How LGBT is Glee?

I do not own this photo. Click it to see where I found it.

Ever since the first episode, I've been a huge fan of the show Glee. I think it's amusing, fun, genuinely moving at times, and just a really interesting show. The dacing and singing are always fun to watch (and I'll admit I'm a bit envious I don't have those talents) and the characters just keep you pining for more. Remember, the show is on at 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday nights so be sure to watch today's episode, or tape it if you can't.

This post isn't a giveaway post...but rather a discussion. I want to know who you love, how LGBT friendly you feel GLEE is, what songs you want to see, who you want guest starring, etc. Let me know. Whatever you have to say about Glee...I'm curious. Just be aware of other's feelings and no flat out hate or we do have the right to delete your comment.

As for me, I think GLEE is very LGBT friendly. It would be great to see more variety on the spectrum in the future, but having Kurt is a start. He's becoming more and more confident in himself and I love to see that. Of course, there are also many openly non-straight actors and actresses on the show and as guest stars which is also amazing. I commend Ryan Murphy (out himself) for creating this show and allowing GLEE to be real, while at the same time goofy and sweet.

If you post about GLEE on your own blog, link back here and let us know in the comments. I'll be sure to stop by and show my love via commenting too.

Keep an eye out for a couple GLEE giveaways this week.

And again, anything you want to see? Drop us a line!

--Lauren

GLSEN + GLBT Week + All Things Glee!

Today, October 11th, is National Coming Out Day. In honor of that and the release of Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde tomorrow is the reason behind some auctions happening here. All the money benefits the Cincinnati chapter of GLSEN. They are an amazing organization, so think about bidding and supporting...or picking up a copy of Jumpstart the World tomorrow.

James from Book Chic is also having a GLBT themed week going on. You can go to his blog to find some great posts and contests.

As for Let's Get Beyond Tolerance...don't forget to check out the posts from last week (sorry there weren't AS many as I wanted) but this week there is going to be a theme: GLEEK WEEK. That's right, lots of fun posts that deal with the hit show, Glee. There might be some non-Gleek posts, but if not, you can certainly find those after this week.

Thanks for following. I hope you'll comment and share your thoughts and ideas! This is about all of you as well...share with us!!!

Giveaway!! Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde (Signed)

Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde (Co-Founder of this here blog)

Out: October 12, 2010 (this Tuesday!)

Amazon Associates: Buy from this link, and we get a small percentage for the site.

-Lauren

Summary:

Elle is a loner. She doesn’t need people. Which is a good thing, because she’s on her own: she had to move into her own apartment so her mother’s boyfriend won’t have to deal with her.


Then she meets Frank, the guy who lives next door. He’s older and has a girlfriend, but Elle can’t stop thinking about him. Frank isn’t like anyone Elle has ever met. He listens to her. He’s gentle. And Elle is falling for him, hard.


But Frank is different in a way that Elle was never prepared for: he’s transgender. And when Elle learns the truth, her world is turned upside down. Now she’ll have to search inside herself to find not only the true meaning of friendship but her own role in jumpstarting the world.


Tender, honest, and compassionate, Jumpstart the World is a stunning story to make you laugh, cry, and honor the power of love.

In honor of Jumpstart's release as well as National Coming Out Day (Monday, October 11) there will be a week of amazing auctions on my main site here. These aren't books...but you'll definitely want to check them out because you might find something great for yourself or a friend/family member, especially with the holidays approaching. All the money for the auctions will go to the Cincinnati chapter of GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. It's an amazing charity so you'll certainly want to support them.

If you don't bid or don't win an auction, you can still expand knowledge by supporting LGBT books and buying Jumpstart the World or requesting it at your library. Support Catherine, support people that need these books, support people that want these books, and show that you believe in these titles.

Auctions will run from Oct. 11 to Oct. 15. You can even find a button in the top right hand corner of my site (link above) if you wish to use that. Spread the word though. If you post about this on your blog (the book AND the auctions) then you are eligible to enter to win a signed copy of Jumpstart the World!

To Enter: Post about this on a blog if you have one...if not, tweeting or facebooking is okay.

Ends: October 15th

Open To: U.S. only I'm afraid

+1 if you follow this blog (leave a new comment)

+1 for any post on Let's Get Beyond Tolerance that you comment on (leave a new comment here so we count it)

Top Ten LGBT Books According to Lee Bantle

My Top Ten Favorite LGBT Books of All Time By Lee Bantle (Author of David Inside Out)

1) ANNIE ON MY MIND by Nancy Garden. This is a must read! If you want literature, if you want great writing, this book is for you. And if you’re a girl who thinks you might like other girls, this compelling love story will resonate. I aspire to write like Nancy Garden. She is lyrical and this novel is beautifully realized. Winner of many awards. Deservedly so.

2) REFLECTIONS OF A ROCK LOBSTER by Aaron Fricke. This book has faded and deserves revival. Nonfiction. Aaron took a boy to his prom. In 1980! Way before people were doing that. And then wrote the story. What guts! A pioneer. Fulfilling and historic, this memoir is another must read.

3) GIOVANNI’S ROOM by James Baldwin. Baldwin is a brilliant, intuitive writer and this is a classic. Bear in mind though that it was written in the 1950's and that being “homosexual” was far from accepted. That said, Baldwin broke new ground by taking on this theme and exploring erotic love between men.


4) BOYS LIKE US – A Collection edited by Patrick Merla. This compelling collection of coming out stories from gifted gay writers is evocative, moving, and marvelously entertaining. Edmund White, Andrew Holleran, Brad Gooch. There is nothing more revealing than a gay man’s exposition of this coming out experience. Don’t miss the astounding entry by Alan Gurangus.


5) BORROWED TIME by Paul Monette. This harrowing tale of the last 19 AIDS-wracked months of Monette’s lover is not for the faint of heart. I remember being overcome with despair as Monette’s powerful love and practical intervention are not enough to save the man who means more to him than life itself. Heartbreaking. An important historical document of the calamitous 1980’s.


6) DANCE ON MY GRAVE by Aidan Chambers. “If I die first you dance on my grave,” the young hero tells his new BF. This request gives life to a coming of age love story which is delightful and quirky. Adolescent love is captured in all its awkward, passionate glory. Written in 1982, this one has stood the test of time.


8) MAURICE by E.M. Forster. Forster is, of course, one of our literary lions. This tale of love between men was written deep in the past and, at the author’s request, published posthumously. So no punches were pulled. Taking on the class structure as well as societal disdain for gay love, there is no question what desires lay deep in Forster’s eloquent heart.


9) TALE OF TWO SUMMERS by Brian Sloan. A delicious summer read. This book keeps you hooked. Hilarious, sexy and surprising, it’s the story of two friends — Hal and Chuck (one straight and one gay) — apart for the summer, who keep in intimate contact through a blog. Hal’s tales with Henri (the French bad boy) will leave you panting for more.


10) WEETZIE BAT by Francesca Lia Block. Magical realism comes to gay LA. Anything by Block is a quick, fun, uplifting read. She gets it. There is depth. The perfect book for one of those sleepovers when you never go to sleep.


 
 
 
This post was written for and originally posted at Elisa Rolle's Livejournal. As a warning, she does write and focus on adult books and topics but all fall under the LGBT tag. The link I gave you brings you to Lee's post there, where Elisa gives you details and links for all of these books.  
 
Amazon Associates: Buy the book from the above link and we get a small percentage to support the site!

Review: Sprout by Dale Peck

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Sprout by Dale Peck



By: Lauren


Also for Teens Read Too (I recieved my copy from them)


Author Site: http://dalepeck.com/

Sprout has seemingly made his life an open book: in a new town, people know that he lives in the trailer covered in vines, that his dad is the town drunk, and even that his mother passed away before he arrived. However, his being gay is supposed to be in that category and it’s not completely that way. It does become known as the story goes on that he’s gay and I love that he doesn’t have a problem with it, but it’s still a bit of a secret for awhile.



This book is told through the point of view of Sprout and the set up is a bit hard to explain, but reads a lot like essays strung together in an overall story. Things in the beginning are mentioned later on, but there are points when it seems the story starts over and focuses on something else and then goes back. For example, the beginning of this deals a lot with a teacher and Sprout working on his essay writing in the summer so he can enter a competition that she believes he can win…only, of course, if he doesn’t mention he’s gay. Then the story stops talking about that for awhile and you focus more on a boy named Tyler that Sprout hates at first, but slowly starts to fall for. Eventually the two parts line up for the end.

It might sound a bit confusing, but it seems to work overall. I found myself invested more in the Tyler part as the story goes on, but the competition is a big part in Sprout’s life and truly shows how he changes in the end.

This isn’t a happily-ever-after, but it’s not so depressing you can’t find the hope. That’s something that Sprout always had to do…find hope and brightness in his sometimes messed up life. His relationship with Tyler was awkward and interesting and quite different than anything most people have read about, whether a straight or gay relationship. It seemed more realistic in a way though. It wasn’t “I’ll love you forever” right away or even in the end. It was complicated and tough.

In the end, Sprout is a different book that would appeal to people looking for something a little off, a little goofy, a little sad, and a little lovely.

Photo from Photobucket. I do not own.

Official Launch Week + We Ask You, You Ask Us!

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This week is the official launch of Let's Get Beyond Tolerance! Again, this was co-founded by myself (Lauren from Shooting Stars Mag), author Catherine Ryan Hyde, and author Lee Bantle. They are both fabulous and you should definitely check out their own LGBT themed and not themed books.

I hope to have some fun posts every day this week, but please forgive me if a day is missed due to school and other such fun activities. You'll find a variety of things this week that you can continue to see in the future: book reviews, author guest posts. book giveaways, movie reviews, concert reviews, and more. I've been saving up some reviews for this week so I really hope to get your feedback and see what you think. Be sure to look out for the announcement post this week as well...next week is going to be a really fun THEME week to continue along with our launch!

As for this very first OFFICIAL LAUNCH post, I want to know what you would like to see. If you have any questions that you'd like the authors or myself to answer, please leave them in the comment as well. If we get enough...we'll make a fun Ask Us! post and feel free to leave a question or comment anonymously if you aren't comfortable stating who you are. Of course, this isn't cause to bash or be mean...those comments will be deleted as soon as I notice them.

Now let's go: What Do You Want to See on Here? and What Questions Do You Have For Us?

Congrats to Glee's Chris Colfer!

Thanks to anyone who has come over from Kristi's blog The Story Siren. She's having an amazing two weeks focused on LGBT lit. We're still planning our big coming out party, but for now, you should definitely give Kristi some props and maybe win a few fun books!

Up now is a guest post and giveaway for Catherine Ryan Hyde who happens to be a co-founder of this here blog. You know you want to give her some comment love.

Now, the other reason I'm writing this post is to congratulate Chris Colfer for winning a Teen Choice Award-

Choice TV: Male Scene Stealer


Chris Colfer, Glee
 
He's definitely a scene stealer. I think it's amazing that we can have a show like Glee on television where people LOVE and ROOT for a gay teen like Chris Colfer's portrayal of Kurt.

ETA: For anyone that saw the Teen Choice Awards, you know what I'm talking about...but the co-hosts were Katy Perry and the boys of Glee. Some of them talked about how in their teenage dreams Katy would be a prom queen or a cheerleader...but ever the amusing one, Chris said "in my teenage dreams, I'd be hosting alone."
 
Don't worry...we'll talk plenty more about Glee this coming September when Season 2 starts. For now though, what are your thoughts on the show and Chris/Kurt? Feel free to congratulate him yourself too (not that he'll see, but all good vibes are good yes?)

 
--Lauren
 

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