Outing Yourself: How to Come Out As Lesbian or Gay to Your Family, Friends, and Coworkers [Hardcover]

Michelangelo Signorile (Author), Betty Berzon (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 23, 1995

From the author of Queer in America comes a complete, step-by-step guide to coming out of the closet--the first coming-out guide to the '90s. Signorile's pull-no-punches style gives this book a Susan Powter-ish Stop the Insanity! approach to a difficult and often mishandled experience.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though some might look askance at the publication of yet another self-help book, this title makes a significant contribution to an area of human relations that is rife with misunderstanding. It is filled with testimonials from people still in the closet, from those out and proud and from those in between?all of whom speak eloquently of the rigors and joys of the ongoing process of coming out. The author?Out magazine columnist and gadfly to homophobic politicians across the country?at first might seem an unlikely source for the soothing 14-step program laid out in these pages. That program takes the reader from self-identification and self-acceptance through a set of simple, some would say simplistic, exercises, laying the foundation for the more difficult process of coming out to one's family, friends and colleagues. Perhaps the specifics of the exercises are less significant than their underlying assertion of the dignity of gays and lesbians?and of the dangerous self-loathing that, as much as American society's ignorance, keeps people in the closet. The message throughout is that homosexuality is not a disease, but homophobia is.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Controversial journalist Signorile offers a perceptive, practical self-help book on the lifelong process of coming out.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 172 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st edition (May 23, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679438386
• ISBN-13: 978-0679438380
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,507,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gay? Read it. Straight? Give it!, April 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Outing Yourself: How to Come Out as Lesbian or Gay to Your Family, Friends, and Coworkers (Paperback)

When I began coming out, I ended up with two copies of this book--the first two people I came out to gave me copies of this book, and both were straight. If you are straight and someone gay comes out to you early on in their coming-out process and you want to show them that you support them--this is a great book to give. And if you are gay and want helpful, level-headed advice about how and when to come out--this is a great book to get before you begin. Some key things I hadn't realized in coming out that this book touches on, for instance, is that the order you come out to your straight friends matters. Who knew? It's chock full of little tidbits of things you probably never thought about--and viewpoints on things you probably have thought about. All in all, this should be the first title in your gay or lesbian library. I can't tell you how much it helped me.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Coming Out Help, February 18, 2002

By 

DJS (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outing Yourself: How to Come Out as Lesbian or Gay to Your Family, Friends, and Coworkers (Paperback)

I recently accepted to myself that yes, I am Gay. My family and most of my friends do not know about me being gay. Many of whom I already think they suspect me of being gay but do not say anything.
I used to be confused about myself and thought that I am bi-sexual. But now I know that it is not the true me. Sure I like to be with girls and hangout but sexually I prefer to be with another man. That being said I will give my thoughts on this wonderful book.

This is the first book that I bought about coming out. This book not only breaks down steps in how to come out but it gives real life examples from other people's coming out stories.
The pace of the book is set at your pace. You continue through the chapters as you progress in your coming out.
Not only does this book answer questions that you might have it also answers questions that your friends and family might have and how to deal with them.
I can say this book is very helpful in understanding not only yourself, but your family, friends, and the gay community.
This book is not only for you, but for everyone in your life.
Though I am not out of the closet to those very close to me, I have made steps in coming out thanks to this book.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Coming Out Reference, But Formulate Your Own Strategy, August 22, 2000

By 

Donnie Smith (Tuscaloosa, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outing Yourself: How to Come Out as Lesbian or Gay to Your Family, Friends, and Coworkers (Paperback)

I found this book to be a veritable Bible of Coming out. When the best time to do it is, how to establish a network of friends as a new "family", etc. But my one caveat for anyone dealing with their own sexuality would be to take all the advice you can stomach, and then formulate your own strategy for coming out. This book, while extremely valuable, is NOT a book of rules - merely suggestions. All of the books on this topic I have read seem to all have the same errored thought process - that just because you are gay, that you have to become an activist. It is important that you come to terms with your sexuality and share or don't share it with your loved ones and coworkers, but I think this book's approach of "coming out every day" may be quite intimidating for any person struggling to come out. You don't have to join GLAAD or march in any parades.