The Queer Advantage: Conversations with LGBTQ+ Leaders on the Power of Identity

by Andrew Gelwicks

Meet the LGBTQ+ dealmakers, trailblazers, and glass-ceiling breakers in business, politics, and beyond.

The people who are creating national public policy, running billion-dollar tech enterprises, and winning Olympic medals. Andrew Gelwicks interviews the leaders who have forged their own paths and changed the world.


From Troye Sivan to Margaret Cho, George Takei to Billie Jean King, Shangela to Adam Rippon, each person credits their queer identity with giving them an edge in their paths to success. Their stories brim with the hard-won lessons gained over their careers. With variances in age, background, careers, and races, key themes shine









Collecting incisive, deeply personal conversations with LGBTQ+ trailblazers about how they leveraged the challenges and insights they had as relative outsiders to succeed in the worlds of business, tech, politics, Hollywood, sports and beyond, The Queer Advantage celebrates the unique, supercharged power of queerness.

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Queer, Memoir, History, Essays, Queer Lit

368 pages, Hardcover

Published October 13, 2020

Reviews

[BookedByTim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this from the publisher for early review. This one was not for me. I appreciated the diverse cast, but each interview is so short it didn’t feel like any one person had enough space to articulate anything meaningful. I also felt like there was this weird reoccurring thread of “how did you successfully tokenize your sexuality so you could make a lot of money?” The real life queer advantage is a radical power to reject society’s typical benchmarks for success - not using our identities to only frame success within the context of cishet patriarchal world.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up while at a small, independent bookstore and have regretted that decision ever since. Yes, this book is so bad the experience of reading it outweighed any warm fuzzy feelings of shopping local and small. Where do I even start? The premise of this book is interviews with successful LGBTQ+ figures about their rise to success and how being queer may have been an advantage. I do appreciate the fresh view of queerness as a personal benefit rather than a hinderance or obstacle. Unfortunately, this is not what this book offered. The author, a white, cis, upper-middle-class, gay, man, who rose through the ranks of fashion and entertainment through “hard work” (and endless personal connections and what I assume was family money), interviews big names mainly from those industries about their success. Forgive my crudeness but I struggle to describe this book as anything other than a neo-liberal circle jerk. With very few exceptions this book reads like the queer guide to bootstrapping and trickle down economics. Every single person asserts they got where they are by their own hard work alone. Nearly every person points to their queer identity and their work ethic as their only advantage in life. The main theme that really binds these interviews together is rich, immediately accepting parents. Liberal has become a dirty word among socialists and progressive leftists and this book will show you why. If you’re not an avid fan of People, Us Weekly, or TMZ, let me save you a read, the queer advantage is wining the birth lottery of having rich parents.

[Katrine Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid good read, ingested through a book club at work that I run. Was very validating to see so many perspectives across the LGBTQIA+ community proving it definitely "gets better" (aka The Trevor Project). Can recommend.

[Marti (Letstalkaboutbooksbaybee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review!

In this book, Andrew Gelwicks interviews over 50 influential queer people of the world; from Boy George to Troye Sivan, from Margaret Cho to Adam Rippon.

I loved how this book introduced me to many people I hadn’t heard of, or hadn’t realized the impact of before starting this book. So many things are possible because of the people in these pages, even if you never think about why or how something came to be.

I also loved how each interview ends with a note of hope for the future. I also really appreciate how this book is all about how being queer has helped these people instead of hindering them, when often the latter is more of the case or more of what you hear about.

However this isn’t a book you can binge in one sitting, otherwise the interviews tend to feel repetitive as he asks different people the same questions. I also felt like some interviews were very short and I just wanted a little more depth from them.


All in all, I’m very glad I read this. It introduced me to so many people that I want to research more on, and it was so nice hearing about these peoples experiences in their own words. I’d recommend this if you love nonfiction, especially queer nonfiction.

[Whitney LaMora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted THE QUEER ADVANTAGE by Hachette Books as part of their #HBSocialClub - thank you so much for this beautiful book!

The Queer Advantage is a collection of 51 interviews with influential LGBTQ+ individuals. Instead of a common refrain of hardships and indignities, interviewer and author Andrew Gelwicks instead steers all the conversations to how being queer has advantaged these high power individuals in their lives and led them to their influential platforms in which they reign today.

You’ll find interviews from actors, politicians, CEOs, writers, producers, athletes and more. These people also identify across the spectrum as gay, lesbian, bi, queer, and trans - giving a beautiful range of powerful voices.

This collection is really physically beautiful as well as subjectively important. It’s important to change the narrative of a marginalized group of individuals if you have the power to do so. I found myself, as a queer identifying person, feeling more energized to get to work after reading a few interviews with my breakfast each morning. It helped hush the imposter syndrome for a bit and instead gave me an opportunity to celebrate who I am and the power it gives me every day.

I’d recommend any queer identifying person OR ally to pick up Gelwick’s collection. It’s so beautiful in publication you should think of it as the modern coffee table book. I found I lost speed and started to tune out if I read many interviews in a row (like one would a novel) and instead felt way more impact picking it up to read a couple here and there (especially in the morning).

This would make a great gift for your favorite queer person this holiday season- or for someone who could use a little insight to the joy and power that can come of being othered. ✨

[Cailey]

Mixed feelings about this book. I think it had some good insights and pieces of wisdom scattered throughout. I also liked the concept of drawing attention to positive aspects of queerness.

A few quotes really resonated with me.

“And being on the outside means you can actually see the machine. You understand that the machine is not half as solid as it looks from the inside. That most of this stuff is just manmade and is changeable.”

“I don’t think people honour their past selves enough. I think there’s a lot to be found in the past self and who you once were.”

That being said, there were also a few things that brought the book down for me.
- Too many interviews and too short, I think it would have benefitted from less people and more in depth interviews.
- Often attributed success to hard work, there was very little discussion of structural disadvantages and privilege.
- It started to feel repetitive, with similar themes and questions in interviews. Common themes was interesting to see in a way, but I also started to lose interest.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book full of great conversations with queer leaders and trailblazers! In a world that is overwhelmingly hetero, it’s important to remember that being part of the LGBTQIA+ community isn’t a disadvantage and this book really drives that home. It also shows how every queer person is unique and their experiences often differ, but how in the end we’re all united through the LGBTQIA+ community. Some of my favourite interviews were the ones with George Takei, Dan Levy, Jim Obergefell, Billie Jean King, and Margaret Cho.

I just wish this book had a few less conversations and a bit longer interviews with some people. Some people only answered a couple questions and I just wanted to know more.

Overall, I definitely recommend this one even if you’re like me and don’t normally read non-fiction. Representation truly matters and books like this that show that you can be queer AND successful are just so important.

*Thank you to Hachette Go for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Zach Polendo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent account of poplar LGBTQ icons and leaders. Being queer is an advantage, and this book is sure to inspire.

[Brit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 stars. The beginning of the book was very inspiring and then it just petered out. Not sure if it was because it began to feel repetitive or because I didn't recognize so many of the younger people.

[Zack Semones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows the strength we can draw from through adversity and how our differences can make us stronger.

[SteffiReadsBooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bootstrapping and back patting for rich gay people.

[kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received a digital ARC of this book for an early review.*

The framework of “the queer advantage” rubs me the wrong way. It’s uncomfortably reminiscent of arguments of “reverse-racism” - the idea that somehow being oppressed gives you a leg up in the corporate world, and privileged people are actually the ones that are at a disadvantage. A lot of these stories are from wealthy business moguls who describe their queerness as something that made them special, made them work harder, etc. I find it deeply depressing and very much at odds with the essence of queerness that their goal is essentially tokenizing their queerness in order to gain prestige and wealth. Like the guy who said, “oh, I’m a gay man, so I can connect well with women and men” - is that seriously all that being queer does for you? Just allowed you to work people and make a ton of money? It’s such an unsatisfying prospect, that being queer is simply a hardship or a quirk that you can transform into an advantage in the rat race. I wish this book didn’t cling so desperately to normative structures and instead sought to expand beyond them, to dismantle and reshape the unjust society we live in rather than trying to find individual success within it. I can’t buy into that girl-boss ideology that reasons that one marginalized person getting enough power to oppress other people is somehow a win for that group. What a depressing, limited view of the queer experience.

In and of themselves, some of the contributors’ anecdotes were clever and insightful, and many of them strayed from the original problematic premise. I appreciated the star power of many of them, but some were so brief it felt like a waste of space simply in the interest of name-dropping. There are also so many of them, and they come and go so quickly, it’s hard to stay engaged.

I didn’t care much for the guiding purpose behind this book. Luckily, not all of the contributors stick to it, and they offer some interesting insights into their experience of queerness that are certainly worthwhile. I would recommend it as a series of anecdotes about queer identity, but I’d take the rest with a grain of salt.

[Matt Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish this had been a better book, because the premise is amazing—unfortunately, it suffers from three issues: quantity over quality, simplistic interview questions, and a lack of exploration of queerness outside of assimilative enterprises.

I wanted to love the queer advantage, and there were some genuinely brilliant moments, but unfortunately reading 51 nearly identical interviews was a bit of a slog. I think Gelwicks would’ve been served by making a few changes: cutting the number of interviewees in half, asking follow-up questions, and grouping interviews by professional area (arts, entertainment, government, sports). It’s unfortunate that we never got to see some of these leaders depart from their talking points.

[Leigh Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit one of my main reasons for entering a giveaway for this book is my admiration of George Takei.

This collection of ethnographic interviews is wonderful. I truly appreciate that Gelwicks reached out to diverse Americans in his network–including disabled people, who are nearly always left out of conversations. I knew almost all of these names, so they're pretty popular figures! We need more people taking up projects like this, collecting experiences.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. I won it before the official release date of 10/20, so I don't know if this is the exact same book that was published.

It took me a long time to read this--not because it was especially long, but each chapter is a different interview, so I would pick it up and read one or two interviews at a time, rather than rushing to finish through it. Many of those interviewed are house-hold names; some may not be.

I am not not sure how to rate the book as a whole. I think I liked some parts much better than others.

For some interviews, I found myself really interested in the person's story, and wanted to hear more. That becomes a double-edged sword; it has captured my interest, but doesn't provide enough to satisfy me. However, it could be argued that it presents an opportunity to find a biography or similar on this person.

I didn't care for some of the interviews. Mostly because they seemed very short (possibly edited down) or formulaic. While some interviewees made some very personal and poignant remarks, others seemed like they were trying to quickly answer a list of survey questions. 

I think if you boiled down the overarching theme, is that being queer allows--or forces--one to work harder to achieve one's goals. Being marginalized (as queer, or female, or black, etc.) can inspire rather than hinder, which is a message that everyone can take away.

Overall, I liked it, it was interesting, but I think I would have preferred fewer but more indepth interviews. 

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Queer Advantage, author Andrew Gelwicks features interviews with a huge and diverse group of queer icons as he explores the question “how does being queer advantage a person?” I’m very into the framing that queerness is a gift, even if my interpretation of why differs from many of the interviewees. I loved poring through this one slowly, really soaking in all the different interpretations of identity the folks interviewed brought to the table. What stands out to me in this collection is the sheer scope of answers given to the driving question of what makes queer people special and also the vast diversity of coming out experiences. The Queer Advantage brings perspectives from queer people of many identities and from many fields (politics, entertainment, business, activism, etc). It’s not entirely perfect in its diversity, and there was a notable absence of aspec people. That being said, exploring the vast nature of queer identity and what it means to different people was very interesting and I felt like I gained new insights from many of the interviews. In other interviews, I found there was a fine line between queer pride and queer commodification, if that makes sense, but nevertheless, I think there is much to be gained from reading this book. For any queer person wondering if you can be your authentic self and still have a full and meaningful life, this book is a resounding YES!

[Nick / TeacherBookReport · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading The Queer Advantage by Andrew Gelwicks which will be published on October 13th, and I highly recommend!

The book is a collection of interviews with some of the most well-known queer individuals in entertainment, business, and sports including Adam Rippon, Shangela, Troye Sivan, Our Lady J, Margaret Cho, Tom Daley, and Michael Kors. Gelwicks explores how being queer impacted the success of each of these individuals through intimate and honest conversations with them.

This book is incredibly empowering and I cannot imagine what a difference a book like this would have had on me when I was younger and struggling to come to terms with my own identity as a queer person.

The message is overwhelming: being queer means having to overcome more challenges than most, but it also forces us to develop confidence in ourselves and molds us into the leaders we all have the potential to become.

A huge thanks to Hachette Go for the advanced copy!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of interviews with successful LGBTQ individuals that sometimes lacked depth and nuance.

The author/interviewer did a good job selecting interviewees from across the queer community, although I wish there had been more transgender, especially trans masculine, representation in the book.

My favorite interview was Barney Frank. I also enjoyed reading Michael Kors, David Furnish, and Chris Mosier.

Overall, this is a good book about queer lives right now and serves as a sort of it-gets-better book for adults. It pairs well with The Book of Pride (Funk), which primarily focuses on LGBTQ people involved in civil rights activism vs this book, which focuses on business success.

For librarians...many of the interviewees have written books of their own, so this book can be used as a resource for LGBTQ collection development.


Personal note: it took forever to read this because of a wrist issue, not because the text was dry or difficult.

[Brian Kovesci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. I don't like the word "advantage" as the author used to describe this collection of interviews. It feels inaccurate to blanketly attribute everyone's success to their "queer advantage." In most cases there are plenty of other factors responsible for their success: inflated work ethic related to anxiety about being outed / devalued for being queer, inherent privilege related to the social class they were born into, opportunity related to networking, etc.

However, I did enjoy these interviews, and there are a few nuggets of wisdom in here. In general I think the value of this collection is in highlighting the different careers these various queer people have carved for themselves. Not everyone is an executive, but there is a healthy representation of queer c-suite!

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally I’d picked this up for the chapter on George Takei as I’m an avid Trekkie. Though I enjoyed all of the individuals interviewed in this book, I found it lacking in perspective as a LOT of the rich/famous people came from a place of privilege. I was frustrated with some of them accrediting their careers to their queerness, tokenizing it as though it were a handicap they used to their advantage, when in reality there were things like talent agents or family money involved. Queerness is much more than a means to financial gain, which some, including the author, seemed either to not comprehend or to ignore. Irregardless, I did enjoy reading about this sect of the queer community as fame is a statically rare privilege to hold.

[Eli Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kind of a slog to get through. There are 57 interviews in this book and many of them say more or less the same thing while a few of them say pretty much nothing at all. Would have benefitted quite a lot from a little pruning or a wider variety of questions, or both.

Gelwicks isn't a very seasoned interviewer, so the book is at its best when it's focusing on interesting subjects and letting them talk at length about themselves. When that happens, this book can be very insightful, but just as often, it feels like the author is just going through the motions to add another name to the table of contents.

I can say I got something out of this but I could have gotten a lot more out of a more polished version of the same book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly wasn't sure if I would find anything that resonates with me in this book (I'm straight but consider myself an ally) and I was pleasantly surprised. This book left me feeling energized and inspired.

Reading about the struggles many of the people in this book faced as they were growing up and figuring out their identities made me think about my own journey. We are all figuring ourselves out - whether it be our sexual identity, career goals, work-life balance, etc.

I have several chapters bookmarked so I can reference them in the future when I'm feeling particularly lost or defeated.

[meg (the.hidden.colophon) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk, I’m torn here. On the one hand, I love how this book is trying to frame queerness as an advantage instead of a disadvantage, but on the other, I hate how surface-level all of these interviews are. The author uses extremely guided questions, and almost none of the interviews held anything of substance. They were too short to achieve anything.

But, I also liked reading the stories of these queer leaders. I liked knowing that my closeted experience wasn’t unique, that others felt the way I did at that time. It was nice to hear that the disadvantage of queerness can be overcome.

So, I’m torn.

3 stars.

[MossyMorels · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book left me feeling so empowered and proud. I'm a college student and I've been planning to fully transition during my school years and go into the professional world being stealth and hiding who I am. I'm so scared of my identity putting my professional life at risk. But this book is really making me question that decision and if I need to worry as much as I have been over how my identity will effect my life. This book is so important. It also introduced me to so many new successful queer people who I will definitely be looking more into.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I realized I could gradually assemble a community of individuals who, although they may not have lived my exact story, nor I theirs, understand what it is meant to be judged as different”

The Queer Advantage is a collection of interviews with 50 LGBTQ+ leaders. I enjoyed this book, as it shows the advantages of being queer and how these leaders became successful because of it rather than in spite of it. I would have liked it more if there were less interviews and each one was a little more in-depth.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most refreshing books I've read in years. The book is filled with meaningful advice, funny stories, and examples of people overcoming obstacles to find happiness. Each chapter features a different LGBTQ+ person, which makes the book fly by because each story is so unique.

I particularly enjoyed the author's comments about his own journey to coming out, and his notes on what it was like to meet each of the trailblazers in the book.

This book can be enjoyed by anyone (I'm a straight, white woman and absolutely loved it).

[Kate Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amalgamation of bite size biographies about queer leaders in entertainment, politics, business and other industries. Each entry is presented in a digestible question-and-answer format.

I love this collection because it looks at queerness as the superpower it is, acknowledging obstacles overcome and potential realized. It includes a wide range of perspectives and some really resonate (looking at you, Blair Imani, Sam Lansky, Arlan Hamilton, Jennifer Finney Boylan and Dan Levy) Recurring themes include authenticity, ambition, community and identity.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I read very few of these interviews, and mostly enjoyed those. The rest...I don't know, the layout of the book didn't entice me enough to read about people I don't know.

So George Takei, Troye Sivan, Billie Jean King, Shangela, Lee Daniels, Dan Levy, Margaret Cho, Boy George, Dominique Jackson- those were all fine, but incredibly short.

Includes a reading list at the end, so, thanks for that!

[Div Manickam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't connect with most of the stories.. so I skimmed through the book and read a few stories with names that I'm familiar with like Billie Jean King..

Highlights from the book 📖
within this collective consciousness that we are able to revel in our differences.

What drives you to succeed?

For all who have yet to realize their advantage

once I had taken that stand embracing my identity, the power that tormenters once held over me was taken away.

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this one in the way that I actually found many of the interviews with people I didn’t know more interesting than the ones I did. A solid collection to pick up, especially if you need some eye opening to the variety of experiences a group of people can have and how it affects them.

*i was sent an ARC via a goodreads giveaway