Pride Celebrating diversity & community

Defining Pride as a celebration of diversity, equality, and freedom, Canadian author Stevenson extrapolates from Gay Pride parades (usually held near the end of June) to offer international coverage of other LGBTQ events, activities, and issues. Beginning with a survey of Pride history and the seminal gay liberation movement, she continues with chapters examining Pride identity, celebrating Pride today, and Pride around the world. A theme that runs through this informative book is one of community, which brings together disparate peoples and groups throughout her nation of Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Asia. A special feature of the book is the attention it brings to the condition of being intersex, an increasingly visible community that has been overlooked for too long. Vividly illustrated with color photographs of gay people and events, the book contains numerous sidebar features such as Queer Facts, quotations, and Proud Moments, including the author's own coming-out story. Positively festive in its attitudes and outlook, this book more than lives up to the word celebrating in its subtitle.--Cart, Michael Copyright 2016 Booklist

LGBTQ culture and rights are covered through the prism of Pride in this timely work. Beginning with gay history, Stevenson explains how Pride events began as a way to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots but have gradually shifted from focusing on gay liberation toward a celebration of gay pride. Yet while Pride events are held all over the world, whether small parades or weeklong celebrations, there are still struggles within the LGBTQ community and against those who identify as LGBTQ. But with the work of activists of all ages, Pride and LGBTQ rights can prevail against homophobia and other forms of discrimination. Using Pride as a way to talk about LGBTQ gives the information a new slant, yet Stevenson may confuse readers by vacillating between subjectivity and objectivity. She frequently uses the personal pronoun, flipping, even within a paragraph, from "some people wanted" to "we should," muddying the waters a bit: is this a memoir or a piece of cultural and historical nonfiction? The appropriately rainbow-themed design features plentiful photographs, both black-and-white and color, in a lively design. They've been carefully chosen to highlight the diversity within the community, from First Nations drummers in a Vancouver parade to an Asian man holding hands with a white man in an Oslo celebration. This attractive work will be welcomed by readers searching for guidance and hope. (glossary, references, resources, index, acknowledgments, author's note) (Nonfiction. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.