A review by jainabee
We Both Laughed in Pleasure: The Selected Diaries of Lou Sullivan by Lou Sullivan

challenging inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

What a gift to the world, my heart is bursting with so many feelings. Phenomenal. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Transphobia, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Incest, Outing, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Grief, Misogyny, Racism, and Self harm

Minor: Biphobia and Cursing

These are the diaries of a queer white person who lived through the 60's, 70's and 80's, and the language and attitudes are of the time. The editors have done a great job to not bowdlerize the life of a complex person facing the traumatic experience of trying to live authentically in the face of so much oppression and ignorance. Not for the squeamish, and full of rich insights and wisdom for those who can handle it.