The Homo Handbook

by Judy Carter

Book Overview

With wit, humor, worksheets, and drawings, The Homo Handbook is a laugh-out-loud guide to all things gay.

Stand-up comic Judy Carter speaks out--way out--in this entertaining and helpful guide to "being a homo". For gays and lesbians thinking about coming out, she provides a dose of courage; for those just out of the closet, she offers reaffirmation; and for the entire gay and lesbian population, she celebrates the joys and freedoms...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684813580
• ISBN13: 9780684813585
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Everything You Need to Know (Almost)

Carter, Judy. "The Homo Handbook: Getting in Touch with Your Inner Homo", Simon and Shuster, 1996, Everything You Need to Know (Almost) Amos Lassen and Literary Pride "The Homo Handbook" is a survival guide for lesbians and gay men and as the cover says "don't be gay without it". Even though Judy Carter has written it tongue-in-cheek, there is a wealth of information here that is fun to read. It is a practical guide to coming out for everyone, no matter where you are in the process--even if you are totally out. Divided into ten steps that are a map for being a successful queer and abundantly illustrated with drawings and cartoons, the book takes you through the entire coming-out process from buying this book to knowing yourself to finding others and getting laid, intimacy, telling your straight friends and family as well as how to deal with work, becoming a bigot basher and ultimately becoming an activist. Could we possibly ask for any more? Carter also gives us an appendix of organizations and web resources. In other words, this is a cookbook and we only have to add the meat. Even though the book is 11 years old, it is still a valuable resource. Judy Carter, an out lesbian, writes in a way which is very relevant to gay men (and women) and it is obvious that she did a great deal of research. Including exercises and advice, it gave me a feeling of support. Carter lets her "inner camp" shine through her writing as she leads us to our inner homos. "The Homo Handbook" entertains as it informs and we can laugh at ourselves as we read, I love this book and I was so glad to be able to find it again. As a survival guide, it is possible to survive without it but it won't be as much fun.

stepping out in style

I've owned this book for ten years and I know that there are many good reasons to buy and enjoy the "Homo Handbook" - regardless of whether you're prepared to follow the gradual steps suggested or prefer to quickly come out to your folks and flatmates by just leaving it on the coffee table. Judy Carter has been a stand-up comic performer and lecturer by trade, so she knows what works in hunour and entertainment. She is proudly lesbian, but writes in a manner which is also very gay male relevant, and that's because she did extensive online research in gay men's chatrooms, especially for this publication. You'll find plenty of sound advice - including encouragement to keep a journal of your progression toward self-acceptance and public disclosure as well as getting some real-life honest-to-god romantic action happening in your life. The many Gerard Donelan cartoons are a wonderful added bonus and are the reason I often pick the book up and flick through it. The best book, by far, for a young queer person to own and read would be "The Survival Guide" by XY Magazine, but for more mature readers "The Homo Handbook" is likely to be a very positive and useful resource.

Excellent if you fit a certain type

This book is great. It has a lot of great exercises and advice, and is very supportive. I did find that this book has been written for a narrow audience, a white closeted lesbian in her 30's. This is an audience that I just don't fit into. This book does try to address other audiences such as gay men, but does not handle it well. For those of you who fit into this book's audience, BUY IT! It's a great book. If you don't fit into this audience, you can buy it but might find that you can't relate to it as well.

Adds our cammp humor into the "coming out" process

As an endangered species (i.e. 'lesbian with a sense of humor'), I adored this book! Judy has her inner camp by the horns, making this an incredibly humorous read as she leads you through a well-rounded self-exploration of your "inner homo." Definitely worth both the money and the time to read this treasure!

A Gay 12-Step Program, Minus Two

So, you're gay, think you're gay, or one of those "I'm just curious" types? Then does Judy Carter have the book for you! This book helps you to explore your inner feelings towards being gay and assists in knocking the door off that closet to open up to your inner homo. Using generous amounts of her gay stand-up humor, Carter makes her book entertaining as well as informing, allowing gays to laugh at themselves as well as the narrow-minded bigots who bash them. She also incorporates numerous workbook-style exercises designed to guide gays in accepting themselves and making the rest of the world accept them, too. This is a must-read for anyone who is gay, thinks he/she might be gay, or even knows someone who is gay.