Wil Biggers: Wil Biggers is a stained glass artist in South Carolina. This review was originally published in White Crane Journal (#48). It is reprinted with permission from www.whitecranejournal.com online.
This is a great read! Mixner, who gave us “Stranger Among Friends,” and his collaborator David Bailey offer six intimate, engrossing, and compelling stories of seven contemporary Gay heroes whose very personal, and public struggles for equality and truth are profoundly inspiring. Yes, these accounts of strength in spirit are riveting. Most of our Gay history is ignored, suppressed or back paged; these people would not be unheard; they are heroes all.
One surprise the reader finds in these remarkable accounts is that only two men are featured out of six stories, the rest are women. And intermixed and woven throughout most of these struggles is a solid commitment to gay and lesbian unity, a refreshing twist. Each one is a wonder in perseverance, self-awareness, hope, courage, love and dogged resolve. These seven have significantly altered and bettered our world.
We're given just about everything here in diversity. It would have been heartening to see a Gay African-American here; nevertheless, diversity is shown;and hopefully in Volume II…
Hispanic-American Dianne Hardy-Garcia courageously and effectively fights for enactment of hate crimes bills in her native Texas in spite of her Governor's unyielding wall of opposition. Elaine Noble becomes the first openly gay person to be elected to state office. Top-Gun navy pilot, Lieutenant Tracy Thorne outs himself on television's Nightline and shows us what the right stuff really is. Pioneers Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, together now fifty years, started the first Lesbian organization. Roberta Achtenberg faced off against the venom of Jessie Helms in her confirmation hearings for appointment to government office. Sir Ian McKellen, arguably the world's finest Shakespearean actor, came out to the public on the BBC; as an activist he fought in the battle against AIDS and fights for parity of Gay citizens under the law in the UK.
These accounts are deeply personal, and once immersed in any one of these compelling stories, this reader could not put it down. Brave Journeys is the product of great historical reporting, superb interviewing and the exceptionally candid participation of those whose lives were featured;as well as their families, their friends and partners. A must read for anyone who wants to know who has effected great change in our lifetimes. The work continues.
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