Matt Kailey lived as a straight woman for the first forty-two years of his life. Though happy as a social worker and teacher, he knew something wasn't right. Then he made some changes. With the help of a good therapist, chest surgery, and some strong doses of testosterone, Kailey began his journey toward becoming a man.As his body morphed and his voice dropped, Kailey began noticing subtle shifts in the way he was treated. Men suddenly stopped offering to change flat tires for him ...

From the bestselling author of Sex Object, a searing investigation into American culture's obsession with virginity, and the argument for creating a future where women and girls are valued for more than sexualityThe United States is obsessed with virginity--from the media to schools to government agencies. In The Purity Myth, Jessica Valenti argues that the country's intense focus on chastity is damaging to young women. Through in-depth cultural a...

The classic guide to love, sex, and intimacy beyond the limits of conventional monogamy has been fully updated to reflect today’s modern attitudes and the latest information on nontraditional relationships.“One of the most useful relationship books you could ever read, no matter what your lifestyle choices. It’s chock-full of great information about communication, jealousy, asking for what you want, and maintaining a relationship with integrity.”—Annie Spri...

Building on the groundbreaking original work by Edmund White and Charles Silverstein, a fully revised and expanded edition of a classic, comprehensive guide to gay sex, love, and life. Featuring 50 new illustrations.One of the touchstones of the emerging gay consciousness when it was first published in the 70’s, and a standard reference for gay men throughout the 80’s and 90’s, The Joy of Gay Sex has informed countless men about the ins and outs of gay lif...

Lambda Literary Award finalistAmerican Library Association Stonewall Honor BookIn the summer of 2009, butch writer and storyteller Ivan Coyote and gender researcher and femme dynamo Zena Sharman wrote down a wish-list of their favourite queer authors; they wanted to continue and expand the butch-femme conversation. The result is Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme. The stories in these pages resist simple definitions. The people ...

"This is where sex and gender collide, then ricochet like fragments of heart rending shrapnel. Rarely has a book about lust been full of so much love, conflict, and intelligence. If you think you already know what's in these stories, or you think you don't need to know, you're wrong."—Patrick Califa, author of Sex Changes: The Politics of TransgenderismExploring the crossroads of gender and sexuality, Trans/Love: Radical Sex, Love & Relationships Beyond the Gender Bina...

In Appetites, Caroline Knapp confronts Freud's famous question, "What do women want?" and boldly reframes it, asking instead: How does a woman know, and then honor, what it is she wants in a culture bent on shaping, defining, and controlling her desires? Knapp, bestselling author of Drinking: A Love Story and Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs, has turned her brilliant eye towards how a woman's appetite—for food, love, work, and pleasure—has ...

Thong panties, padded bras, and risqué Halloween costumes for young girls. T-shirts that boast “Chick Magnet” for toddler boys. Sexy content on almost every television channel, as well as in books, movies, video games, and even cartoons. Hot young female pop stars wearing provocative clothing and dancing suggestively while singing songs with sexual and sometimes violent lyrics. These products are marketed aggressively to our children; these stars are held up for our young daughters to emul...

Author, activist, and TED speaker Ashton Applewhite has written a rousing manifesto calling for an end to discrimination and prejudice on the basis of age.In our youth obsessed culture, we’re bombarded by media images and messages about the despairs and declines of our later years. Beauty and pharmaceutical companies work overtime to convince people to purchase products that will retain their youthful appearance and vitality. Wrinkles are embarrassing. Gray hair sh...

Why does society applaud a girl who falls for a guy's "big blue eyes" yet denounces one who chooses a man with a "big green bankroll"? After all, isn't earning power more a reflection of a man's values and character? Smart Girls Marry Money challenges the ideals and assumptions women have blindly accepted about love and marriage -- and shows how they've done so at their own economic peril. In this brazen manifesto, authors Elizabeth Ford and Daniela Drake use cold hard facts, real...

The best way to understand male sexual abuse is to learn about its survivors. They are the victims, and they have stories to tell.Author OBrien Dennis recounts how he was sexually abused as a boy in Jamaica, and he also shares accounts from other men who were abused. By giving them a voice, he unveils how male sexual abuse can so easily happen at the hands of close and trusted family, friends and even strangers.As you read these intimate stories, youll learn how societys na...

Following on the heels of the first edition, Breaking Out II expands its coverage by including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals. While some societies have become more tolerant and accepting of sexual and gender diversity, LGBTI people continue to suffer psychological damage caused by growing up in largely heterosexist, homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic milieus. How can LGBTI individuals learn to love themselves when many or most of the signals socie...