A review by ayylexa
Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States by Samantha Allen

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

It took me until the penultimate chapter to see this book for what it really is, which is a spotlight on the lived experiences of specific individuals and pillars of local queer communities in red states. I know the subtitle is literally "LGBT Stories from Red States," so I can only really fault myself for not taking that at face value. I expected way more commentary about intersectionalism, racism, classism, and the erasure of activism in the US South, but this book chooses to go a simpler route by giving a platform for these stories. It's a good jumping off point for further discussion and reading, albeit lacking in BIPOC perspectives, in my opinion.