Crisis: Growing Up Gay In America

As far as society has moved toward acceptance of GLBT people, it is still difficult growing up gay in America.

Mitchell Gold has lived that. he grew up in Trenton, New Jersey in teh 1960's in an environment naturally hostile to "homos" as they were openly referred to then. Gold, who is an enormously successful furniture entrepreneur who also founded the GLBT faith advocacy organization Faith in America, wanted to help others avoid the pain and confusion he endured by telling his story and gathering others from all walks of life to put together in a book titled "Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, adn Religious Pain of Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America."

The wide range of sources for these stories makes this book accessable to a wide range of people, from teenagers to parents and grandparents who are involved in raising kids. The contributors include the famous (Barney Frank, Candace Gingrich, Richard Chamberlain), the activists (Joe Solmonese, Bishop Gene Robinson, Mel White) and others who have led more private lives and endured more private pain.

While the stories are full of pain, anger, confusion, desperation, and more than one suicide attempt, they are also tales of individuals overcoming these challenges, coming to grips with who they truly are, and embracing life.

I wish I had time to give this book the in-depth review it deserves, but I want to let everyone know how much these stories moved me and reminded me why I wanted to get involved in ministering to the GLBT community in the first place.

By opening up and sharing their stories, the people who contributed to this book, and especially Mitchell Gold for putting it together, will help mitigate the pain and difficulties young men and women have as they struggle to understand their sexuality.

I strongly recommend this book for any members of the GLBT community who are currently or have had issues with friends and loved ones as they moved toward an understanding of their sexuality, or any straight people who are their friends or loved ones. There is a lot to learn here-eyes and hearts can be opened by understanding what others have lived through.

You can purchase this book on Amazon.com.