Set to be released on December 10, "The Book of Awesome Queer Heroes: How the LGBTQ+ Community Changed the World for the Better" will make a wonderful addition to any bookshelf, especially one that may be missing a breadth of inspirational queer virtuosos from across the ages.
The book is written collaboratively by Eric Rosswood and Kathleen Archambeau, neither of whom are strangers to championing prideful books that uplift. Given the duo's delivery of memorable biographies of queer icons, it is time to spotlight the dynamic authors themselves.
Rosswood, an author and LGBTQ activist, has written five books, including two children's stories and a queer parenting book "The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads," published in 2017. Archambeau, along with being an author and journalist, is a founding member of the James Hormel LGBT wing of the San Francisco Public Library. Not only that, but as a same-sex ballroom dancer, she and her wife won two medals at the Gay Games in Cologne.
The book begins with an excellent foreword by the prior executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and current CEO of The California Endowment, Kate Kendall. The following 219 pages of the collective biography features 53 individuals across ten categories ranging from Government and Military to The Arts and Sciences. Each trailblazer is paired with a black-and-white portrait and a fitting quote that captures their essence, whether it's a reflection on their queer identity or a mantra about their work.
in 'The Book of Awesome Queer Heroes'
It is a pleasure to recognize familiar faces like RuPaul, Frida Kahlo, James Baldwin, Mary Oliver, and Sir Elton John and gain a deeper insight into their lives and work. However, what is more surprising is to see the monumental figures that history tends to skip over or even erase.
Foremost, Bayard Rustin, a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and a significant orchestrator of the March on Washington, is consistently overlooked in history books. Rustin, who traveled to India in the 1940s to learn from Gandhi, combined pacifism with elements of the Quaker religion and the socialist sentiment of fellow civil rights activist, A. Phillip Randolph. Taking his revolutionary thinking, Rustin advised King in tactics of nonviolent civil disobedience and resistance.
As with any compilation of queer heroes, the book is not complete without reference to multiple San Francisco legends. Readers will get to know a little more about amazing San Franciscans like Margret Cho, Harvey Milk, and Rabbi Camille Shira Angel.
Unexpected additions
The book resists confining the subject to their usual representation, but includes many people one would not expect. A wonderful example is learning about Archbishop Carl Bean and not only his contributions to religion, but also his surprise 1970 Motown hit, "I Was Born This Way." More unexpected facts, twists, and revelations reveal themselves while continuing to read.
The book draws a line from the mind of Alan Turing, the gay scientist known for cracking the Nazis' Enigma code, hence accelerating the end of World War II, to the fingertips of Tim Cook, another gay tech icon. As one delves into the pages, uncovering surprising links between queer history and innovation is a constant delight.
Additionally, the short and easy to read biographies tend to conclude in acknowledgments of the individual's broader impact, highlighting their involvement in various, often queer, social causes. From activism and entrepreneurship to personal struggles and triumphs, the biographies offer a more comprehensive portrait of each individual that strays from the typical.
As the book builds to a conclusion, it succeeds in weaving the lives of visionary queer figures through many a decade. Showcasing the groundbreaking work of these pioneers, from transgender ballet dancers to lesbian astronauts, the book affirms the enduring and growing influence of the LGBTQ community on the world. It offers a perfect homage to the legacy of those who have lifted the community from the margins and into the forefront.
Returning to the beginning, the book is dedicated to "all LGBTQ+ youth with big dreams." From the care put into this book, the reader can tell the authors and their beliefs in visibility as a key component to finding your place in the world as queer person.
Echoing their chosen quote from Sally Ride, "You can't be what you can't see," the book makes an impactful holiday gift to any young queer person in your life looking to be reflected in history. Or, maybe, this is a perfect present for yourself if you happen to be seeking an extra role model, or two, from any and all fields.
'The Book of Awesome Queer Heroes'
by Eric Rosswood and Kathleen Archambeau, $18.99, Mango Publishing Group
www.mangopublishinggroup.com
www.karchambeau.com
www.ericrosswood.com
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