Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are

By: Abigail C. Saguy

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

While people used to conceal the fact that they were gay or lesbian to protect themselves from stigma and discrimination, it is now commonplace for people to "come out" and encourage others to do so as well. Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are systematically examines how coming out has moved beyond gay and lesbian rights groups and how different groups wrestle with the politics of coming out in their efforts to resist stigma and enact social change. It shows how different experiences and disparate risks of disclosure shape these groups' collective strategies.

Through scores of interviews with LGBTQ+ people, undocumented immigrant youth, fat acceptance activists, Mormon fundamentalist polygamists, and sexual harassment lawyers and activists in the era of the #MeToo movement, Come Out, Come Out, Whoever You Are explains why so many different groups gravitate toward the term coming out. By focusing on the personal and political resonance of coming out, it provides a novel way to understand how identity politics work in America today.

©2020 Abigail Saguy (P)2020 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Intriguing and thought provoking

This is an intriguing and thought provoking book about examining classes in society who are historically discriminated against, and how coming out to the public allows them to grow as people, in human rights and under the eyes of the law. The manner in which talented author Abigail Saguy discusses this topic is incredibly detailed – using a multitude of first hand sources, weaving in historical events and timelining the growth of each different group of people. What is even more incredible is how the author is able to compare and contrast populations that one would not have traditionally thought was as similar.

It's Fine

She repeats herself at several places in the book, which is a bit distracting. It also feels slow. That said, it's a fine book with some good points.