Presbyterian Outlook's Page Turners - Informed reading, compassionate living 📚

Informed reading, compassionate living

Dear Outlook Readers,   Last month, my husband and I attended an event intended to foster respectful discussion between people of differing political ideologies. Over pasta and salad, we chatted eagerly with folks from different neighborhoods, and we were all on our best behavior when the evening’s topic – transgenderism – was introduced.   The conversation remained (mostly) civil, as speaker after speaker made heartfelt remarks expressing care for children and youth, even though our concern often led to different positions. I grew, however, increasingly uncomfortable with the fact that not a single participant publicly identified as transgender, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming, and no one else shared a single example of being acquainted with anyone from these groups. It reminded me of the funny meme in which a dozen dogs conduct a panel on “feline healthcare,” except there was nothing amusing here. Each of us had an opinion on the policies that schools and communities should implement, uninformed by the lived experiences of those in question. Ouch!   It's increasingly likely that we will know someone who is gender non-conforming (whose behavior or physical appearance does not conform to the prevailing norms of their gender). My teenagers have non-binary classmates, I have colleagues who have transitioned, and I’ve walked with parents seeking to support children who have come out as trans. Thankfully, there are resources to help us hear their stories and understand the challenges – with Pride Month just ahead, why not check out one of these new releases?   Happy Reading,   Amy Pagliarella Outlook Book Review Editor P.S. The books in this email will make great additions to your summer reading list. For more book recs (including fiction and poetry), check out my recent conversation with Outlook Social Media Producer Jesy Littlejohn!

BOOK OF THE MONTH Embracing Queer Family: Learning to Live Authentically in Our Families and Communities Nia Chiaramonte and Katie J. Chiaramonte Broadleaf Books, 219 pages Published May 14, 2024 After 14 years of (heterosexual) marriage, Nia came out to Katie as a transgender woman. While this was a surprise (they were traditional Christians who had married young and were raising five children), it was not a shock (deep down, Katie knew). They embarked upon a journey to move away from shame and to become healthy and whole — as individuals and as a family. Katie pursued therapy for her anxiety and came out as queer, while Nia received therapy to support her as she transitioned.   Embracing Queer Family is their story; as they describe their process, they take turns sharing their emotions and questions along the way. It’s also a “handbook” to assist others wondering about their own sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The Chiaramontes are warm and accessible guides, and they include the whole family, making this equally useful for family members eager to support a loved one who has come out — there’s even a brief sidebar from a sister, as well as Katie’s “lean in” with advice for spouses.   Read this book if transgenderism is unfamiliar, and you seek to understand those with a different experience around their own gender identity. Read it if you want to be a better friend or family member to those this book addresses. And add it to your collection if you’re creating a library of resources to offer church members questioning their own identity — or understanding someone else’s.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Every generation must bear the weight of her time. There are wars and rumors of wars. There are earthquakes and fires, attacks and illnesses. I am under no illusion that our time is any better or any worse than another. We have some things better and some things worse. But there will always be a unique before and after of every generation. I suspect that just as any American born before 1980 can likely remember exactly where they were when the September 11 attacks happened, anyone born before 2010 will remember where they were in 2020.”

The Understory Lore Ferguson Wilbert Brazos Press, 240 pages Published May 21, 2024

Book Giveaway!  Congratulations to last month’s winner Linda Cochran. Thanks to our generous partners at Broadleaf Books, they received Brian Johnson's The Work is the Work. This month, one fortunate reader will receive a copy of this month’s quoted book The Understory by Lore Ferguson Wilbert, kindly donated by the folks at Brazos Press. If you're reading this note, then you're all set! Know someone else who should be reading Page Turners? Send them this link and they'll get entered for a chance to win, too. The contest closes on June 19.

OTHER READS Made, Known, Loved: Developing LGBTQ-Inclusive Youth Ministry by Ross Murray, reviewed by Katie Patterson In Transit: Being Non-Binary in a World of Dichotomies by Dianna E. Anderson, reviewed by Emery Cummins Your summer reading guide — bonus content by Amy Pagliarella and Jesy Littlejohn