376 reviews for:

The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World

Alan Downs

3.77 AVERAGE

kennedy_thomson19's review against another edition

4.0

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

john_bizzell's review against another edition

3.5

informative medium-paced

renegadeinthecity's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

oygr3s's review against another edition

4.5

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

papadechapo's review against another edition

4.25

informative reflective medium-paced

drewdrawspaints's review against another edition

3.75

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

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Review incoming 

gervasioderivia's review against another edition

4.0

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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Alan Downs read me to filth

bps's review against another edition

4.0

informative inspiring fast-paced

laphenix's review against another edition

3.0

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This book gave me a lot of perspective on friendships I've had, into myself, and offered great suggestions on how to address complications and struggles as they may arrive. Insightful, touching, and sincere.

timisaverage's review against another edition

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It was interesting to see a book of this type specifically from perspective of a Gay man, for the Gay audience. There are some criticisms, firstly is that he often gives examples of high power executives, famous artists, antique collectors. For some Gay men the best they can hope for is the store manager of the local fast food or retail store - that's basically CEO! So its' a little privileged, and feels quite white.
Secondly, his use of the word 'disabled' to describe the effect of the emotional states in the book is perhaps a bit ableist. A false equivalency.
While he admits the limitations of the book in the outset, for example this is for Gay men rather than Gay women/ lesbians, it would be good in future editions to expand on that.

Aside from those two major points I found the book very helpful, personally, and I'll be reflecting on it for some time to come. I think quite a must-read for all Gay men.