QUEER HEROES

Fashion blogger Sicardi introduces readers to 52 queer
heroes from around the world.

The book’s survey of diverse individuals should be
applauded. Commendable ranges of ages, ethnicities, genders, professions, and
time periods are covered. However, the book’s downfall begins with the
sparseness of information offered about each subject. Each entry includes a
name, a date range and birthplace, a few scant paragraphs, a stylized portrait,
and nothing else. For example, while the joint entry on Sylvia Rivera and Marsha
P. Johnson covers their friendship and work with homeless LGBTQIAP youth in New
York City, it makes no mention of Rivera’s historic 1973 speech regarding
homophobia and transphobia within the LGBTQIAP community. That was kind of a
big deal. Likewise, David Bowie is praised for his music, but mention of his
infamous 1983 Rolling Stone article,
in which he identified as heterosexual, is absent. (In fairness, the title
could refer to heroes of queer people.)
The book’s other major deficit is its disorder. The subjects are arranged
arbitrarily, without a table of contents or an index. There is no further
reading section and no bibliographies for references. A haphazard two-page
glossary exists (thankfully in alphabetical order), but that’s it. The book has
some merit as a brief introduction to people readers may not have heard of but
doesn’t have the follow-through necessary to lead them to further discoveries.

Save your money. (Biography.
9-12)