Young Queer America

"What's it like to grow up queer in America today? LGBTQ+ representation in the media is at an all-time high-and yet so is anti-LGBTQ+ legislation aimed at queer and trans youth. In this powerful volume, seventy-three LGBTQ+ kids and teens from fifteen different states throughout the USA tell their stories in their own words. They share the challenges they've faced coming out or coming to terms with their own identities; they write about their families, their schoolmates, their teachers, and their queer communities; and they offer messages of love and support to their LGBTQ+ peers. These stories of resilience, heartbreak, and self-discovery are accompanied by portraits from photographer Maxwell Poth and a foreword from actress and activist Isis King. Poth, the founder of the nonprofit Project Contrast, which seeks to amplify the voices of queer youth and address the mental health crises facing LGBTQ+ communities, has a knack for bringing out the joy and confidence of his subjects. His images echo the sentiments of the bright, young Americans who've shared their stories in this book: We see you. We love you. You are not alone"--