Restoried Selves: Autobiographies of Queer Asian / Pacific American Activists (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies)

Restoried Selves: Autobiographies of Queer Asian / Pacific American Activists presents the first-person accounts of 20 activists—life stories that work against common stereotypes, shattering misconceptions and dispelling misinformation. These autobiographies challenge familial and cultural expectations and values that have traditionally forced queer Asian / Pacific Americans into silent shame because of their sexual orientation and/or ethnicity. Authors share not only their experiences growing up but also how those experiences led them to become social activists, speaking out against oppression.

Many harmful untruths—or “stories”—about queer Asian-Pacific Americans have been repeated so often, they are accepted as fact. Restoried Selves: Autobiographies of Queer Asian / Pacific American Activists provides a forum for voices often ignored in academic literature to “re-story” themselves, addressing a range of experiences that includes cultural differences and values, conflicts between different generations in a family or between different groups in a community, and difficulties and rewards of coming out. Those giving voice to their stories through narrative and other writing genres include the transgendered and intersexed, community activists, youths, and parents.

The stories told in Restoried Selves: Autobiographies of Queer Asian / Pacific American Activists reflect on:

• personal experiences—based on country of origin, educational background, religion, gender, and age
• populations served by activism, including the working poor, immigrants, adoptees, youth, women, and families
• different arenas of activism, including schools, governments, social services, and the Internet
• issues targeted by activism, including affirmative action, HIV/AIDS education, mental health, interracial relationships, and sexual violence
• institutions in need of change, including legal, religious, and educational entities
• and much more!

Restoried Selves: Autobiographies of Queer Asian / Pacific American Activists is an essential read for academics and researchers working in Asian American studies, ethnic studies, gender studies, and queer studies, and for LGBTQ youth and their parents, teachers, and social service providers.