Author’s Note

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Illustrations ix
4. Author’s Note xi
5. Prologue xiii
6. Part I. Youth
7. 1. Secrets and Dreams 3
8. 2. Confetti on New Year’s Eve 20
9. 3. Touching God 37
10. 4. Awakening 47
11. 5. Crawling out of Darkness 59
12. 6. Acceptance 76
13. Part II. Freedom Calling
14. 7. Les Femmes 91
15. 8. Water in the Desert 106
16. 9. Jagged, Dirty Thoughts 115
17. 10. An Antidote to Boredom 129
18. 11. Permission 142
19. 12. Virginia Slims 162
20. 13. Lone Riders 171
21. 14. Style Gets Used Up 184
22. 15. Bashert: Fate, Meant to Be 196
23. 16. After the Desert 204
24. Postscript 219
25. Gay Liberation Timeline 223
26. Acknowledgments 225
27. Notes 229
28. About the Author 235