Poisoned Ivy: Lesbian and Gay Academics Confronting Homophobia

by Toni A.H. McNaron

Book Overview

Lesbian and gay academics all over the country are subjected to homophobic personal slights, harassment, and discrimination. How do they cope, and what kinds of actions can promote positive change?... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566394880
• Release Date: November 1996
• Publisher: Temple University Press
• Length: 234 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

"Naming the Elephant"

Toni McNaron spent 30 years in the classroom at the University of Minnesota. During that time, she looked directly into the varied faces of homophobia. Most times, she looked without blinking. In "Poisoned Ivy" McNaron, to paraphrase a comment she makes in the book, names the elephant in the living room of academia. She addresses, head on, the issues of blatant homophobia and heterosexism which are faced by lesbian and gay academics on a daily basis. As an educator at the high school level interested in lesbian and gay scholarship, McNaron's book has remained near and dear to me; I have read and re - read its pages repeatedly. When I first read it, I lost sleep attempting to complete it. The writing is engrossing and (although I do not as of yet teach at the college level) very familiar. "Poisoned Ivy, arguably McNaron's magnus opus, is strongly recommended for all gays and lesbians who are members of the work force. For those working in the field of education, it is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ. McNaron's story and the story of the other acadmeics who participated in her survey, is the story of thousands upon thousands of people in this country who continue to suffer in silence.

Must Read for all Academics

As a woman starting her own academic career soon, I found this book wonderfully helpful. It has given me a deeper appreciation and respect for lesbians and gay men who struggle with how out they can be on their campuses. It has also made me think about how I will approach and respect gay and lesbian issues in my own classroom. Just as straight people may look at their collegues and students and wonder who may be gay or lesbian, gays and lesbians are looking at straight people and trying to figure out who they can safely come out to.McNaron's work also emphaszied the vital connection between our personal lives and our academic work. When the two are painfully separated from each other, they both suffer. Her story, and many of the others she includes, demonstrate how much more fruitful and satisfying your work can be, for yourself and the larger acadmic community, when your personal and academic lives can work together. This is a lesson all of us, regardless of sexual orientation, can learn from.