#benjamin law

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Nonfiction Books Bracket: Round 1B

Choose a book:

Something That May Shock and Discredit You by Daniel M. Lavery

Growing Up Queer in Australia, edited by Benjamin Law

Voting ended onJun 6

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

Something That May Shock and Discredit You by Daniel M. Lavery

Endorsement from submitter: "This book repeatedly kicked me in the face emotionally. It is a sharp, relatable reflection on learning how to want anything while trans, the experience of realizing you are a person and have a body, and emerging from an evangelical Christian upbringing. The marketing copy for this book overplays the "pop culture/humor" aspects for more mass-market appeal, but the real audience is those of us who will Understand the soul-deep truths that razor-wit is incisively slicing into. This book made me feel simultaneously seen and called out. "Unwanted Coming Out Disorder" and "The Stages of Not Being on T" succinctly dragged the ever-living-shit out of my baby trans self (but from a place of "been there too" and deep knowing)."

Daniel M. Lavery is known for blending genres, forms, and sources to develop fascinating new hybrids—from lyric rants to horror recipes to pornographic scripture. In his most personal work to date, he turns his attention to the essay, offering vigorous and laugh-out-loud funny accounts of both popular and highbrow culture while mixing in meditations on gender transition, family dynamics, and the many meanings of faith.

From a thoughtful analysis of the beauty of William Shatner to a sinister reimagining of HGTV’s House Hunters , and featuring figures as varied as Anne of Green Gables, Columbo, Nora Ephron, Apollo, and the cast of Mean Girls , Something That May Shock and Discredit You is a hilarious and emotionally exhilarating compendium that combines personal history with cultural history to make you see yourself and those around you entirely anew. It further establishes Lavery as one of the most innovative and engaging voices of his generation—and it may just change the way you think about Lord Byron forever.

Nonfiction, memoir, essay collection

Growing Up Queer in Australia, edited by Benjamin Law

‘No amount of YouTube videos and queer think pieces prepared me for this moment.’ ‘The mantle of “queer migrant” compelled me to keep going – to go further.’ ‘I never “came out” to my parents. I felt I owed them no explanation.’ ‘All I heard from the pulpit were grim hints.’ ‘I became acutely aware of the parts of myself that were unpalatable to queers who grew up in the city.’ ‘My queerness was born in a hot dry land that was never ceded.’ ‘Even now, I sometimes think that I don’t know my own desire.’ Compiled by celebrated author and journalist Benjamin Law, Growing Up Queer in Australia assembles voices from across the spectrum of LGBTIQA+ identity. Spanning diverse places, eras, ethnicities and experiences, these are the stories of growing up queer in Australia.

‘For better or worse, sooner or later, life conspires to reveal you to yourself, and this is growing up.’

With contributions from David Marr, Fiona Wright, Nayuka Gorrie, Steve Dow, Holly Throsby, Sally Rugg, Tony Ayres, Nic Holas, Rebecca Shaw and many more.

Nonfiction, anthology, memoir, coming of age

[bowokshop]

Growing Up Queer in Australia - edited Benjamin Law

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘No amount of YouTube videos and queer think pieces prepared me for this moment.’ ‘The mantle of “queer migrant” compelled me to keep going – to go further.’ ‘I never “came out” to my parents. I felt I owed them no explanation.’ ‘All I heard from the pulpit were grim hints.’ ‘I became acutely aware of the parts of myself that were unpalatable to queers who grew up in the city.’ ‘My queerness was born in a hot dry land that was never ceded.’ ‘Even now, I sometimes think that I don’t know my own desire.’ Compiled by celebrated author and journalist Benjamin Law, Growing Up Queer in Australia assembles voices from across the spectrum of LGBTIQA+ identity. Spanning diverse places, eras, ethnicities and experiences, these are the stories of growing up queer in Australia.

‘For better or worse, sooner or later, life conspires to reveal you to yourself, and this is growing up.’

With contributions from David Marr, Fiona Wright, Nayuka Gorrie, Steve Dow, Holly Throsby, Sally Rugg, Tony Ayres, Nic Holas, Rebecca Shaw and many more.

I am privileged enough to have grown up with the internet, with information about queer people and queer identities so difficult to hide, such that even at a christian school, I was able to find the words to describe myself almost as soon as I recognised those parts of myself.

Even so, hearing first-person accounts of Australian queer people, like me, dealing with Australia's culture and biases, made me felt seen in a way I don't think any other medium could have.

Growing Up Queer in Australia portrayed all different aspects of queerness, from celebration and pride to rejection and heartbreak. It was a wonderful reflection of thoughts and feelings I've had, as well as those I would never have considered to be part of the queer experience.

I really appreciated the range of queer identities represented in the book; from lesbian and gay to queer, every letter of LGBTQ+ was represented. I do wish we got more stories from the '+' part of the queer community, but I am glad that Growing Up Queer does make an effort to include more than just gay and lesbian authors. I especially appreciated the range in gender identities and presentation of the authors, including both masc- and femme-presenting lesbians and their struggles, trans people who realised both early and late in life, people who had strong gendered feelings that didn't neatly fit into these boxes.

I also welcome the intersectionality present in Growing Up. As someone who is white and able-bodied, it was eye-opening to read how deep the authors' queerness was related to other marginalised parts of their identity such as disability and race. I appreciated the variety in Australian class and location represented in the book, including rural, small towns, suburban and city perspectives. It made me really happy in one story to notice where they were from and say "Hey, that's near me! That's my community!"

As Benjamin Law addresses in the wonderfully written foreword, I am very glad that the title chosen is 'Growing Up Queer in Australia.' The use of 'queer' feels very inclusive and tells me Law is not shying away from the tougher parts of queer identities in an effort to make the book more marketable.

For me personally though, trying to digest the a-spec parts of my identity has been a big part of my personal discovery, and for this reason I would loved to have seen asexual and aromantic representation. It seems from personal anecdote to make up a surprisingly large section of the lgbtq+ community, so it was a bit disappointing that with dozens of authors involved, there was not a single a-spec author.

In general, I was a little disappointed there weren't many authors from the '+' part of lgbtq+, such as a-spec, non-binary and genderfluid. There are some identities that feel marginalised even within the queer community and this book could have been a good opportunity to bring light to them. I would have especially loved to see 'contradictory' identities such as he/him lesbians.

I am still giving 5 stars because I understand when compiling and publishing a book like this, there will always be people who felt left out by it, and I can see and appreciate the effort that has gone into diversity and intersectionality in Growing Up Queer.

Growing Up Queer, through its diverse collection of stories, reaches out and says, You are not alone. There are others who have been in the same situation.

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Memoirs by Asian Authors

Fave Five: Memoirs by Asian Authors

Gaysia: Adventures in the Queer East by Benjamin Law Before the Rain: A Memoir of Love & Revolution by Luisita Lopez Torregrosa Naturally Tan by Tan France Fairest by Meredith Talusan How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee (Essays)

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[eastasiansonwesternscreen]

Ben coming out to his family (The Family Law 3x06)

[auslgbtqya]

Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories edited by Michael Earp

(2019)

From The Publisher:

Twelve of Australia’s best writers from the LGBTQ+ community are brought together in this ground-breaking collection of YA short stories.

What does it mean to be queer? What does it mean to be human? In this powerful #LoveOzYA collection, twelve of Australia’s finest writers from the LGBTQ+ community explore the stories of family, friends, lovers and strangers – the connections that form us. This inclusive and intersectional #OwnVoices anthology for teen readers features work from writers of diverse genders, sexualities and identities, including writers who identify as First Nations, people of colour or disabled. With short stories by bestsellers, award winners and newcomers to young adult fiction including Jax Jacki Brown, Claire G Coleman, Michael Earp, Alison Evans, Erin Gough, Benjamin Law, Omar Sakr, Christos Tsiolkas, Ellen van Neerven, Marlee Jane Ward, Jen Wilde and Nevo Zisin.

Advance praise from Lili Wilkinson: “Beautiful, fresh and exciting, Kindred brings together the pleasure of reading about people who share your own experience, and the delight in discovering lives, worlds and ways of being that are utterly unlike your own. It made me believe that the world is bigger, kinder and more beautiful than I’d thought possible. Kindred peels back the labels we all wear to find the people, stories and beating hearts underneath. It’s a book for everyone.”

Goodreads

[storytime-reviews]

The Family Law Season 3 Review

As Jenny dives headfirst into the giddy world of new romance, a mildly terrified Benjamin delves into the heady world of booze-drenched teen parties and unwanted sexual attraction, before finally facing up to some hard truths about himself and his sexuality.

This season proves to be just as hilarious as the first. What I have always loved about The Family Law is that it is full of raw emotion. It is a realistic representation of Asian-Australian childhood, based on the book by Benjamin Law about his own life, and this season goes once step further by also becoming a coming out story. 

The Family Law doesn’t shy away from the struggles that the Laws experience, from racism to divorce. At the same time it is also a genuinely funny and moving comedy about growing up and all of the associated emotions and experiences, good and bad. In season 3, Ben comes to terms with his sexuality, as new feelings arise, thanks to neighbour and classmate, Klaus. Ben’s coming out is awash with embarrassment and all kinds of hurdles, but at the end of the day, he is well and truly supported by those he loves. 

This season works so well because the angst that Ben feels, due to his newly discovered sexuality, is paired with true comedic timing on the part of actor Trystan Go. This allows for an alleviation of tension at critical moments. It’s important to note that Ben’s coming out is not a tragedy; it is accompanied by a rollercoaster of emotions, but significantly this season is a celebration of Ben’s true self. Ben’s self discovery is captured brilliantly across 6 episodes, as he journeys from a complete lack of self awareness, to confusion, to denial, and finally to acceptance. Perhaps most importantly of all, The Family Law ends on a truly positive, celebratory note. 

[sayittothemasses]

[gayharoldfinch]

lmao i love benjamin law