writes, "without external reflections to validate my internal experience I felt alienated and alone." Seeking to rectify that situation, he offers handsome duotone portraits of 40 gay, lesbian, and bisexual young people juxtaposed with their own one-page personal statements. The self-confident faces and poignant voices of these courageous young Anglo, Asian, Latino, and African Americans make an important and powerful statement, offsetting appalling statistics of self-destructive behavior. Growing Up Gay takes a slightly different approach by focusing on two young people, Amy Grahn and Jamie Nabozny. Stepping "into the stream of their lives," Minneapolis Star Tribune staff photographer Reed creates a series of intimate pictures documenting these teenagers as they experience the joys of first love and the pain of rejection, face challenges, and reveal insecurities, knowing that they both have their families' love and respect. Both books offer resource listings of readings, organizations, telephone hot lines, and web sites, joining such valuable titles as Ellen Bass and Kate Kaufman's Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth?and Their Allies (HarperPerennial, 1996) to help counter the lack of attention to our most precious resource?today's imperiled youth.?James E. Van Buskirk, San Francisco P.L.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Rita Reed is a staff photographer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where some of the photographs from this book were originally published.

Product Details

• Paperback: 143 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1st Edition/1st Printing edition (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393316599
• ISBN-13: 978-0393316599
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,680,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Heart Goes Out To All Gay and Lesbian Teenagers!, January 28, 2001

By 

"pollo3" (Minnestota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Growing Up Gay: The Sorrows and Joys of Gay and Lesbian Adolescence (Hardcover)

What these two had to go through just to grow up..makes a person wonder how parents are raising their children today! We need to remember that these could be our children...you just never know. We need to raise our children to have respect for everyone no matter their color...religion...or sexual preference. I personally wouldn't want my child to go through what these two went through just to grow up!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The photographs and text are beautiful and honest., January 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Growing Up Gay: The Sorrows and Joys of Gay and Lesbian Adolescence (Paperback)

I personally think this is a brilliant book. It's extremely well presented; it's a beautiful book to hold and to look at, with its black and white photographs and text. It's so different from most books, which are just page after page of heavy text.

The book describes the life and progress of two young people in the US -- one male and one female -- who deal with their sexuality, and the hostility they face from their families, schools and friends. It's open, honest and direct.