¡una fi. 2003 •
REVIEWS
“ABBA-SOLUTELY FABULOUS!”
LIZ SMITH, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST
observation in “C hurch of Godly Men” about
the increase of not only the frequency but also
the strength of her church’s overtly prejudiced
comments. She said her head felt heavy and
twisted as she listened to the sermons, baffled
that they blasted gays as vehement sinners but
turned a cheek to the child molesters and scan
dalous adulterers sitting in the same pews.
Equally, she found it alarming that the church
supported the patriarchal attitude that women
should serve and not speak. She points to these
veins within the Christian church as the
reason some of the most outspoken critics of
organized religion are ex-members.
Bare Your Soul is in many ways a handbook
of spirituality, yet, unlike most handbooks, all
the pieces are written with passion after years
of thoughtful scrutiny of not only each writers
internal fabric but with an awareness of a world
not in a vacuum.
— Gina Daggett
B are Y our S oul : T he T hinking G irl ’ s
G uide to E nlightenment
edited by Angela Watrous; Seal Press, 2002;
$16.95 softcover
B eyond the C loset : T he T ransformation
of G ay and L esbian L ife
by Steven Seidman; Routledge, 2002; $27.50
hardcover
he way Steven Seidman compares Ellen
DeGeneres’ historical coming out on the
cover of Time magazine to the mere byline
his “Thinking G irl’s Guide to Enlighten
Rosie O ’Donnell’s coming out was given in the
ment” is an exposé of spirituality, offering 25
entertainm ent section of newspapers, is an
essayed snapshots from women of all back
accurate analogy of the transformation of gay
grounds and traditions. The pieces highlight the
and lesbian life in the U nited States.
full gamut of beliefs— from recovering Catholics
In his coming-of-age book Beyond the Closet,
to a post-9/11 switch to Islam to butch agnos
the State University of New York sociology pro
tics—celebrating women’s spiritual journeys.
fessor takes a hard look at the evolution of the
Angela Watrous used an even hand when
closet. W hat did it mean 20 years ago? W hat
she chose the essays, and most of the writing is
does it mean now? Not only does he address
smooth, accessible and unpretentious. In
these questions in a well-considered and astute
“Coming C lean,” by the editor herself, she says
way, he also offers snapshots of people’s experi
she felt like her spirituality surfaced like her
ence
behind and outside the closet d(X)r.
sexuality. “It felt like there’d never been any
Seidman profiles queers and paints a diverse
decision to make in the first place...the first
picture of what it was
time I realized I was a
like in the closet, which
lesbian, it happened the
he defines as “less about
same way: an immersion
denying [homosexuality)
in community, a sudden
than choosing to conceal
awareness and, finally,
and manage it. The clos
an undeniable pull to
et allows one to be in
make a choice that
the world as a respected,
had already been long
gcxxl person, despite pos
decided somewhere deep
sessing a stained identity.
inside of me.”
Shame, fear, terror and
Bare Your Soul is a
disgust not only are the
balanced, measured and
emotional stuff of the
enlightening picture of
closet, but sustain it."
spirituality amid this
IM t
A few dry patches
third wave of feminism,
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notw
ithstanding, the
although, like most
au th o r’s expertise on
other anthologies, indi
O I C A Y \ \ I»
sexuality and social th e
vidual pieces are hit-
I I S RI « \ t i l l
ory make his observa
and-miss. Yet, I enjoyed
tions on the historical
the hits and pocketed
evolution of being
these jewels of enlight
queer in America
enm ent— a shared view
thoughtful and sage—
expressed in a com
Si even Seidm an
carefully
considering,
pelling way; an experi
for instance, how gays
ence that, although
were dam ned to silence and perceived as
unlike my own, opened a door for me; writing
aliens in a severely hom ophobic 1950s and
and beliefs that were particularly smart.
’60s culture. He even points his finger at the
Specifically, Maliha Masood’s “T he Practice
governm ent’s attem pts to prevent the accep
of Faith" is a standout discussion of conflict
tance of homosexuals hy taking away basic
between her rigid Islam heritage and the
rights, som ething that obviously continues to
“rugged individualism” surrounding her in the
h au n t th e queer community.
United States. Stephanie Groll also hits home
Seidman also takes a ltx)k at people who are
as she explains in “Million Step Program” how,
"straight but not narrow” as well as a young
because she had no spiritual foundation, she
man who is much more ambiguous and inter
worked hard to shrink her body from the view
esting than his “heterosexual and proud” stance
of the world: “Not by starving myself, but by
might lead one to believe.
shutting my m outh.”
— g d j n
Tanessa Dillard also makes an interesting
T
T
BEVONO T
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