Is It a Choice - Revised Edition: Answers to 300 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions about Gays and Lesbian People

by Eric Marcus

Book Overview

The answers to all the questions you've ever had about homosexuality but were afraid to ask are finally in one book, Is It a Choice? In this newly revised and updated edition, Eric Marcus provides... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006251623X
• ISBN13: 9780062516237
• Release Date: June 1999
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Just about the only book you would ever need

I found this book absolutely amazeing and helpful. I've looked at other books in the past and they will cover parenting or dating or occasionally religion but I have never found a book quite like this that covers everything. It answers questions about stuff that many homosexuals wonder about, and many of the stuff heterosexuals wonder about. It covers misconceptions of both sides, not just heterosexual misconseptions but also many misconceptions homosexuals have about heterosexuals. Its fantastic. I plan to suggest this book to my school's Gay/Straight Alliance Advisor so we might use it as a topic of discussion or just plain use it at our meetings. It is so full of great information and good examples that I don't think it gets any better for helping people, all people understand.

Not just for gay people but ALL people

This is an excellent book for all people, not just gay people, written on a young adult to adult level. (Marcus has a similar book written for teens called What If Someone I know is Gay?, also excellent.) Gayness can happen in the nicest families. So how do you deal with the dichotomy you see between that simple fact and the raging homphobia you see around you every day? Read this book for a start and learn what gayness really is, and what it is all about. If you arm yourself with the truth you will have a much easier time understanding this issue. Woouldn't you rather know the truth than stumble about in ignorance? This book is a godsend--no preaching, no moral judgments--just the simple facts which are so often denigrated as the "gay agenda" by anti-gay hate groups like Focus on the Family. If you want to learn the facts about being a potter, you go to a potter and ask questions. If you want to know about baking bread, you do not go to the potter. You go to a baker. If you want to learn what it is like to be a firefighter, you go to the firehouse and ask for information, an hear what it is like to do it for a living. Similarly, if you want the true facts about gayness you have to go to the source--gay people themselves. As a Christian, I know that you cannot believe in fundamentalist Christian organizations that spout love and family values on one hand, and then turn around and spend millions of dollars a year in anti-gay hate campaigns. This book is an excellent one to read if you are GLBT, if you are a relative, parent, friend or coworker of a GLBT person, if you fear gay people, and if you want the truthful facts without all the moral claptrap our society imposes. It explodes all the myths and lies about gayness. It also has an absolutely excellent appendix listing all sorts of web sites for human rights organizations, gay support and informational groups, and religious grassroots organizations within specific religious faiths that advocate equal rights, inclusiveness and affirmation for GLBT members of their congregations and communities. This was very helpful because I found the organization for my particular denomination, and have made use of it. The book is so good that I wrote Eric Marcus telling him how much the book helped me understand this issue. I bought a copy and donated it to our church library, and have sent copies to other people who need it. Thank you, Eric for a terrific book, and God bless you in your efforts to educate the public. As long as one person remains in chains, none of us are free.

If you're gay or straight, this book is for you!

I bought this book shortly after it was released and read it cover to cover in about 3 hours over a few cups of coffee at Starbucks:) Ok, it was a lot of cups of coffee but certainly time well spent over a book that everyone should at least get educated with. It's a fairly easy read, like I said, I read it in 3 hours! Having gay friends and family myself, I learned quite a bit of info from all of this. When I passed it on to one of my lesbian friends who was struggling with coming out, she told me after reading, it was "the catalyst" that prompted her to come out to her mom and dad. I guess the writing is on the wall-well, at least in this book it is! What's unique about this book is that it tell things in a very sensible and respectable format. From gay people in the military (I know a lot of em and I love you all!!) to gays and christianity to same sex partnerships/marriages, gays in the workplace, gays in their communities...the list goes on! This book answers so many of these questions with conviction and straightforward enthusiasm. This is the kind of book that is essential reading for anyone but especially those in human resources, church leadership, ANYONE IN THE MILITARY and anyone who has a close friend or loved one who is gay. Click that order button and educate yourself, learn not to hate and read something else other than a ancient book that was written by a bunch of manipulative scribes that called themselves "annointed."

Required reading for ALL people

This is a wonderful book written on an older teen to adult level; it's not just for lesbigays but should be required reading for all straight people, too, because we live in an extremely homophobic society. This book cuts through the bigotry, myths and lies, and answers 300 questions about being lesbigay honestly and simply. To those who are already familiar with lesbigays, some of the questions might seen terribly basic, but for those who are new to homosexual concerns, this book gives you answers to questions you might have been too prejudiced, afraid or too shy to ask. If you find that your child, student or friend is lesbigay, this is the first book you should turn to for those basic questions you might have. It will help you get over that first speed bump and you will have a much clearer idea about what homosexuality really is--a normal expression of a human being's sexuality. If you think that gays are the castoffs of society, boy, do you have a lot to learn, and it is never too late to do so. This book also has a terrific list of resources at the end, about where to look for further information and help.Another good book on the same subject is Eric Marcus's book called "What If Someone I Know is Gay?" This book is similar to "Is It a Choice?", but is scaled to a 6-10th grade reading level. Older teens would probably prefer "Is It a Choice?" But for younger kids with questions "What If Someone I Know is Gay?" is fantastic.I urge those of you--teachers, parents, grandparents, relatives, friends, teachers, ministers and counselors--who wish to learn the TRUTH about lesbigays--to buy this book as a basic part of your library. I am a volunteer church librarian and I will donate these two books to our church library as well as several others. It is never too late to learn to leave your prejudices behind. This book is a special life-saver for students who are discovering their sexual identities. READ THIS BOOK!

Excellent. A must have book for everyone, gay and straight.

"Is It a Choice" should be required reading for every gay person. The questions are both timely and thought provoking. The answers are thorough and accurate. You may think you know it all, but you soon find out that there's so much more to know. Eric Marcus is truly an excellent writer. I wouldn't want anyone else to have written this book; that's how brilliant, and gifted the author is. "Is It a Choice" is more than simply a question and answer book. It is primer on homosexuality. I highly recommend it to anyone. Take a look at his other works, they're fantastic!