In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with author Lee Wind about his new book “No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” a Queer History Project published by Zest/Lerner. In “No Way, They Were Gay?” Wind takes the reader on a fascinating journey through primary sources of poetry, memoir, news clippings and images of ancient artwork to explore the hidden and often surprising Queer lives and loves of two dozen historical figures. History has often left out so many stories of our LGBTQ community and people who lived outside gender boundaries. Historians have even censored the lives and loves of some of the world's most famous people from William Shakespeare and Pharaoh Hatshepsut to Cary Grant and Eleanor Roosevelt. Wind skillfully revisits famous figures in the USA and world history by delving into primary sources and reassesses what's made legible about people's sexual and gender identities when the present and past are allowed to collide. The book is divided into three categories: men who loved men, women who loved women and people who lived outside of gender binaries. Wind not only delivers a long overdue education for everyone that reads this book but also helps our LGBTQ youth by providing role models that are among the most revered of leaders. We talked to Lee about what he hopes to accomplish with “No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” and his spin on our LGBTQ issues.
Lee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of “I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?” an award-winning website about books, culture and empowerment for LGBTQ youth and their allies. For over 11 years readers from 100-plus countries have racked up 2.6 million page views and counting. Lee’s debut novel “Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill” addressing the theory about Abraham Lincoln's close relationship with Joshua Fry Speed a Springfield, Illinois merchant who met Lincoln in 1837 one of Publishers Weekly’s top five independently published middle grade and young adult books of 2018. Currently Wind is Director of Marketing and Programming at the Independent Book Publishers Association and the official blogger for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Lee’s passion is writing stories to empower LGBTQ youth and their allies. Lee Wind lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their teenage daughter. “No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves” is available everywhere books are sold.
1 comment:
I am excited to read Lee's book… Great interview.
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