First published 2016
Dorothy Allison presents personal accounts from LGBTQ+ Southerners navigating identity and acceptance across the region. An Appalachian widower prepares to reveal his truth to his church after his wife's death. A transgender man returns home, uncertain whether his grandmother will accept him. A teenage girl questions religious expectations while discovering her own beliefs. A Southern gentleman bakes blueberries and biscuits, hoping food will soften difficult conversations with his elderly neighbor. These voices span generations and experiences, from surviving police raids and violence to celebrating first kisses and lasting love. Each narrator searches for words to define their identity, ultimately discovering they were never alone in their struggles. The collection reveals how Southern LGBTQ+ individuals forge paths toward authenticity despite cultural pressures and personal fears.
Genres: memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, personal-journey
Setting: Appalachia, South
Period: 21st Century
208 pages · Paperback · NewSouth Books
Content warnings: homophobia, transphobia