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The Beauty Queen
Ex-beauty queen Jeannie Colter is a born-again politician who hates homosexuals, and wants to crush them. William Laird is her devoted father - a wealthy financier who has kept a secret all his life. He is gay. When his fervent daughter runs for Governor of New York, and he has the money to get her elected, Bill Laird is trapped between family and fanaticism. A riveting chronicle of politics, religion and gay rights in the 70's.
300 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1978
6 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Nell Warren
23 books119 followersPatricia Nell Warren (pen-name Patricia Kylyna) was a Ukrainian and American poet and novelist. She wrote her works in Ukrainian and English.
In 1957 she married a Ukrainian emigre writer Yuriy Tarnawsky and subsequently learned Ukrainian language. Under Tarnawsky's influence she started socializing in Ukrainian emigre writers' circles and soon started writing her own poems, which culminated in her publishing several well-received Ukrainian poetry collections: Trahediya dzhmeliv (New-York: Vydavnytstvo New Yorkskoyi hrypy, 1960), Legendy i sny (New-York: Vydavnytstvo New Yorkskoyi hrypy, 1964), and Rozhevi mista (Munich: Suchasnist, 1969). She published her Ukrainian poetry collections under the pen-name Patricia Kylyna.
After Nell Warren divorced Tarnawsky in 1973, she left Ukrainian literature and never wrote another book in Ukrainian until her death. Instead Nell Warren switched to American literature and tried her best as an American novelist. In 1972 she published her first book in English, a novel The Last Centennial, still under her pen-name Patricia Kylyna (Kilina). Her breakthrough came in 1974 when she published a gay-themed novel The Front Runner. This was the first time she published any of her books under her real name Patricia Nell Warren, and it paid off: the book sold more than 10 mil. copies and was subsequently translated into multiple languages.
For her Ukrainian-language profile see Патриція Килина
In 1957 she married a Ukrainian emigre writer Yuriy Tarnawsky and subsequently learned Ukrainian language. Under Tarnawsky's influence she started socializing in Ukrainian emigre writers' circles and soon started writing her own poems, which culminated in her publishing several well-received Ukrainian poetry collections: Trahediya dzhmeliv (New-York: Vydavnytstvo New Yorkskoyi hrypy, 1960), Legendy i sny (New-York: Vydavnytstvo New Yorkskoyi hrypy, 1964), and Rozhevi mista (Munich: Suchasnist, 1969). She published her Ukrainian poetry collections under the pen-name Patricia Kylyna.
After Nell Warren divorced Tarnawsky in 1973, she left Ukrainian literature and never wrote another book in Ukrainian until her death. Instead Nell Warren switched to American literature and tried her best as an American novelist. In 1972 she published her first book in English, a novel The Last Centennial, still under her pen-name Patricia Kylyna (Kilina). Her breakthrough came in 1974 when she published a gay-themed novel The Front Runner. This was the first time she published any of her books under her real name Patricia Nell Warren, and it paid off: the book sold more than 10 mil. copies and was subsequently translated into multiple languages.
For her Ukrainian-language profile see Патриція Килина
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 17, 2024
really engaging perspectives on LGBT rights in the 70s, this book made me so grateful I was born when I was.
June 15, 2015
Reread this book recently, and although LGBTQ rights have come a HUGE way, it is an interesting look at the political atmosphere as it used to be. Set in the late 1970's in NYC, it poses the following questions: what if a former beauty queen was a conservative Christian with big political aspirations ( a la Anita Bryant) and hugely influential? What the father who bankrolled her was a closeted gay man? What if you could be fired from the police force for being gay - or called upon to suppress "those faggots" protesting for their rights?
It's very well written and kept me riveted to the page, even though I know the ending (regarding gay rights).
It's very well written and kept me riveted to the page, even though I know the ending (regarding gay rights).
June 4, 2020
Don't let the cover fool you: this is a powerful book.
December 22, 2023
When I first read “The Beauty Queen” by Patricia Nell Warren when it was first published over 40 years ago, I’ll admit it was my “least favorite” of her LGBTQ+ oriented novels. Now, reading the Kindle edition, I am indeed experiencing a much deeper appreciation of the depth of the author’s insight and the eerie way in which it has proved not only a reflection of the first burgeoning of the “coming out” ethos of the 1970’s but a truly prophetic vision of the trajectory of our turbulent times.
As Warren says in her author’s notes, this book is a “what if” tale based on a fantasy of how it might have been if a homophobic female politician in the mold of Anita Bryant had been confronted with the reality of a gay parent. I think part of why I really didn’t like the book very much “back then” was because I did indeed have my own visceral reaction to Bryant’s antics, and even more to the way some of my own close friends were willing to take that level of vicious homophobia seriously. I am grateful that at least in my own circle of relationships, many fewer people remain in that category now.
This book is one of Warren’s shorter novels, and is fast-moving and something of a cliff-hanger. Like all of her other works, it is rich in descriptiveness and characterization, and although I found a few of what I consider historical distortions, I think it is absolutely on target with respect to the essentials.
As Warren says in her author’s notes, this book is a “what if” tale based on a fantasy of how it might have been if a homophobic female politician in the mold of Anita Bryant had been confronted with the reality of a gay parent. I think part of why I really didn’t like the book very much “back then” was because I did indeed have my own visceral reaction to Bryant’s antics, and even more to the way some of my own close friends were willing to take that level of vicious homophobia seriously. I am grateful that at least in my own circle of relationships, many fewer people remain in that category now.
This book is one of Warren’s shorter novels, and is fast-moving and something of a cliff-hanger. Like all of her other works, it is rich in descriptiveness and characterization, and although I found a few of what I consider historical distortions, I think it is absolutely on target with respect to the essentials.
August 1, 2018
"Very Moving, Entertaining, and Actual Reality"
This is a very revealing and intense story as a very moralistic woman seeks to become mayor of New York City. She seeks to ban gay people from rights in the city. The big secret here she'll eventually learn ... her father is gay and his secret will alter her course. I love Warren's stories of strength and independence. I'm so glad to see more of her stories in e-Book format. This story was published in 1978, just prior to the epidemic AIDS disease. Even now, in 2018, there is political action being taken to push the gay people back into the closets via a new religious liberty task force. Just another embarrassment to our American freedoms. Read this story, it's awesome and extremely thought provoking of how religion can impact personal choices and rights.
This is a very revealing and intense story as a very moralistic woman seeks to become mayor of New York City. She seeks to ban gay people from rights in the city. The big secret here she'll eventually learn ... her father is gay and his secret will alter her course. I love Warren's stories of strength and independence. I'm so glad to see more of her stories in e-Book format. This story was published in 1978, just prior to the epidemic AIDS disease. Even now, in 2018, there is political action being taken to push the gay people back into the closets via a new religious liberty task force. Just another embarrassment to our American freedoms. Read this story, it's awesome and extremely thought provoking of how religion can impact personal choices and rights.
December 18, 2014
Another college "classic," we gossiped about its roman-a-clef possibilities endlessly. Clearly, clearly, this was about Anita Bryant, only who was that other family member? And WAS there, or had there been a conspiracy like the one described?
It seems to me now that we weren't really giving Warren credit for having an imagination... not really flattering. Sure the title character is LIKE Bryant, and so, after all, are many people.
The central question of the book intrigues me still today: If we were really honest with each other about our circumstances and our lives, what prejudices of our own or of others would be at least shaken, if not cast off? And on the other hand, should sentiment trump rational argument?
Along with some high-class thriller action, this book will give you food for thought, be you homophobe, homophile, or somewhere in the great green in-between.
It seems to me now that we weren't really giving Warren credit for having an imagination... not really flattering. Sure the title character is LIKE Bryant, and so, after all, are many people.
The central question of the book intrigues me still today: If we were really honest with each other about our circumstances and our lives, what prejudices of our own or of others would be at least shaken, if not cast off? And on the other hand, should sentiment trump rational argument?
Along with some high-class thriller action, this book will give you food for thought, be you homophobe, homophile, or somewhere in the great green in-between.
March 27, 2009
Easy, engaging read that sheds light into the 1970s and early 1980s of gay New York City. Favorite passages:
"Then the two women stood hugging each other, a lesbian hug, breasts between breasts, groins grinding softly, as they rocked warmly back and forth."
"'Love is so rare any more," he thought. "When two people manage to find it, it doesn't make sense that they have to pretend they are only friends.'"
"A number of gay men sought to deny all ties, and traveled from love to love, hoping to find some kind of permanency and security in impermanence, hoping to build a stable sand castle on the sand."
"Then the two women stood hugging each other, a lesbian hug, breasts between breasts, groins grinding softly, as they rocked warmly back and forth."
"'Love is so rare any more," he thought. "When two people manage to find it, it doesn't make sense that they have to pretend they are only friends.'"
"A number of gay men sought to deny all ties, and traveled from love to love, hoping to find some kind of permanency and security in impermanence, hoping to build a stable sand castle on the sand."
August 1, 2015
The Beauty Queen is a twist on Anita Bryant's rampage against the gay community in the mid 1970's. Patricia Nell Warren is the author of the gay classic, Front Runner. It's interesting to me how well she writes about gay men, and The Beauty Queen is no exception. In this book one of the main characters in a lesbian which made the book all the more interesting for me.
I would not say Warren is a great writer, certainly not as good as Radclyffe or Sarah Waters, but her stories are interesting, and relevant. Even though Beauty Queen was published in 1996 and Front Runner on 1976, the stories they tell could easily have taken place today.
I would not say Warren is a great writer, certainly not as good as Radclyffe or Sarah Waters, but her stories are interesting, and relevant. Even though Beauty Queen was published in 1996 and Front Runner on 1976, the stories they tell could easily have taken place today.
August 26, 2008
Another controversial novel written by Miss Warren, about a an Anita Bryant type, ex-beauty queen who for her political forum, decides to fight for morality and against same sex love. She soon finds that it isn't the battle of the retaliating gay population she has to worry about, but exposure of information she has to deal with ,of a personal nature within her own life. Swallowing her pride will ruin her career, not swallowing it, will take away something more precious. Well written at a time when , life was playing the same story out in reality.
October 31, 2013
When Mary Ellen was about to... Well I can't really spoil the ending but my heart started to race just like if were Mary Ellen and I were about to (spoiler)... That had never happened to me before, or maybe it had, but I happened again with this amazing novel and I would recommended it a 100%. I am so detached from religion that I can't possibly identify myself with the dilemmas presented to Bill's character but I know what a burden religion can be when you are gay. Amazing book.
September 13, 2007
Only one of Patricias books that I feel could be dated or viewed as a time period book.This book came out during the Anita Bryant debaucle.I think that many a gay man who read this book wish that this were based on truth and that this had all happened to Anita.I enjoyed the book and think that it stands very well on its own.
April 24, 2009
A mildly complicated tale of a crazy homophobic political woman and the lives her absurd hatred touches. I would have found it more engaging if Colter herself was in the closet, and not her father. The homicidal motivations near the end were difficult to sympathise with, given the flatline emotions of many of the characters.
I would definitely recommend Warren's other works over this one.
I would definitely recommend Warren's other works over this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 10, 2023Pre-AIDS stories. Enjoyed reading it especially the part when the gay father confronts his child.
August 22, 2014
Excellent portrayal of gay people in 1970s New York... suspenseful as well
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews