Customer Reviews

Understanding Homosexuality, Changing Schools

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This book is a must read for everyone concerned with the issues of gay youths in our families, schools and communities. It is very well researched and documented, with hundreds of footnotes and references, by a person who is three ways qualified: he is gay, he was a public high school teacher for 20 years, and he has been a scholar at Harvard for several years. Despite being scholarly, it is highly readable, with many quotations and examples. I especially appreciate its quiet, thoughtful, judicious tone even though it is about a highly emotional and controversial set of issues.

Lipkin's book should be read by all gay young people and their parents, by friends and neighbors, and by teachers and administrators and others who set policy for and provide guidance for our young people, both gay and straight. Yes, it is expensive (the paperback version was announced long ago but is nowhere in sight, so don't wait for it). But it is really inexpensive if it leads to one less teen suicide or murder, or to a reduction in gay bashing incidents and personal misery. If you cannot afford it for yourself, get your library to buy it, read it, and then tell others in your community about it.