Great LGBTQ+ Speeches: Empowering Voices That Engage And Inspire

by Tea Uglow, Peter Tatchell (Foreword), Jack Holland (Illustrator)

Discover the inspiring voices that have changed our world, and started a new conversation.
 
A sister title to Great Women’s Speeches (2021), and the pocket edition of  Loud and Proud  (2020), Great LGBTQ+ Speeches is a pioneering collection of over 40 empowering and influential speeches that chart the history of the LGBTQ+ movement.

Photocollage portraits and enlightening commentaries accompany the words of Audre Lorde, Harvey Milk, Munroe Bergdorf, Sir Elton John and more. Together these speakers touch on all aspects of LGBTQ+ life from equal marriage to the AIDS crisis, bullying to parenthood, the first 19th century campaigns through to trans rights allyship today.

We are stronger when we stand together, and this collection from award-winning activist Tea Uglow encourages us to do just that whilst celebrating the beauty of our differences.
 Pour through a pioneering collection of talks, declarations and lectures, from people whose voices have too often been marginalised and the allies that support them; Find over 40 empowering and influential speeches that chart the history of the LGBTQ+ movement up to the present day; Each speech is presented with a striking photographic portrait and an insightful introduction, offering essential context, fresh insights and a nuanced understanding that brings each character and their words to life. 
The Audre Lorde; Harvey Milk; Munroe Bergdorf; Sir Elton John; Sir Ian McKellen; George Takei; Sylvia Rivera; Bayard Rustin; Elizabeth Toledo; Alison Bechdel; Loretta E. Lynch; Hanne Gaby Odiele; Vito Russo; Tammy Baldwin; Hillary Rodham Clinton; Barak Obama; Senator Karl Heinrich Ulrichs; Robert G. Ingersoll; Theodora Ana Sprungli; Franklin "Frank" Kameny; Sally Gearhart; Harry Hay; Sue Hyde; Mary Fisher; Essex Hemphill; Simon Nkoli; Urvashi Vaid; Eric Rofes; Justice Michael Kirby; Evan Wolfson; Paul Martin; Ian Hunter; Dan Savage and Terry Miller; Rabbi Kleinbaum; Penny Wong; Arsham Parsi; Anna Grodzka; Debi Jackson; Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir; Lee Mokobe; Ban Ki-moon; Geraldine Roman; Cecilia Chung; Olly Alexander.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Queer, History, Politics, Sexuality

176 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[Lizzie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Thanks so much to NetGalley, Tea Uglow, and White Lion Publishing for this ARC! Great LGBTQ + Speeches: Empowering Voices That Engage and Inspire is out now! **

I really enjoyed this collection of speeches about LGBTQ rights. Ranging over decades and countries, the speeches were by LGBTQ folks and our allies. I am a woman who will be marrying a same-sex partner in less than two weeks (!!) and it was fascinating and moving to reflect on how far we have come, and at what cost.

Highly recommended :)

[fer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gostei porem teve algumas pessoas que colocaram aqui que achei meio forçaçao de barra tipo obama e hillary clinton. Tambem é bem focado em politicos e tal, muitos estadunidenses, uns discursos bem "Temos que crescer como a naçao que sempre fomos e respeitar os lgbts" e bla bla bla. Me cansei um pouco dos politicos confesso kkkkkkkk mas fora isso gostei

[Leia Sedai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic primer for introducing anyone to figures in the pre-Stonewall and modern LGBTQIA+ emancipation movement. The speeches are powerful, succinct, and the art is gorgeous.

My only, very small nitpick, is how a few of the longer speeches were edited down to fit one page. In a few places it felt cut off as momentum was swelling to an emotional point or conclusion.

Overall, a beautifully designed book that reminds us of our history past & present.

**I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.**

[Bridget Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love love love this book. Highly recommend for anyone looking for the voices of queer folx or their allies, and to be reminded of the strength of the community. It only gets 4 stars since it really cuts down a lot of the speeches— it’s great to get a taste, and I suppose this book is made more for that than for a proper meal, but I felt like a lot was missing. It’s a good jumping off point for research or speeches, but it’s making me crave more complete speech anthologies— onto the next, I suppose.

[Annika Unterberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on the day of the Burlington, Vermont, Pride when we visited LGBTQ+ family friends. I mean, are there more perfect circumstances?

I then proceeded to read it right away during our holiday in Canada and its short chapters were ideal for the action packed week. The standouts though were definitely the speeches themselves: they are empowering, inspiring and the love and connection in the community itself is evident on every page.

How someone can still be against equality for every human being while reading these beautiful words is beyond me.

—> 4,5 stars

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certainly an eye and mind-opener - essential history - and reality for millions - not taught in schools.

[TammyJo Eckhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book whose title says it will include speeches, I was disappointed that some of these were pieces of speeches. I'm not really sure if it was the publisher, their editor, or the author who decided to cut down speeches or to not include those from the "More Voices to Inspire" list at the end. If the pages that often highlight a sentence or two of many of the speeches had been cut, fuller texts and more voice could have been included.

That said, the voices represented are a relatively inclusive group. Most are members of the LGBTQIA community though I don't recall any bisexual or asexual specific voices. Some allies who have grown beyond mere acceptance to active support are also included, but could they have been in the list at the end so that more LGBTQIA voices were added? I loved the drawings that were part of each entry as well as the short but important mini-biography which I often found as important and informative as the speeches themselves.

[Kevvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of Great LGBTQ+ Speeches: Empowering Voices That Engage And Inspire by Tea Uglow in exchange for an honest review.

As a self-proclaimed queer and drag historian, I love any opportunity to learn about queer history. When I saw Great LGBTQ+ Speeches on NetGalley two thoughts went through my mind: 1) that cover is spectacular, one that I would love to have on my shelves, and 2) this is exactly the kind of book I would love to read.

Great LGBTQ+ Speeches is a collection of abridged speeches on queer subjects. Each speech is preceded by a short bio of the speaker, as well as a gorgeous stylized photo. I loved the creative ways these greyscale photographs were filled with bursts of color. The formatting of this book is magnificent. It had me as interested in it visually as in its content.

I was thrilled to see that my favorite queer speech in history, Sylvia Rivera’s “Y’all Better Quiet Down,” was featured in this collection. It also had a powerful speech by gay Black poet Essex Hemphill, critiquing the white gay community’s fetishization of the gay Black man. Reading that speech motivated me to look up more of his work. Another quote I loved was from Vito Russo, who said, “living with AIDS is like living through a war which is happening only for those people who happen to be in the trenches.” The majority of figures and speeches in this collection were new to me, so I learned quite a lot from it!

One thing that felt a little strange to me was the presence of non-queer allies like Obama and Hilary being included in this collection. I recognize that the speeches they gave were momentous for mainstream discourse around queer people, but they themselves are not part of the community. Last few pages listed mini biographies of other historic queer figures who didn’t receive a full spread in the book. I really appreciated this section, but I also think a handful of these icons could have been featured in place of ally speeches.

Tea Uglow’s Great LGBTQ+ Speeches is an excellent, informative, and beautiful book, and one I would definitely recommend. Thank you NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group, and White Lion Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

[L.E. Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pioneering collection of over 40 empowering and influential speeches that chart the history of the LGBTQ+ movement, Great LGBTQ+ Speeches provides an excellent introduction to the history of the queer movement, charting the 19th century to contemporary issues. The essays are all short and accessible, with a nice introduction given to each individual. Mostly the text is US-centric, although there are some contributors from other countries e.g. the UK, South Africa, Germany, Canada, Australia, and Iceland. I particularly enjoyed the speeches by Harvey Milk and Ian McKellen, which felt incredibly contemporary considering they were delivered decades ago. There are also some speeches delivered by allies, mostly politicians, which I think is reassuring to see those in power who are fighting for this cause. Overall, a very good introduction that I would recommend to others.

The voices: Audre Lorde; Harvey Milk; Munroe Bergdorf; Sir Elton John; Sir Ian McKellen; George Takei; Sylvia Rivera; Bayard Rustin; Elizabeth Toledo; Alison Bechdel; Loretta E. Lynch; Hanne Gaby Odiele; Vito Russo; Tammy Baldwin; Hillary Rodham Clinton; Barak Obama; Senator Karl Heinrich Ulrichs; Robert G. Ingersoll; Theodora Ana Sprungli; Franklin "Frank" Kameny; Sally Gearhart; Harry Hay; Sue Hyde; Mary Fisher; Essex Hemphill; Simon Nkoli; Urvashi Vaid; Eric Rofes; Justice Michael Kirby; Evan Wolfson; Paul Martin; Ian Hunter; Dan Savage and Terry Miller; Rabbi Kleinbaum; Penny Wong; Arsham Parsi; Anna Grodzka; Debi Jackson; Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir; Lee Mokobe; Ban Ki-moon; Geraldine Roman; Cecilia Chung; Olly Alexander.

I am grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

[Juniper Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite new trends is seeing colorfully illustrated history books. It really makes everything more real, vibrant. Less “facts on a page”, more “oh shit this actually happened.”

These speeches really touched me. I’m getting ready for June, and nothing humbles you or makes you feel a part of a movement rather than reading about your queer elders at work. I loved reading their words. I think this book really honors them and their sacrifices.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so colorful you couldn’t help but pull your attention to the page. It had a lot of great excerpts from speeches from LGBTQ+ individuals but I wish it had the full ones. It was a great book though for those just starting to learn about queer history.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a copy of this book.

[Joshua Mogg · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOW IS THE TIME TO BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY QUEER !!! BE GAY AND BE LOUD ABOUT IT !!

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important and wonderful but only excerpts, and that meant they lacked a certain punch. This is more of a tour of a book, a little whirling piece that one could casually flip through--I would love to see another edition without the color and coffee-table feel (I don't actually know what this book looks like as I read an electronic version) so I can read the wholeness of these speeches.

In contrast though, I could see this playing an important role as a book for browsing in my classroom or for my eleven-year-old (who is gender fluid and looking for pieces to fill their sense of community). More of this, please. More, more, more. (Indeed, I think I'll have to put this under the holiday tree for my oldest--I want to flip through it in person too.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review, and thank you Tea Uglow for doing this work.

[Shae Weir · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains the content you'd expect, but the fact there are ally speeches in there in front of other amazing LGBTQ+ speeches doesn't sit right. There's also this idea that being accepted by straight society is the goal, and that isn't addressed at all in the additional information and context given about the speeches. There were also a lot of typos. I'd honestly just look up the speeches myself the next time instead of buying this book.

[PoisonFanny · Rating 5 out of 5]

On a besoin d'Histoire LGBTQ+. Je vais probablement relire certains extraits de discours plusieurs fois, et aller me renseigner plus sur ces activistes. C'était une lecture extrêmement instructive, mais aussi triste, joyeuse, énervante, puissante.

[Carina Borutta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept, I enjoyed the background information but: Why had the speeches to be shortened, not to say butchered?

This really took away from the reading experience for me ;(

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great LGBTQ+ Speeches from Tea Uglow and illustrated by Jack Holland is a very nice collection of speeches that span both history and objectives.

These are excerpts (of course, most speeches are fairly long and by necessity meander a bit) that highlight some of the most powerful statements of LGBTQ+ rights, and by extension human rights. Each speech is preceded by a brief introduction of both the person and the historical context of the speech.

While I tend to be one of those readers who turn most books into multimedia affairs, Uglow suggests looking up some of these that are available to either watch, listen to, or read in their entirety. I would absolutely second that suggestion. There are a couple that I am still looking to find the full text of, and I will succeed, I just may have to dig a little deeper.

Though I am interested in reading a few of these as complete texts, the excerpts have been chosen very well. There are powerful moments. Some may make you a little sad before getting fired up. Some may make you start looking for how to make a difference right now. Some may even make you see the person and/or the time period a little differently. Hopefully they all generate a desire to find ways to begin or extend one's activism. Times may be changing but change isn't always unidirectional, so we have to keep pushing it the way we want.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[greyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
This book is an excellent, diverse collection of speeches made by queer people and some of our allies from across the world. There was a good mix of speeches from various countries (not just the USA, thank god) and from various identities. There are, of course, speeches from well known people like Harvey Milk and Sylvia Rivera, but this book also includes lesser known speeches, like those from lesbian rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, and Geraldine Roman, journalist and the first openly trans woman to be elected to the Congress of the Philippines. The editors of this book made an effort to understand these speeches not just in light of the times in which they were spoken, but also from a modern perspective as well. I took issue with them saying Anna Rüling ‘can lay claim to the archetype of the problematic lesbian.’ What does that mean? There is no archetype of the problematic lesbian. Lesbians can be problematic, yes, but to say there is an archetype is just pure lesbophobia. However there were speeches included from various other lesbians that somewhat made up for that mistake. I would love to see a sequel, or perhaps an extended edition with even more speeches. Overall 4.5 stars, and I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for queer nonfiction.

[dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Tea Uglow, and Quarto White Lion Publishing for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This anthology contains a wide and diverse selection speeches by LGBTQ figures, some well-known, others more mariginalised in history. The speeches contained are impactful and important. Each speech was preceded by a short, simple introduction, which makes this book a great introductory reference point for understanding queer voices, and the context behind each speech. Additionally, the book contains a long section at the end of further important LGBTQ figures whose speeches were not included in the anthology, which is a very useful reference point for further research.

It is unfortunate that each speech featured was only a short extract, as I felt that some of them would benefit from containing longer extracts, to fully understand the context and weight of their words. While this book is a great starting point, it would have been nice to get a little more information about each speech.

The formatting on Netgalley Shelf was difficult to read, and images were compressed oddly. I am sure reading this book physically would provide a better experience.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a historically important book that is written in such an easily digestible way.
I love that this book includes intros written by the author that explains the context of the people giving the speeches before the speeches themselves. The short intro gives a really well-written context, and the speeches themselves are shortened to a couple pages, which makes it very easy to read and stay interested.

I saw some reviews from people who complain about the speeches being excerpts, and I believe they are misunderstanding the point of this book. The author encourages you to look up the entire speeches, the excerpts are meant to highlight what the people giving speeches were fighting for and leave room to showcase the variety of people protesting for LGBT+ rights in the world across all time. If the speeches were full-length I would have not been able to keep as interested. The author of this book made it impossible for these speeches to be misunderstood/confusing, and made them accessible. The author makes it very clear what you should get out of every speech. If you wanted to figure it out on your own, the author encourages you to look up the speeches yourself.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The speeches you find in this title are from all around the world. They are from 1867 to 2019, and even though the number of speeches is already quite impressive, there is an additional list of people who might also be inspiring. The texts deal with very different aspects of being queer, and I for one found most of them inspirational and all of them interesting and worth reading. Most of the speeches are from queer people, some are from allies. As you can expect, the speeches are of excellent rhetorical quality, so reading them is definitely a treat. The texts are excerpts, not complete speeches, but in this context I did not mind, since the message of each speech was definitely clear.
All in all, I’d have liked this book to be longer, and the author, Tea Uglow, has written that a second book filled with more speeches dealing with queer issues is not out of question. Books that help make lgbtq+ issues visible, that help create awareness, are definitely much needed, and this one definitely fulfils this purpose very well. 5 out of 5 stars.

[Vlastimil Vanco · Rating 4 out of 5]

The job of the author in this case was to be a consistent narrator bringing a sense of uniformity and alignment in tone of voice among many great speakers in the LGBT History. Tea Uglow has done a magnificent job doing exactly that! Always bringing fresh yet coherent perspective, bringing context to each of the speeches and providing a personal point of view made it a very interesting read. I must admit I didn’t find all the speeches great, but most of them did have at least something that was thought provoking and that the reader can take away from them. Personally, for me, the biggest added value was the discovery of a bunch of unknown artists, writers, poets and activists who always had something interesting to share, however the speeches from the well known political or entertainment figures were mostly a let down.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

An introduction to LGBTQ+ history, as a book I imagine that it is beautiful the arc was tricky to read at times, many of the speeches have been edited to fit the allocated page or half page in some instances. I really liked that the book went back in time to remind us that people were campaigning for LGBT rights even in the 19th century. The book also includes people campaigning in various parts of the world which I also appreciated. This book would make a lovely primer into important people and times in LGBT history and includes a list of important figures from today at the back on the book. I would recommend buying the book, rather than the e-version.

With thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains many speeches by those in the LBGTQ+ community. Some of these were given by those that I have heard of, as for example, Harvey Milk or Audre Lord. Many others gave me the opportunity to hear voices that were new to me. Each offered me something to think about. All were given by people who wanted their voices and those of their community to be herd.

This book offers a wide ranging collection. It will be welcomed by those in the LBGTQ+ community as well as those who want to educate themselves. All in all, a good selection and a book that I recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto-White Lion Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great LGBTQ+ Speeches compiles a series of speeches (sometimes interviews or dialogue, not speeches per say) throughout queer history. Together with a small introductory note on the orator (and context on the speech setting) a section of the speech is presented, along with a fun graphical presentation.
This is a good starting point reference book, due to its characteristics above. It lacks from having the full speeches, as when compared with Great Speeches on Gay Rights from Dover Thrift, but the introductory note makes up for it somewhat. Additionally, it does a great job in the span of speeches presented - from 1897 all the way through really recently in 2019.

[Mx Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need to be inspired or are feeling low, then look to these words in Great LGBTQ+ Speeches compiled by Tea Uglow. Every issue under the rainbow and beyond is addressed from prejudice, to loneliness, to rejection, to acceptance. These speakers face their bullies, family members, former friends, and strangers to share their feelings, facts, and hope for the future. You cannot help but feel uplifted as you read speech after speech. Uglow gives us a one-stop place to find great comfort and inspiration.

Great LGBTQ+ Speeches is a must have for every library whether it be personal, public, rainbow, or cis. History is showcased beautifully within these pages and is a must have.

[rafs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank both NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book contains several pieces by both queer people and allies, which, in their majority, made me tear up. I wish I had read this while I was a teenager, too scared to think of myself as anything other than cishet even if I knew from a young age I wasn't.
I only have one criticism is that, even if it had BIPOC voices, it still felt predominantly western.
Overall, I would recommend this to every LGBTQAI+ person and everyone who considers themself an ally.

[Harley Logan Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. It's an anthology of speeches on queer rights from all types of people. It has speeches from gay and straight, trans and cis, democrats and republicans, all with the same message. LGBTQ+ people deserve human rights. This is very well written, it gives us the context of the speeches, which helps the reader understand where the speaker is coming from. This book could have more detail, but that's me being nitpicky. I have been meaning to look into LGBTQ+ history and this book gave me a good starting place. Over all, I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Jenny Blacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Similar to some other reviewers, I felt like this was 60-70% of what I was after, it left me wanting a bit more about each person/speech, but I'm thinking of that as a starting off point to go ahead and read more indepth articles/books about the people/speeches

I liked the range and diversity of the people included, a good spread of eras as well

I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful compilation of speeches by LGBTQIA folks an allies. The speeches included are by people from all over the world with different backgrounds and identities and it makes a beautiful and moving collection. Also, I received an e-arc of this book BUT the graphics and photos are incredible. I cannot wait to see a physical copy!