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The Gay Agenda: A Modern Queer History & Handbook
A joyful celebration of the LGBTQ+ community's development, history, and culture, packed with facts, trivia, timelines, and charts, and featuring 100 full color illustrations.
Compiled and designed by queer power couple and illustrators extraordinaire, Ashley Molesso and Chessie Needham, founders of the popular Brooklyn stationery company Ash + Chess, The Gay Agenda is an inviting and entertaining guide that pays tribute to the LGBTQ+ community. Filled with engaging descriptions, interesting facts, helpful features--such as historical queer icons and events and LGBTQ+ acronym definitions--this fabulous compendium illuminates the transformation of the community, highlighting its struggles, achievements, landmarks, and contributions. It also salutes iconic members of the LGBTQ+ community--the celebrities, politicians, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens who have made a notable impact on gay life and society itself.
The Gay Agenda is a nostalgic look back for older generations, an archive for younger people, and a helpful introduction for those interested in learning more about the community and its contributions. From James Baldwin and Emma Goldman to Marsha P. Johnson and Jodie Foster; the Pink Triangle and the Rainbow Flag to Stonewall and the AIDS crisis; Matthew Shepard and Pulse Nightclub to Sodomy Laws and Obergefell; Drag and Transitioning to The L Word and The Kinsey Scale, Freddie Mercury and Ellen Degeneres to Laverne Cox and David Bowie, this magnificent digest is a keepsake honoring all LGBTQ+, and the ongoing fight to gain--and maintain--equality for all.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
Compiled and designed by queer power couple and illustrators extraordinaire, Ashley Molesso and Chessie Needham, founders of the popular Brooklyn stationery company Ash + Chess, The Gay Agenda is an inviting and entertaining guide that pays tribute to the LGBTQ+ community. Filled with engaging descriptions, interesting facts, helpful features--such as historical queer icons and events and LGBTQ+ acronym definitions--this fabulous compendium illuminates the transformation of the community, highlighting its struggles, achievements, landmarks, and contributions. It also salutes iconic members of the LGBTQ+ community--the celebrities, politicians, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens who have made a notable impact on gay life and society itself.
The Gay Agenda is a nostalgic look back for older generations, an archive for younger people, and a helpful introduction for those interested in learning more about the community and its contributions. From James Baldwin and Emma Goldman to Marsha P. Johnson and Jodie Foster; the Pink Triangle and the Rainbow Flag to Stonewall and the AIDS crisis; Matthew Shepard and Pulse Nightclub to Sodomy Laws and Obergefell; Drag and Transitioning to The L Word and The Kinsey Scale, Freddie Mercury and Ellen Degeneres to Laverne Cox and David Bowie, this magnificent digest is a keepsake honoring all LGBTQ+, and the ongoing fight to gain--and maintain--equality for all.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published April 28, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
April 30, 2020
"Remember that you are a person who loves or feels attraction to another person, you are a normal person with hopes and dreams." Ah yes, please violently slap me in the face with your aphobia in the last fifteen minutes of your book about the LGBTQ+ community. Not only do they say this, which is really, really aggressively aphobic and definitely could have been worded differently or just been cut out entirely, they also explain asexuality wrong TWICE and even though they mention aromantic (as in asexuals are not aromantic), it's never explained or even mentioned again, not even when they are explaining the Acronym. I'm sorry but you need to do better than that.
The rest of the book is informative, I guess, but it's also very US centered, talks way too much about cis-men and even though they keep saying LGBTQ+ community, at least 70% of the book is about cis gay men. Lesbians and bisexuals are always degraded to side-notes or added on, trans men are barely mentioned at all, non-binary, agender and every other gender identity out there are mentioned even less or not all. Also considering how wrong they explained asexuality (oh, and don't you hope for a mention of an asexual person or how asexuals were part of the bisexual community for a long ass time before claiming their own space and again, they neither explain nor mention aromantic aside from making sure you know asexuals can still love, not like those weird "oh we better don't talk about those" aromantics), I'm not sure how much I can trust them on getting the rest right.
Considering this book is called the Gay Agenda I guess I can't really blame them for false advertising but it sure as hell would be nice if they didn't talk about the LGBTQ+ community all the time when they pretty much only mean gay men.
The rest of the book is informative, I guess, but it's also very US centered, talks way too much about cis-men and even though they keep saying LGBTQ+ community, at least 70% of the book is about cis gay men. Lesbians and bisexuals are always degraded to side-notes or added on, trans men are barely mentioned at all, non-binary, agender and every other gender identity out there are mentioned even less or not all. Also considering how wrong they explained asexuality (oh, and don't you hope for a mention of an asexual person or how asexuals were part of the bisexual community for a long ass time before claiming their own space and again, they neither explain nor mention aromantic aside from making sure you know asexuals can still love, not like those weird "oh we better don't talk about those" aromantics), I'm not sure how much I can trust them on getting the rest right.
Considering this book is called the Gay Agenda I guess I can't really blame them for false advertising but it sure as hell would be nice if they didn't talk about the LGBTQ+ community all the time when they pretty much only mean gay men.
December 5, 2020
I want to start this review off by saying that I think this book is a great starting resource for queer history in the US, defining terms for people who may not be familiar with them, and providing guidance for queer people who may be looking for information. Also, the art is fantastic--it's colorful and is a great style, and I really think it adds a lot to the book. But now we get to the bad parts.
I was enjoying the book for the most part, but the whole time in the back of my mind I was wondering where the mentions of bisexual people were. I experience enough bi-erasure in my life that it was kind of annoying to find that, yet again, we were practically invisible in this book. There is one mention of BiNet USA. That in itself was a little disappointing because that organization caused some hoopla by trying to copyright the bisexual flag, which was not cool (the idea of pride flags is that they belong to the communities they represent, not to individuals or companies).
Then bisexuality doesn't really show up again until the section defining sexualities and gender identities. And this is the part that really bothered me. The authors of this book define bisexuality as attraction to men and women. That was an acceptable definition in the past, but it has generally been agreed that bisexuality is defined as attraction to people of your own gender and others. Limiting it to the binary of men and women erases trans and nonbinary people. Yes, that definition overlaps quite a bit with pansexuality, but having more labels means more options to choose from.
The binary definition in this book just reinforces the idea that bisexual people are transphobic or cannot be attracted to trans or nonbinary people. Just "men and women." And that really rubs me the wrong way. Especially for a book that was written just last year.
Biphobia and bi-erasure happen enough outside the LGBTQIA community that it was a little disheartening to see in a book that is otherwise one of the most inclusive and encompassing books I've read about queer history and culture. The authors do a good job of including queer BIPOC history-makers and acknowledge the fact that much of queer history as we know it is whitewashed because that is the only history that was deemed worthy of saving. They also went into great detail about the AIDS crisis and how it decimated a generation of queer people while the government stood by and did nothing.
I honestly skimmed the rest of the book after the explanation of what bisexual means. I'm just really frustrated that this book left me feeling disappointed overall after doing such a good job otherwise. Yet again, bisexuals are left feeling like a footnote in the overall larger scope of queer American history.
Edit: I am back with more thoughts. I got tied up in criticizing the bisexual aspects of this book (or lack thereof) because that is what annoyed me the most as a bisexual person. But now that I've had a little bit of time to sit with it, I'm also disappointed in how much of this book is centered on cis men. They make up the majority of the book, even with the inclusion of several trans activists. And similarly, asexual people are shoved even more into the corner than bisexual people because the only mention I recall is, again, in the definition section.
I know no book can be everything for everyone, but I feel like this one could have been better. And the reason I've written such a long review for it is that its failings feel personal to me, which is definitely not fun. I'm going to move on and make an effort to track down more books that center bisexual people and their specific challenges, because I have found over and over again that most things encompassing queer culture offer very little in the way of bisexual representation.
I was enjoying the book for the most part, but the whole time in the back of my mind I was wondering where the mentions of bisexual people were. I experience enough bi-erasure in my life that it was kind of annoying to find that, yet again, we were practically invisible in this book. There is one mention of BiNet USA. That in itself was a little disappointing because that organization caused some hoopla by trying to copyright the bisexual flag, which was not cool (the idea of pride flags is that they belong to the communities they represent, not to individuals or companies).
Then bisexuality doesn't really show up again until the section defining sexualities and gender identities. And this is the part that really bothered me. The authors of this book define bisexuality as attraction to men and women. That was an acceptable definition in the past, but it has generally been agreed that bisexuality is defined as attraction to people of your own gender and others. Limiting it to the binary of men and women erases trans and nonbinary people. Yes, that definition overlaps quite a bit with pansexuality, but having more labels means more options to choose from.
The binary definition in this book just reinforces the idea that bisexual people are transphobic or cannot be attracted to trans or nonbinary people. Just "men and women." And that really rubs me the wrong way. Especially for a book that was written just last year.
Biphobia and bi-erasure happen enough outside the LGBTQIA community that it was a little disheartening to see in a book that is otherwise one of the most inclusive and encompassing books I've read about queer history and culture. The authors do a good job of including queer BIPOC history-makers and acknowledge the fact that much of queer history as we know it is whitewashed because that is the only history that was deemed worthy of saving. They also went into great detail about the AIDS crisis and how it decimated a generation of queer people while the government stood by and did nothing.
I honestly skimmed the rest of the book after the explanation of what bisexual means. I'm just really frustrated that this book left me feeling disappointed overall after doing such a good job otherwise. Yet again, bisexuals are left feeling like a footnote in the overall larger scope of queer American history.
Edit: I am back with more thoughts. I got tied up in criticizing the bisexual aspects of this book (or lack thereof) because that is what annoyed me the most as a bisexual person. But now that I've had a little bit of time to sit with it, I'm also disappointed in how much of this book is centered on cis men. They make up the majority of the book, even with the inclusion of several trans activists. And similarly, asexual people are shoved even more into the corner than bisexual people because the only mention I recall is, again, in the definition section.
I know no book can be everything for everyone, but I feel like this one could have been better. And the reason I've written such a long review for it is that its failings feel personal to me, which is definitely not fun. I'm going to move on and make an effort to track down more books that center bisexual people and their specific challenges, because I have found over and over again that most things encompassing queer culture offer very little in the way of bisexual representation.
April 15, 2020
This book is the perfect housewarming gift or coffee table book for LGBTQ+ friends. I know a lot about queer history and I am so happy to find a book that really dives deep in a fun and educational way. I thoroughly enjoyed this entire read and think it's important for LGBTQ+ kids to pick this up when they realize their school systems don't educate about famous queer history. I cannot recommend this book enough!
June 11, 2021
tl;dr Holy heck did this book fall apart once it got to the handbook section. If I could recommend only the history section of this book with the disclaimer that it's very US-centric, I would recommend it to beginners. However, the mess that is the handbook section makes me extremely hesitant to put THE GAY AGENDA in anyone's hands.
Alright, unfortunately, this review is mostly going to be in the form of a rant. I'll start with the history section. NOTE: For this review, I will be using "queer" in place of LGBTQ+ or any other acronym.
At the beginning of this book, Molesso and Needham add a disclaimer to explain that they had to be selective in what they chose to highlight in this introductory book. Makes sense. Although, I was disappointed to realize most of the history was US queer history. There were nods to celebrities of other countries—mostly from other English-speaking countries like David Bowie who was British and Tegan and Sara who are Canadian. There was even a section explaining how the Holocaust targeted queer people. But the focus was on how queer rights and culture have evolved in the United States from the 1900s to now.
That being said, the authors did a good job explaining the history they chose to present, and it serves as a solid introduction to an audience that may have no background knowledge. It introduced me to areas of history that I hadn't heard of before, and as I listened to this audiobook, I even started a list of things to look up and do further reading on such as Lesbian Pulp Fiction, the AIDS memorial quilt, and the AIDS awareness trading deck. (It's worth mentioning that AIDS has a much larger section dedicated to it in this book than any of the other history sections, which feels fitting for such a tragic turning point in modern queer history.)
Unfortunately, this book completely falls apart at the handbook at the end. The handbook begins with a glossary of common queer terms, including words less often seen in these lists like binding, camp, partner, and queen. This section was tiring to read, and the ones about sexual orientations especially make me want to rip my hair out. At times, it's hard to believe this is a book published in 2020 with the way some outdated and incorrect definitions are used, and then in other parts, it makes perfect sense, because that's just how the kids are erasing queer history these days.
Starting out with a bang, asexual is defined as "not feeling the need to have sex or not feeling sexual desire," which would work much better as a definition for "low libido." To add to the sting, asexual is defined again (paraphrased with the same incorrect sentiment) in a section that attempts to explain it and the rest of the letters in the acronym LGBTQQIP2SAA. Aromantic is mentioned here but not defined. If my memory serves me right, this is the only place "aromantic" is said in the entire book. So what's the second A in that acronym? Don't worry, it's not ally! It's androgynous. Yeah...
Other definitions that bothered me: Speaking of androgynous, its definition cites it as possibly a contributing factor of the fall of the gender binary. "Think David Bowie and Tilda Swinton." Way to whitewash the history of non-binary genders. Bisexual's definition, "attracted emotionally and sexually to both male and female genders" is super frustrating because, at this point in the book, they've mentioned specific non-binary people in history multiple times and yet. Plus bisexual only means you're sexually attracted to more than one gender. If you're emotionally attracted to more than one gender, you're probably looking for the word biromantic. Then, of course, pansexual is defined as attraction regardless of gender, so bisexual looks transphobic in comparison. I don't necessarily expect an introductory book to get all the nuances between bi and pan (and poly and omni) down on the page, but trying to simplify it for readers by giving them concrete differences that don't check out in real life is dangerous. The definition for drag queen uses AAVE while the definitions for drag and drag king do not. (Yes, both authors are white.) Butch is implied to be a term that only applies to lesbians, which is historically not true. It's the same case for femme. Gender queer's definition says the term can be used interchangeably with gender non-conforming, gender neutral, and gender non-binary which no . The last one I'll complain about is how, while they don't outright call it a slur, homosexual is framed as an outdated term (which is understandable in most contexts) that "should be removed from your vocabulary completely" which cannot happen unless you assert the (historically inaccurate) assumption that gay and lesbian are not umbrella terms and only mean homosexual man and homosexual woman, respectively. I could go on nitpicking how these and other terms are defined, but I'll end it here for your sake and mine
Anyway. It's a mess.
Other things that bothered me:
- Straight is used as the opposite of queer way more often than cishet, and allo is not acknowledged at all.
- The book highly praises celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and RuPaul without mentioning how they've also caused controversy in the community, but I guess I shouldn't have expected anything more, all things considered.
- Most of the book is written in an objective, non-fiction-y tone then out of nowhere they start using slang (which is sometimes AAVE).
- There's a throwaway line in there like, "we're all a little gay."
- I want to add this more as a warning to those sensitive to misgendering than a criticism, but Elliot Page is mentioned in the book by their deadname and old pronouns. To be fair, the book was published about eight months before he came out, so it's simply unfortunate.
Alright, unfortunately, this review is mostly going to be in the form of a rant. I'll start with the history section. NOTE: For this review, I will be using "queer" in place of LGBTQ+ or any other acronym.
At the beginning of this book, Molesso and Needham add a disclaimer to explain that they had to be selective in what they chose to highlight in this introductory book. Makes sense. Although, I was disappointed to realize most of the history was US queer history. There were nods to celebrities of other countries—mostly from other English-speaking countries like David Bowie who was British and Tegan and Sara who are Canadian. There was even a section explaining how the Holocaust targeted queer people. But the focus was on how queer rights and culture have evolved in the United States from the 1900s to now.
That being said, the authors did a good job explaining the history they chose to present, and it serves as a solid introduction to an audience that may have no background knowledge. It introduced me to areas of history that I hadn't heard of before, and as I listened to this audiobook, I even started a list of things to look up and do further reading on such as Lesbian Pulp Fiction, the AIDS memorial quilt, and the AIDS awareness trading deck. (It's worth mentioning that AIDS has a much larger section dedicated to it in this book than any of the other history sections, which feels fitting for such a tragic turning point in modern queer history.)
Unfortunately, this book completely falls apart at the handbook at the end. The handbook begins with a glossary of common queer terms, including words less often seen in these lists like binding, camp, partner, and queen. This section was tiring to read, and the ones about sexual orientations especially make me want to rip my hair out. At times, it's hard to believe this is a book published in 2020 with the way some outdated and incorrect definitions are used, and then in other parts, it makes perfect sense, because that's just how the kids are erasing queer history these days.
Starting out with a bang, asexual is defined as "not feeling the need to have sex or not feeling sexual desire," which would work much better as a definition for "low libido." To add to the sting, asexual is defined again (paraphrased with the same incorrect sentiment) in a section that attempts to explain it and the rest of the letters in the acronym LGBTQQIP2SAA. Aromantic is mentioned here but not defined. If my memory serves me right, this is the only place "aromantic" is said in the entire book. So what's the second A in that acronym? Don't worry, it's not ally! It's androgynous. Yeah...
Other definitions that bothered me: Speaking of androgynous, its definition cites it as possibly a contributing factor of the fall of the gender binary. "Think David Bowie and Tilda Swinton." Way to whitewash the history of non-binary genders. Bisexual's definition, "attracted emotionally and sexually to both male and female genders" is super frustrating because, at this point in the book, they've mentioned specific non-binary people in history multiple times and yet. Plus bisexual only means you're sexually attracted to more than one gender. If you're emotionally attracted to more than one gender, you're probably looking for the word biromantic. Then, of course, pansexual is defined as attraction regardless of gender, so bisexual looks transphobic in comparison. I don't necessarily expect an introductory book to get all the nuances between bi and pan (and poly and omni) down on the page, but trying to simplify it for readers by giving them concrete differences that don't check out in real life is dangerous. The definition for drag queen uses AAVE while the definitions for drag and drag king do not. (Yes, both authors are white.) Butch is implied to be a term that only applies to lesbians, which is historically not true. It's the same case for femme. Gender queer's definition says the term can be used interchangeably with gender non-conforming, gender neutral, and gender non-binary which no . The last one I'll complain about is how, while they don't outright call it a slur, homosexual is framed as an outdated term (which is understandable in most contexts) that "should be removed from your vocabulary completely" which cannot happen unless you assert the (historically inaccurate) assumption that gay and lesbian are not umbrella terms and only mean homosexual man and homosexual woman, respectively. I could go on nitpicking how these and other terms are defined, but I'll end it here for your sake and mine
Anyway. It's a mess.
Other things that bothered me:
- Straight is used as the opposite of queer way more often than cishet, and allo is not acknowledged at all.
- The book highly praises celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and RuPaul without mentioning how they've also caused controversy in the community, but I guess I shouldn't have expected anything more, all things considered.
- Most of the book is written in an objective, non-fiction-y tone then out of nowhere they start using slang (which is sometimes AAVE).
- There's a throwaway line in there like, "we're all a little gay."
- I want to add this more as a warning to those sensitive to misgendering than a criticism, but Elliot Page is mentioned in the book by their deadname and old pronouns. To be fair, the book was published about eight months before he came out, so it's simply unfortunate.
October 1, 2020
This is informative but brief. It's a great starting point for queer history, to cover the basics and get started. I also love the title. It seemed to really try to be nuanced and take intersectionality into account. Did not love the definition of bisexuality as "both genders" instead of "two or more genders." I wish it had done a better job with asexuality and gave more diversity in the individuals that they highlighted. I'm sure there's other pieces that aren't covered as well, this is nuanced community. Wish the font was bigger.
September 13, 2020
it lost two stars for:
-an extremely outdated definition of bisexual (as "someone who is attracted to men and women", "both genders"—no mention of other genders). having been published in 2019, there's no excuse.
-a usa-centric history (which is fine, but nowhere do they state that the us is their focus).
-the writing, in my opinion, was weak.
-i would have loved to see recommended queer reading, resources, places for queer people and allies to get more information, bc this book brushes over a lot of dense topics (which is totally understandable).
but it does extremely well in challenging the whitewashed version of queer history, the pictures and colors are amazing, and the topics are wide-reaching. as a queer person myself, it's incredibly gratifying to own (but i'm definitely going in with a pen and changing the definition of bisexual)
-an extremely outdated definition of bisexual (as "someone who is attracted to men and women", "both genders"—no mention of other genders). having been published in 2019, there's no excuse.
-a usa-centric history (which is fine, but nowhere do they state that the us is their focus).
-the writing, in my opinion, was weak.
-i would have loved to see recommended queer reading, resources, places for queer people and allies to get more information, bc this book brushes over a lot of dense topics (which is totally understandable).
but it does extremely well in challenging the whitewashed version of queer history, the pictures and colors are amazing, and the topics are wide-reaching. as a queer person myself, it's incredibly gratifying to own (but i'm definitely going in with a pen and changing the definition of bisexual)
January 27, 2022
Great overview of 🏳️⚧️ 🏳️🌈 history and current issues with a good FAQ section at the end. Well written and beautifully illustrated
May 2, 2020
The history of LGBTQ+ people is one that is rich, but frankly, the masses are simply unaware of most of it. Sure, milestones like the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and the legalization of same-sex marriage in the US are known. There is some general knowledge of the AIDS crisis and terrible hate crimes like the murder of Matthew Shepard. That being said, there is a more intricate tapestry of progress that mostly goes unacknowledged. I think that is just the nature of oppression. The stories of the oppressed are brushed over in the broader narrative of human history. In their new book The Gay Agenda, power couple Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham attempt to shine a light on the LGBTQ+ community, spreading a story of love, life, and progress.
I received a copy of the new book from the publisher, and I was immediately drawn to the bright cover and illustrations. The authors are a real-life couple who run a stationery company called ASH + CHESS. "They create greeting cards and art prints that are bold with retro color palettes, often using their artwork to make a political statement." With this book, they attempt to take a phrase often used to stoke fear and turn it into a celebration. The Gay Agenda is a bright and fairly comprehensive overview of the history of a remarkable group of people.
The book is divided into two sections, history and informational. The majority of the work is comprised of the history section, a historical timeline that spans from around 600 B.C.E to the present day. The timeline features brief snapshots of influential people, works, places, and events. We see authors like James Baldwin and Radclyffe Hall, activists like Emma Goldman and Miss Major Griffin-Gracey, and important vends like the formation of the Human Rights Campaign and the Stonewall Riots. While each entry is quite brief, I felt that the authors did a great job in highlighting some of the people and events that normally are whitewashed out of history. Specifically, there is a wonderful representation of Bi, Lesbian, Non-binary, and Trans members of the community.
The second portion of the book is described by the authors as "informational". Think of this as a queer glossary of sorts, a kind of introduction to the community to those who may not be familiar with it. As someone who identifies as a member of the gay community, I found The Gay Agenda to be a wonderful starting point in exploring this side of our family. What a wonderful tool this could be to people who simply don't understand what being LGBTQ+ is like. Even I was being exposed to topics and history that I simply was unaware of. I applaud the authors for using their platform to spotlight such an important group of people. This is the kind of conversation starter that serves to spread facts and promote empathy and understanding. Despite what naysayers and political extremists will have you believe, that is truly what The Gay Agenda is all about.
I received a copy of the new book from the publisher, and I was immediately drawn to the bright cover and illustrations. The authors are a real-life couple who run a stationery company called ASH + CHESS. "They create greeting cards and art prints that are bold with retro color palettes, often using their artwork to make a political statement." With this book, they attempt to take a phrase often used to stoke fear and turn it into a celebration. The Gay Agenda is a bright and fairly comprehensive overview of the history of a remarkable group of people.
The book is divided into two sections, history and informational. The majority of the work is comprised of the history section, a historical timeline that spans from around 600 B.C.E to the present day. The timeline features brief snapshots of influential people, works, places, and events. We see authors like James Baldwin and Radclyffe Hall, activists like Emma Goldman and Miss Major Griffin-Gracey, and important vends like the formation of the Human Rights Campaign and the Stonewall Riots. While each entry is quite brief, I felt that the authors did a great job in highlighting some of the people and events that normally are whitewashed out of history. Specifically, there is a wonderful representation of Bi, Lesbian, Non-binary, and Trans members of the community.
The second portion of the book is described by the authors as "informational". Think of this as a queer glossary of sorts, a kind of introduction to the community to those who may not be familiar with it. As someone who identifies as a member of the gay community, I found The Gay Agenda to be a wonderful starting point in exploring this side of our family. What a wonderful tool this could be to people who simply don't understand what being LGBTQ+ is like. Even I was being exposed to topics and history that I simply was unaware of. I applaud the authors for using their platform to spotlight such an important group of people. This is the kind of conversation starter that serves to spread facts and promote empathy and understanding. Despite what naysayers and political extremists will have you believe, that is truly what The Gay Agenda is all about.
February 6, 2021
2.5 stars
At first glance this book is a good start off point for queer history (part 1) and terminology (part 2), albeit with it's flaws - the first being that it is lacking a reference/further reading at the end of the book; this is the type of book where one of those is quite essential, in my opinion. Like the word Handbook is in the title.
At first, i saw this as a school book: it gives you the basics, some info isn't exactly right, isn't there and sometimes is even plain wrong, but it's meant to give you the tools to expand on it (which is why it needs those references at the end!)
Positives first: i did learn some bits of history that i didn't know, and i really appreciated that; although flawed, i quite enjoyed the history section.
However, i feel that the research was really lacking. The fact that the writers are queer is commendable, but, as they state, they didn't know much about queer history/theory/discourse beforehand, and it shows. There were parts where i strongly felt this was written by someone either younger than me or that didn't take part of the queer discourse before like 2015 or so.
Even more obvious is that they didn't consult many other queer people - the bisexual sections are the most obvious example, being just plain wrong, and i saw significant flaws for a few other identities' terms.
The visuals are fun and what made me get the book, but the font and font size isn't fun to read, especially at parts where the font colour and background colour clash (this might me an copy thing, because i've noticed the colours on my cover are off). Furthermore, the tone fluctuated so much and the subjective comments didn't mesh seamlessly. And this is only a pet peeve but i cannot read "and so on" one more time.
At first glance this book is a good start off point for queer history (part 1) and terminology (part 2), albeit with it's flaws - the first being that it is lacking a reference/further reading at the end of the book; this is the type of book where one of those is quite essential, in my opinion. Like the word Handbook is in the title.
At first, i saw this as a school book: it gives you the basics, some info isn't exactly right, isn't there and sometimes is even plain wrong, but it's meant to give you the tools to expand on it (which is why it needs those references at the end!)
Positives first: i did learn some bits of history that i didn't know, and i really appreciated that; although flawed, i quite enjoyed the history section.
However, i feel that the research was really lacking. The fact that the writers are queer is commendable, but, as they state, they didn't know much about queer history/theory/discourse beforehand, and it shows. There were parts where i strongly felt this was written by someone either younger than me or that didn't take part of the queer discourse before like 2015 or so.
Even more obvious is that they didn't consult many other queer people - the bisexual sections are the most obvious example, being just plain wrong, and i saw significant flaws for a few other identities' terms.
The visuals are fun and what made me get the book, but the font and font size isn't fun to read, especially at parts where the font colour and background colour clash (this might me an copy thing, because i've noticed the colours on my cover are off). Furthermore, the tone fluctuated so much and the subjective comments didn't mesh seamlessly. And this is only a pet peeve but i cannot read "and so on" one more time.
September 4, 2020
on the one hand, I do think I learned a fair amount from this book about queer icons and history, so I'm glad I read it.
however, this book is so, so repetitive. there were several instances where the exact same sentence was repeated twice on ONE page. The authors admit that this book was allowed to be about "anything," and that comes across. I don't think either writer has a solid grasp on everything discussed in this book. they referred to LGBTQIA+ youth being kicked out of their homes for being queer as 'a zero on the fun scale,' and referred to anti-LGBT+ hate groups as 'total bummers.' this last thing may have just been me, but the design of this book was atrocious. the font is teeny tiny, and having white font on a yellow background was a bad idea
however, this book is so, so repetitive. there were several instances where the exact same sentence was repeated twice on ONE page. The authors admit that this book was allowed to be about "anything," and that comes across. I don't think either writer has a solid grasp on everything discussed in this book. they referred to LGBTQIA+ youth being kicked out of their homes for being queer as 'a zero on the fun scale,' and referred to anti-LGBT+ hate groups as 'total bummers.' this last thing may have just been me, but the design of this book was atrocious. the font is teeny tiny, and having white font on a yellow background was a bad idea
March 23, 2022
Very US centric but that's not surprising. Biphobic understanding of bisexuality as attraction to men and women, and not including other genders. Can people please read the bisexual manifesto before reducing bisexuality to attraction to just men and women
June 29, 2022
Este libro me ha parecido suuuuper parcial. Las críticas a que se centra casi exclusivamente en hombres gays blancos son muy acertadas, poca representación de las demás siglas del colectivo. Además, me fastidia mucho que se venda como una memoria del colectivo en general, cuando el 98% del tiempo se centra en lo ocurrido en USA, en sus ciudadanos, leyes, asociaciones... Obviando lo que ocurre en el resto del planeta, de las demás personas que lucharon por sus derechos. Un ejemplo, al hablar del primer matrimonio entre personas del mismo ejemplo, habla del primer matrimonio en EEUU, cuando en otros países como Dinamarca es algo que se consiguió mucho antes. Eso no es la memoria del colectivo, deberían vender este libro como historia de Estados Unidos especifiente, porque los personajes incluídos que no son estadounidenses son contados yo archiconocidos, y en cuanto a publicaciones, hechos o leyes de otros países, brillan por su ausencia.
March 29, 2021
3.5 stars
this is a beautiful graphic novel that could be a great starting resource for queer history and definitions of terms... however the history covered is u.s. centric and some of the definitions aren't *accurate* (e.g. bisexual and asexual). keep in mind that the book is only 176 pages with most of the pages being taken up by the illustrations, leaving little room for text. if an event, person, or organization you read about in this book sparks your interest you'll definitely need to do some extra research.
this is a beautiful graphic novel that could be a great starting resource for queer history and definitions of terms... however the history covered is u.s. centric and some of the definitions aren't *accurate* (e.g. bisexual and asexual). keep in mind that the book is only 176 pages with most of the pages being taken up by the illustrations, leaving little room for text. if an event, person, or organization you read about in this book sparks your interest you'll definitely need to do some extra research.
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January 9, 2023
My first impression of the book was "wow pretty" then I started reading it. Or tried to. The colors didn't mix together well a lot of times and made some words (like yellow on pink) next to impossible to read.
The overall history is US centric while mentions of around the world in a very vaque way. I also feel that the summary doesn't really tie everything together as it seems was attempted. Then immigration is just kind of thrown in there like an afterthought. Then we move on to the handbook section and just yikes.
This book was honestly a huge disappointment. Felt like a book where they kept a bunch of post it notes of different things they were researching, threw in the pretty pages and designs and published it before doing extensive research, fully developing ideas or even just basic editing to make sure definitions were correct.
The overall history is US centric while mentions of around the world in a very vaque way. I also feel that the summary doesn't really tie everything together as it seems was attempted. Then immigration is just kind of thrown in there like an afterthought. Then we move on to the handbook section and just yikes.
This book was honestly a huge disappointment. Felt like a book where they kept a bunch of post it notes of different things they were researching, threw in the pretty pages and designs and published it before doing extensive research, fully developing ideas or even just basic editing to make sure definitions were correct.
April 19, 2022
I’m not sure what audience this book is meant for, but I don’t think it was me. It has some really great moments that I loved, but mostly I thought the topics were very surface and repetitive. Also, reading this on my phone, the word spacing was horrible and very difficult to read.
June 28, 2021
An overview of queer history that would be great for the coffee table or for those looking for an introduction into definitions, events, figures, etc. At times, it gave solid info but more often than not, wasn't very comprehensive and went for a more juvenile and conversational tone (e.g. describing harmful legislation as "super rude" or ending a section describing progress with "take that!"). It had more focus on design than content which made it seem quite simple and a little shallow, but that's understandable for the ambitious task this book set out to achieve. Overall: far from perfect, but has an aesthetic and range to appeal to a wide audience.
May 22, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
Despite the name, The Gay Agenda feels more a trivia book than a history. Written by “power couple” Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham, it touches lightly upon a variety of topics ranging from Sappho to the AIDS crisis, introducing readers to a handful of pioneers, both well known and not — such as Oscar Wilde, Harvey Milk, and Ellen, as well as We’wha, the Zuni Two-Spirit, author James Baldwin, and Kathy Kozachenko. Unfortunately, this book has good intentions and great ambition, but ends up being mildly interesting without being overly educational.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
Despite the name, The Gay Agenda feels more a trivia book than a history. Written by “power couple” Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham, it touches lightly upon a variety of topics ranging from Sappho to the AIDS crisis, introducing readers to a handful of pioneers, both well known and not — such as Oscar Wilde, Harvey Milk, and Ellen, as well as We’wha, the Zuni Two-Spirit, author James Baldwin, and Kathy Kozachenko. Unfortunately, this book has good intentions and great ambition, but ends up being mildly interesting without being overly educational.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
April 14, 2021
There were a few issues with this mainly its hyper-focus on the US and iffy descriptions of asexuality and bisexuality. However, the ever-changing vocabulary of queerness could be attributed to this. This is definitely the best non-fiction book on queerness that I have found in regards to the respect it holds to the community (though the errors it makes, it must be held accountable for) so I believe we should all support books like this so that publishers know that our history and our lives will not be silenced.
June 19, 2022
I wish I had read reviews before I bought this. It’s only 2 years old but it just feels so outdated. Also the font is terrible. It was not pleasant to read at all. The art and bright pages are cool though but that’s all I liked about it.
November 20, 2020
It was a beautifully illustrated book and quick read, but I have to acknowledge that it's very America-centered and misses some parts.
I did learn new things and loved the way it was designed.
I did learn new things and loved the way it was designed.
May 6, 2024
3.5*
I would have rated this higher were it not the handbook section.
I really enjoyed the history section, even if it was US centric. I think it's a great introduction to queer history and some of its most influential and important events in the west.
I was disappointed that this didn't talk much about bisexuality, despite acknowledging bi erasure. Moreover I think the definitions it uses for bisexuality and asexuality were just plain wrong. The inaccurate definitions in the handbook section are the biggest failure of this otherwise good book.
The illustrations and colours were gorgeous, but sometimes the font was a bit hard to read.
Overall a good introduction but I'd be cautious with the definitions.
I would have rated this higher were it not the handbook section.
I really enjoyed the history section, even if it was US centric. I think it's a great introduction to queer history and some of its most influential and important events in the west.
I was disappointed that this didn't talk much about bisexuality, despite acknowledging bi erasure. Moreover I think the definitions it uses for bisexuality and asexuality were just plain wrong. The inaccurate definitions in the handbook section are the biggest failure of this otherwise good book.
The illustrations and colours were gorgeous, but sometimes the font was a bit hard to read.
Overall a good introduction but I'd be cautious with the definitions.
June 22, 2021
Took down a star for the weirdly biphobic definition at the end?? Overall a comprehensive introduction to queer history that includes topics that are typically glossed over in whitewashed queer history, but it is VERY brief and I found the writing to be subpar. As mentioned, I took down a star for lack of bisexual/pansexual information and history; I would’ve loved to see more of that. As a queer person I knew quite a bit of the information already, yet I think this would be a nice, albeit short, introduction for people who aren’t familiar with queer history or for allies who want to expand their knowledge of the queer community.
October 29, 2021
I liked the timeline with events which can serve as a good entry point to learning more queer history. But at the same time the whole book has a very strong cis white gay vibe throughout - also informed by the fact the narrator has the corresponding accent. Of course the audiobook didn’t have the illustrations included (there’s an online companion) so I expect a physical copy will have more impact. But generally hated the way the sexual orientations were defined, how little attention there was for any identity that’s not gay, and how extremely US focused the whole thing is.
June 6, 2021
The history in this book was really neat and I was vibing. Until the page with all the flags. They decided to include the “straight ally” flag, but failed to include either of the non-transphobic, problematic lesbian flags. I would like to know why that decision was made. Only the lipstick lesbian and Labrys flags were included, and each of those has their own tumultuous history behind them that a majority of lesbians are aware of and have thus rejected those flags.
February 6, 2021
This book was a great read for an ally! Having many friends in the LGBTQ+ community I felt like I knew enough but being a true ally means continuously learning. This book was a great way to get information on the history of this community in a very fun and easy to read way. I loved how everything was broken up into small pages or sections. This made it very easy to pick up and put down at random times throughout the day and I didn’t feel like I was lost or missing information. The art in this book is also fantastic!
July 3, 2021
great starting point for lgbtq+ history in the US! The design and layout of the pages is beautiful (you can tell they are illustrators and artists, and every page looks like a cool print or poster) but not the easiest to actually read
June 13, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ read. A really interesting overview of modern queer history. Caveat that it’s very US centric and is a top line summary but an insightful read for an ally like myself nonetheless.
April 6, 2024
Amazing book! Easy to read and full of interesting, educational and fun facts. An important book for all to read. Knowledge leads to understanding 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️❤️
December 13, 2020
Overall a good introduction to queer history, but it was disappointing to see the wrong definition of bisexuality. It would have been nice to at least acknowledge that many bisexual people do not see bisexuality as still tied to the gender binary.
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