Stonewall Award honoree Robin Stevenson here brings us a thoughtful and wide-ranging book offering informative and inspiring snapshots of people, movements, events, and concepts from LGBTQ history in the U.S. and Canada.
From Activists to the “zap” strategy used by LGBTQ organizations in the 1970s and 80s, the book covers a lot of ground, including topics that one might expect, like the Stonewall Inn and the history of Pride and the Pride flag. But other entries look at what it means to be indigiqueer; the use of “kiss-ins” as a form of protest; the importance of the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop; the slogan “Gay Is Good” (and its creator, astronomer Frank Kameny); the “We Demand” document that LGBTQ activists submitted in 1971 to the Government of Canada; and much more. Marsha P. Johnson is here, but so is the lesser-known Ernestine Eckstein, an early civil rights and lesbian activist, along with Urvashi Vaid, whose impact as the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (now the National LGBTQ Task Force) was vast, but who has seldom been mentioned in books for young readers. Sidebars and quotes offer further details on related topics and people that don’t have full entries in the book’s ABC scheme—there’s much more here than meets the eye from just scanning the table of contents.
As in her other nonfiction books, Stevenson shows her skill in explaining not just what each subject is, but also why it is important in the larger context of the LGBTQ movement. And with a focus on activism, the book doesn’t feel like it’s trying to cover too much in its 50-odd pages (plus backmatter). While the alphabetic structure means the topics are not covered in chronological order, Stevenson always offers context and clarity. Additionally, some entries helpfully refer readers to other entries for further, related information.
Backmatter includes short biographies of additional queer activists, a timeline of queer activism from 1924 to 2020, a glossary, further resources for young readers, and selected sources that Stevenson consulted.
Vivian Rosas’ illustrations are bright, bold, and contemporary, despite the historical focus of the book, adding to its appeal for tween readers. This is bound to become a go-to volume for young activists and other youth interested in LGBTQ history and activism. Highly recommended.
