Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America (Hardcover)

by Mitchell Gold (Author), Mindy Drucker (Author)
Key Phrases: young gay people, gay kids, Religious Discrimination, The Trevor Project, New Creation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A mental health crisis faces American teens right now--and it is one we can solve. Hundreds of thousands of gay teens face traumatic depression, fear, rejection, persecution, and isolation--usually alone. Studies show they are 190 percent more likely to used drugs or alcohol and four times more likely to attempt suicide. Homophobia and discrimination are at the heart of their pain. Love, support, and acceptance--all within our power to give--can save them.

This book is for: clergy, parents, educators, and politicians who cause harm with their words and actions; parents of gay teens; teens navigating this difficult time; and fair-minded people who want to help end the harm. Here are revealing stories by forty diverse Americans, some well known and some not, plus insights from straight clergy and parents explaining their support of gay people as whole human beings guaranteed equal rights by our Constitution.

About the Author
In 1989, Mitchell Gold and his business partner created a residential furniture manufacturing company called Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, in Taylorsville, North Carolina. Just nine years later, Inc. magazine positioned the company at number 57 on its list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies. Gold has a long history of supporting grassroots and national nonprofits including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Leukemia Society, Human Rights Campaign, Empire State Pride Agenda, Design Industries Foundation for AIDS, Friend in Deed, and AIDS Leadership Foothills-Area Alliance. In April 2005, Inc. magazine named him one of the twenty-six "Entrepreneurs We Love." Today the company is a $100M home-furnishings brand known for comfort; it employs more than 750 people and features its own on-site education-based daycare center. Gold is also the founder of nonprofit group Faith in America.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group, LLC; illustrated edition edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929774109
• ISBN-13: 978-1929774104
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #47,391 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #2 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Special Groups > Gay Men
  #19 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Special Groups > Lesbian Studies
  #22 in	Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pick up a few copies of CRISIS to share -, September 22, 2008

By	Lisa Witkowski (Atlantic City, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a Director of Human Resources in the not-for-profit sector, I would recommend CRISIS for every parent, educator, employer and worker in the human services profession.

It is our responsibility to learn and do more to teach one another and educate our next generation about the vocabulary of diversity, respect and inclusion. Our goal is to eliminate future shameful examples of discrimination, harassment and bias. As a friend says - "CEO means, 'Chief Example Officer'." An interesting and important concept.

Are you able to examine your organizations "best practices" and say out loud, "I have no shame"?

A well-informed commitment to change the barriers (or differences) which exist for our LGBT citizens is needed to end this prejudice worldwide.

This change is woefully overdue.

Put down the notion you cannot influence significant change, and pick up a few copies of CRISIS to share.

Lisa Witkowski, SPHR
Director of Human Resources
Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking the Silent Pain, September 20, 2008

By	Rita L. Carey (Fairfax, VA USA) - See all my reviews

WOW! POWERFUL! This books time has come and should have been done years ago - This book should be read so you can understand your friend, your child, your grandchild - understand the pain they experience every day because they feel they cannot be themselves in your friendship and love for fear of losing you in their lives - losing your love - fear of losing their jobs - fear of not having a relationship with God - As a parent and friend you need to read this book and share it with all that you love so we can give people their lives back to them and let them feel whole - All people - especially children should not have to live with the sense of losing your love for being themselves. Fear breeds hate so do your part to stop spreading hate and fear - these 40 stories written by young people, adults, parents - straight and gay will help you understand more about how your actions affect those you love.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raising the Curtain on Growing Up Gay, September 23, 2008

By	Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Gold, Mitchell, editor with Mandy Drucker. "Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America", Greenleaf Book Group, 2008.

Raising the Curtain on Growing Up Gay

Amos Lassen

This is the book that many have waited for because we are in desperate need of ways to save our gay teens who suffer from depression, rejection, isolation, persecution and just plain fear. They often have nowhere to turn and no one to talk to. A large percentage of them turn to drugs and alcohol and some lean toward suicide. We know the causes---discrimination, bullying and homophobia (from their families and their peers) and these kids (as well as many adults) suffer great pain. We need to find ways t give them the love and support that they need.
"Crisis" was written as an effort to help and is directed at those who cause harm to our youth and is a wonderful aid for clergy, parents and teachers and counselors who have no idea to deal with the issues. Forty diverse stories gave us a background. We learn the problems that many had accepting themselves and we have looks at what parents and straight clergy have to say by offering support and looking at gay people for what they are--human beings who are guaranteed equal rights but may not get them because they are guilty of loving people of the same sex as they are.
As people it is our responsibility to learn about gay people, teach one another what we know and make sure that the next generation understands the meaning of diversity and difference in order that the future generations will not have to face the problems that others have felt. If we commit ourselves to changing the way things are, it is our duty to rid the world of prejudice.
It's a pity that we have not always has this book because if we had, many would have understood the pain that is felt by our GLBT youth. We know that many feel that they are not worthy of our love because they are afraid of rejection. They want to be able to hold jobs, to love, to practice their faith. We need to give them the love they need as parents and allies so that they can feel complete and not alone. This book is a way to start. Some of the stories will break your heart and others will shine a light on you. If you are interested in saving children and if you buy no other book this year, this is the one that should be in your personal library.