Hear Me Out

by Planned Parenthood of Toronto, Teens Educating and Confronting Homophob

More and more gay teens are speaking out about the realization of their sexuality, and about the consequences-the reactions of friends and families, schoolmates and society in general. These heartfelt memoirs, originally presented orally in schools, speak poignantly about the lives of young gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and transsexual people today.

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Queer, Sexuality

Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Lindsay Gassmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so I finished reading this book in like two days. It was an amazing book. I think you should read it whether your gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, or tanssexual because it will help you understand what LGBTQ people go through and maybe it will change your opinion about them.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Hear Me Out, LGBTQ teens members and young adult alums of Planned Parenthood of Toronto's Teens Educating And Confronting Homophobia (T.E.A.C.H.) share their first-person accounts of coming out and growing up LGBTQ. Contributors discuss reconciling LGBTQ identity with cultural identity, dealing with rejection from their families and many other issues LGBTQ teens deal with every day and many more LGBTQ teens fear they will have to go through if they come out. The stories are honest and deal with a wide range of topics. The thing I most appreciated about this book, however, was the diversity of its contributors and their stories. While many similar anthologies frame LGBTQ identity in a fairly homogenous way, focusing on the experiences of white, middle class, American, gay and lesbian individuals, Hear Me Out places a specific focus on LGBTQ individuals from more diverse backgrounds. At least half of the contributors of this book self-identify as people of color, many contributors are immigrants, come from diverse religious backgrounds and come from working class families, and there are contributors from across the LGBTQ spectrum, including transgender, genderqueer, queer and bisexual contributors, generally left out of books like this. These contributors discuss how their LGBTQ identities intersect with their other identities and experiences. The well-written and compelling stories included in this book combined with its relatable focus on diversity among LGBTQ young people make it an important addition to any library's teen non-fiction section.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compilation of first-person accounts of young people who have come out to family and friends. The stories are real, and very personal. Each essay discusses the writer's personal struggle with their sexual identity, and how they overcame their fears to come out to their families. Some stories are really painful and deal with tough issues like drug use and depression. While the subject matter is very sensitive, this book would be a great resource and teaching tool for gay teenagers.

[Ty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the piece based on the most frequent question heard by a trans man after telling his story: what's your birthname? (or variations thereof)

During a workshop TEACH has a standard way of hangling that question but the piece is about everything the people asking aren't saying and the retorks to their real sentiment.

I love everyone else's piece in the book as well.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this book for work because my boss needed to know if it was appropriate to use at conferences and things like that. Needless to say I thought spending a day reading was a pretty sweet deal, and luckily the book was in fact very good.

What I liked about all of the stories in this collection is how easy it is to relate to them. I've never had to deal with coming out to my parents or being turned down by someone of the same sex, but I have had to talk to my parents about uncomfortable things and I know how much it hurts to be rejected by someone you really like. So I can't even imagine how much worse it must be like to have to be frightened and gay or trans and have to deal with it. I could relate as a human being and as someone who considers themselves ally.

The stories were sad, funny, touching, uplifting, empowering and above all thought provoking.

[Pauline Rouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll wait and pray for the day when society can fully accept people from all different sexual orientations. LGBT!(:

[Miriasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing insight into the lives of queer youth in Toronto, and it really helped me understand my own experiences more.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

nonfiction