Sarah Prager is the author of several excellent collective biographies of LGBTQ people throughout history, for elementary, middle grade, and teen readers. In this book, however, she takes a broader, more systematic approach to LGBTQ history and concepts for middle grade readers, telling Mombian exclusively:
This book is everything I ever wanted to pour into an educational primer for young people: an explanation of gender-neutral pronouns and sex vs. gender, how to come out and how to react to someone coming out to you, a completely global overview of ancient LGBTQIA+ history, a comprehensive look at LGBTQIA+ people’s contributions to culture, an in-depth look at the last century of LGBTQIA+ history, and so much more. I literally cried when I saw the illustrations [by Caitlin O’Dwyer], which are just gorgeous and fill the pages as much as the text. I am just over the moon with how this book turned out.
The book begins with an overview of LGBTQIA+ terminology and identities. There’s a helpful spread about coming out, too, and a side box inviting readers to think about their various identities, LGBTQIA+ and otherwise. These identities can be useful for finding community, Prager notes, but shouldn’t box one in. She also acknowledges that LGBTQIA+ history is a part of all human history, even though many of our terms describing it are new. She wisely notes that sometimes it is impossible to tell what a historical figure’s real sense of their identity might be. Additionally, she says that societal privilege means we have more historical evidence for some people (like royalty) over others (like peasants), and reminds readers that all of history is a matter of interpretation.
We then move into a look at ancient LGBTQIA+ history across all populated continents. Prager doesn’t try to provide an in-depth chronological narrative, but rather to hit some highlights about how LGBTQIA+ were seen in various ancient cultures, and to briefly profile some people known or thought to be LGBTQIA+.
The book then offers a chapter on LGBTQIA+ contributions to the world in several areas: music, dance, literature, the arts, and sciences, before moving into chronological chapters tackling LGBTQIA+ history from the 1600s to 1940s; 1950s to 1960s; and 1970s to 2020s. Again, these aren’t comprehensive histories of each era, but engaging summaries of key events, initiatives, movements, people, and more. In addition to events that one might expect, like Stonewall, the creation of the rainbow flag, and the enactment of marriage equality, there are also thematic sections on topics such as “Discrimination and Acceptance in Faith,” “The History of Drag and Cross-Dressing,” “Gayborhoods,” and more.
After another thematic chapter profiling famous LGBTQIA+ people in sports, the media, and politics, a final section looks “Forward and Inward” to explore LGBTQIA+ rights in schools, the spread of LGBTQIA+ acceptance globally, how to be an ally, and how to show pride. Backmatter includes a glossary, a list of U.S. Places of Interest, and some additional resources. There’s also a fun pull-out poster with a timeline of important events from ancient times to the modern era.
Any reader might have opinions on who and what was included here or left out; overall, I think Prager does an excellent job ranging across eras (though the emphasis is modern), geographic regions, and identities. The only major additional topic I would have liked to see covered is the rise of out LGBTQIA+ people starting families together, leading to the late 20th-century “gayby boom” (a term first documented by Newsweek in 1990) and beyond. (LGBTQIA+ people having children or grandchildren are mentioned in passing a few times, however.)
The volume showcases Prager’s usual clear and engaging prose and her thoughtful takes on LGBTQ people, cultures, and communities. This is a book that could either be read right through or happily browsed at random; the layout is bright and engaging, with lots of side boxes containing quotes, questions to ponder, and entertaining additional tidbits like LGBTQ slang from the 1950s.
This is bound to be a go-to volume for schools and libraries, but should find a welcome place on many home bookshelves as well.
