Until relatively recently homosexuality was considered a mental illness or a biological disorder, or worse. Today, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have the evidence of scientific research and their authentic experiences of happy and fulfilling lives to support the pride of identity that is their right. This book traces the nature versus nurture debate over the origin of same-sex attraction and gender identity. The theories put forth over the years—that theres a gay gene, that the way a child is raised can turn her gay, or that being gay is somehow a choice—all came to be used in the service of political agendas, often harming LGBT people. Examining the major genetic, biological, and psychological theories of the origins of homosexuality, this book questions those traditional notions of gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation that are at the center of LGBT people's sense of identity and their struggle for civil rights and a happy and fulfilling life. Each title in this series contains a foreword from the founder of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources.
Author
Robert was born in Chicago in the conformist 1950s, grew up in the insurrectionist 1960s, came of age in the hedonist 1970s, and went to work in the elitist 1980s. This roller-coaster ride has left him with a distinct aversion to isms of any kind; it also gave him an ear for hypocrisy, cant, and platitudes that allowed him, in the 1990s, to become a much-lauded social satirist. After seven acclaimed novels set in the gay milieu, Robert grew restless for new challenges—which he found in activities as wide-ranging as publishing nonfiction, writing comic books, launching a literary-criticism blog, and taking to the stage (as a spoken-word performer, jazz singer, and rock-and-roll front man). In 2011, excited by the rise of digital e-books, he returned to his first love, publishing new fiction inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He also organized the republishing of his seminal gay novels under the banner Robert Rodi Essentials. Robert still resides in Chicago, in a century-old Queen Anne house with his partner Jeffrey Smith and a constantly shifting number of dogs. . German version: Robert Rodi wurde 1956 in einem Vorort von Chicago geboren. Im Alter von 22 schloss er sein Philosophie-Studium ab. Schon vorher beschäftigte er sich mit Comedy. Sein erster eigener Roman, "Fag Hag" aus dem Jahr 1991 war ein großer Erfolg. Es folgten mehrere andere komische Romane, zahlreiche Kurzgeschichten und Sketche. Robert lebt mit Partner und Hund in Chicago.
