Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America

by Mindy Drucker and Mitchell Gold

Book Overview

A mental health crisis faces American teens right now -- and it is one we can solve. Hundreds of thousands of gay teens face traumatic depression, fear, rejection, persecution, and isolation --... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1929774109
• ISBN13: 9781929774104
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
• Length: 369 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Crisis

When my son was very young, I sensed that he was most likely gay and did my own research to find understanding and acceptance. However, this book helped me to understand that having a supportive parent and siblings is not enough. Hopefully, other family members and friends who read this book will gain insight into the hurtfulness and self loathing that results from bigotry outside the home. If I had read a book such as this twenty years ago, I would have had deeper understanding of his "world at school" and been more proactive.

Compilation of brief stories about growing up gay in America

"I'd rather be shot dead than know my son is queer!" To me, this is the heart of the crisis discussed in Gold's book. It reflects the verbal abuse of gay young people by those who have a responsibility to love and support them. It also reflects the perverted teachings of many churches - that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) youth are not worthy of respect and love. The forty short autobiographical sketches that make up the bulk of Crisis largely show over and over the oppression experienced during their formative years by these gay men and women. All of them finally overcame their religion-based oppression. Most are now highly respected leaders in their chosen professions. Still, their stories reveal the years of fear and shame they - and so many others like them - experienced in their most formative years. Many young gays are not so lucky. Many suffer total rejection by their church, schoolmates, and family, and are left to fend for themselves at a vulnerable young age. They suffer both verbal and physical abuse simply because of who they are. Too many are lost, through murder and suicide. Is no one ashamed that their words have cost these young people their lives? Crisis stresses the need for acceptance and support of all our GLBTQ children. Parents, churches, schools, and politicians must recognize the grave harm they do not only to the GLBTQ youth themselves, but also to their families and friends. It is Mitchell Gold's expressed hope that families, church leaders, politicians, and school authorities will read his book. There is a desperate need for all of them to act to eliminate the violence inflicted on the millions of American GLBTQ teens by the very people charged with protecting them.

Raising the Curtain on Growing Up Gay

Gold, Mitchell, editor with Mandy Drucker. "Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America", Greenleaf Book Group, 2008. Raising the Curtain on Growing Up Gay Amos Lassen This is the book that many have waited for because we are in desperate need of ways to save our gay teens who suffer from depression, rejection, isolation, persecution and just plain fear. They often have nowhere to turn and no one to talk to. A large percentage of them turn to drugs and alcohol and some lean toward suicide. We know the causes---discrimination, bullying and homophobia (from their families and their peers) and these kids (as well as many adults) suffer great pain. We need to find ways t give them the love and support that they need. "Crisis" was written as an effort to help and is directed at those who cause harm to our youth and is a wonderful aid for clergy, parents and teachers and counselors who have no idea to deal with the issues. Forty diverse stories gave us a background. We learn the problems that many had accepting themselves and we have looks at what parents and straight clergy have to say by offering support and looking at gay people for what they are--human beings who are guaranteed equal rights but may not get them because they are guilty of loving people of the same sex as they are. As people it is our responsibility to learn about gay people, teach one another what we know and make sure that the next generation understands the meaning of diversity and difference in order that the future generations will not have to face the problems that others have felt. If we commit ourselves to changing the way things are, it is our duty to rid the world of prejudice. It's a pity that we have not always has this book because if we had, many would have understood the pain that is felt by our GLBT youth. We know that many feel that they are not worthy of our love because they are afraid of rejection. They want to be able to hold jobs, to love, to practice their faith. We need to give them the love they need as parents and allies so that they can feel complete and not alone. This book is a way to start. Some of the stories will break your heart and others will shine a light on you. If you are interested in saving children and if you buy no other book this year, this is the one that should be in your personal library.

Pick up a few copies of CRISIS to share -

As a Director of Human Resources in the not-for-profit sector, I would recommend CRISIS for every parent, educator, employer and worker in the human services profession. It is our responsibility to learn and do more to teach one another and educate our next generation about the vocabulary of diversity, respect and inclusion. Our goal is to eliminate future shameful examples of discrimination, harassment and bias. As a friend says - "CEO means, 'Chief Example Officer'." An interesting and important concept. Are you able to examine your organizations "best practices" and say out loud, "I have no shame"? A well-informed commitment to change the barriers (or differences) which exist for our LGBT citizens is needed to end this prejudice worldwide. This change is woefully overdue. Put down the notion you cannot influence significant change, and pick up a few copies of CRISIS to share. Lisa Witkowski, SPHR Director of Human Resources Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties

Breaking the Silent Pain

WOW! POWERFUL! This books time has come and should have been done years ago - This book should be read so you can understand your friend, your child, your grandchild - understand the pain they experience every day because they feel they cannot be themselves in your friendship and love for fear of losing you in their lives - losing your love - fear of losing their jobs - fear of not having a relationship with God - As a parent and friend you need to read this book and share it with all that you love so we can give people their lives back to them and let them feel whole - All people - especially children should not have to live with the sense of losing your love for being themselves. Fear breeds hate so do your part to stop spreading hate and fear - these 40 stories written by young people, adults, parents - straight and gay will help you understand more about how your actions affect those you love.