This is Michael Maxwell with the Sioux City Public Library and you’re listening to Check It Out.
Today, I am recommending The LGBTQ+ History Book, from the DK “Big Ideas Simply Explained” series- it's an easily readable and comprehensive overview of major events in Queer history from around the world.
One of the most frustrating experiences a Queer person can have is being told that people like them did not exist in the past. This book is an entertaining remedy for historical erasure. Readers will travel all the way back to 2400 BCE to examine the first recordings of LGBTQ+ people before meeting the poet Sappho in Ancient Greece and the beloved male companions of Chinese emperors. Learn about how same-sex relationships were widespread and accepted in the Ottoman Empire, and about the Hijra third-gender communities of South Asia.
The LGBTQ+ History Book is full of both triumphs and tragedy, highlighting examples of Queer joy like the rise of Ballroom culture as well as tragedies like the assassination of Harvey Milk, the murder of Matthew Shepherd, and “gay panic” defense laws. Readers will come away from this book with a better understanding of how definitions of gender and sexuality have shifted throughout time.
A book with such a vast survey of history as this has the potential to be overwhelming, but “Big Ideas Simply Explained” books are designed to be approachable. There are infographics and pictures to help explain historical events and concepts in a variety of ways to keep the information fresh and engaging.
Check out The LGBTQ+ History Book and other books about LGBTQ+ experiences to celebrate Pride Month at the Sioux City Public Library today!
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