Top reads for Pride month: where we’ve been, what we’ve achieved and what we are fighting for

Pride is a time for celebration, but it also is meant to be a protest and recognizance of the freedom so many fought for. Sometimes that gets lost in the glitter and excitement, but as LGBTQ communities continue to push for equity and rise against hate, there is still progress to be had and we have to fight to get there. To do that, it helps to know where we’ve come from and how previous generations worked for the advances that were achieved. It also helps to know that others share the same journey with the conflicts, self-realization, joy and sorrow that comes with embracing who we are. These reads share some of these journeys.

“Joy. Sorrow. Anger. Love. Pride: A Celebration of Toronto Pride from 1970 to Present” (The Magenta Foundation, 256 pages, $65) Launched in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of The ArQuives, “Joy. Sorrow. Anger. Love. Pride” includes archival photographs, memorabilia and writing by community leaders to tell the story of Pride, beginning with a picnic 53 years ago and evolving into a full-month affair. The book was produced in hand with a visual art exhibition at Collision Gallery; the show closes July 22. The books are available for purchase via the foundation and will be available in retail outlets mid-July.

“Park Cruising: What Happens When We Wander Off the Path,” by Marcus McCann (House of Anansi, 352 pages, $21.99) In this timely read, human rights lawyer McCann explores the police sting operation that targeted gay and bisexual men in Marie Curtis Park in Etobicoke. Sound like something rooted deep in the past? It happened in 2016. In recounting that incident, McCann also explores consent, empathy, public health, municipal planning and the meaningfulness of our encounters with strangers.

“Immoral, Indecent, and Scurrilous: The Making of an Unrepentant Sex Radical,” by Gerald Hannon (Cormorant Books, 328 pages, $24.95) This autobiography, published just weeks after he died, documents Hannon’s coming of age, his efforts at the forefront of gay rights, working for the magazine The Body Politic (including writing a controversial 1977 article about intergenerational sex that brought the activism-based magazine to court) and his fight after it became known he was also a sex worker whilst holding a teaching career at what is now Toronto Metropolitan University. Author Stan Persky called Hannon’s book “one of the best-written accounts of queer life.” I agree.

“Am I Trans Enough? How to Stop Doubting and Start Living,” by Alo Johnston (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 224 pages, $26.95) Born out of conversations with hundreds of trans people, author Alo Johnston digs deep into internalized transphobia and historical narratives that fuel it. The book is a reminder that along the roads of conflict for visibility, rights and fairness, is an internal emotional journey needing tenderness and care.

“Boyslut: A Memoir and Manifesto,” by Zachary Zane (Harry N. Abrams, 240 pages, $33) “Boyslut” is a series of personal essays exploring the baggage of shame attached to sex and sexuality as written by a sex columnist and activist. The book has some of those juicy takes one may look for in an indulgent summer read — threesomes, random hook ups — but comes with the adage that such explorations and experiences are healthy, normal and unworthy of the stigma they often come with. We have a ways left to go toward embracing sex positivity.

“Queer Lives across the Wall: Desire and Danger in Divided Berlin,” by Andrea Rottmann (University of Toronto Press, 266 pages, $36.95) Remembering that rights and activism are not exclusive to North America, “Queer Lives across the Wall” traces queer life from the end of the Nazi regime through the gay and lesbian liberation movements of the 1970s. All too often, our documented history is focused on the male homosexual experience. Rottmann broadens perspective. We have all fought. Hate and persecution know no borders.

“Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?” by Craig Seligman (PublicAffairs, 352 pages, $37) Drag has been under attack across the world and, sorry/not sorry to the protesters, it has always been here from stage entertainers in the world wars to “The Brady Bunch.” “Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?” is a biography of San Francisco drag queen Doris Fish and her pioneering career from the volatile 1970s through the challenging HIV/AIDS epidemic. For Fish, drag wasn’t just about good theatre. It was about changing societal views.

“Lesbian Love Story: A Memoir In Archives,” by Amelia Possanza (Catapult, 288 pages, $35) Possanza’s debut book “Lesbian Love Story” is a refreshing find. The book includes seven love stories written from research into the personal histories of lesbians in the 20th century. They are previously unknown figures, with daring and special stories to be told. In a review, NPR notes that “what binds these stories together is how these lesbians create pockets of safety, security and community, even in the most hostile circumstances.”

“Dreaming Home,” by Lucian Childs (Biblioasis, 224 pages, $22.95) It takes a special book for me to detour from non-fiction, and Childs’ debut novel certainly meets the criteria. “Dreaming Home” is a reminder that intergenerational trauma and the coming out journey make for a challenging and uncomfortable path. Along the way are brushes with history (San Francisco in the 1980s) and adversarial characters (a betraying sister and extravagant mother). While a fictional take, any of us could have lived it.

And finally, when the Pride celebrations quiet for another year, here is one read to look for.

“One Sunny Afternoon: A Memoir of Trauma and Healing,” by Amanda Jetté Knox (Penguin Random House, 336 pages, $24.95) This book is not yet released, but, having loved their first book “Love Lives Here: A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family,” its follow up must be mentioned. In the handful of years after Jetté Knox’s daughter and wife affirmed their trans identities, Jetté Knox faced targeted attacks and backlash that took them on a challenging mental health journey. “One Sunny Afternoon” is a personal memoir about that experience, seeking help and staying resilient. It will be released August 22.

Brian Bradley is a Hamilton-based journalist who works for the Star’s Public Editor and podcast teams. Follow him on Twitter: @brianjbradley

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