Books & Movies

This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids

by Dannielle Owens-Reid and Kristin Russo

Written in an accessible Q&A format, here, finally, is the go-to resource for parents hoping to understand and communicate with their gay child.  Through their LGBTQ-oriented site [everyoneisgay.com], the authors are uniquely experienced to answer parents’ many questions and share insight and guidance on both emotional and practical topics.  Filled with real-life experiences from gay kids and parents, this is the book gay kids want their parents to read.

God and the Gay Christian

by Matthew Vines

The landmark book exploring what the Bible actually says—and doesn’t say—about same-sex relationships.  As a young Christian man, Matthew Vines harbored the same basic hopes of most young people: to some-day share his life with someone, to build a family of his own, to give and receive love. But when he realized he was gay, those hopes were called into question. The Bible, he’d been taught, condemned gay relationships.  Feeling the tension between his understanding of the Bible and the reality of his same-sex orientation, Vines devoted years of intensive research into what the Bible says about homosexuality. With care and precision, Vines asked questions such as: (i) Do biblical teachings on the marriage covenant preclude same-sex marriage or not?; (ii) How should we apply the teachings of Jesus to the gay debate? (iii) Can celibacy be a calling when it is mandated, not chosen?; and (iv) What did Paul have in mind when he warned against same-sex relations?  Unique in its affirmation of both an orthodox faith and sexual diversity, God and the Gay Christian has sparked heated debate, sincere soul search­ing, and widespread cultural change on the issue of what it means to be a faithful gay Christian.

Becoming Nicole

by Amy Ellis Nutt

The inspiring true story of transgender actor and activist Nicole Maines, whose identical twin brother, Jonas, and ordinary American family join her on an extraordinary journey to understand, nurture, and celebrate the uniqueness in us all.  Nicole appears as TV’s first transgender superhero on CW’s Supergirl.  When Wayne and Kelly Maines adopted identical twin boys, they thought their lives were complete. But by the time Jonas and Wyatt were toddlers, confusion over Wyatt’s insistence that he was female began to tear the family apart. In the years that followed, the Maineses came to question their long-held views on gender and identity, to accept Wyatt’s transition to Nicole, and to undergo a wrenching transformation of their own, the effects of which would reverberate through their entire community. Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Amy Ellis Nutt spent almost four years reporting this story and tells it with unflinching honesty, intimacy, and empathy. In her hands, Becoming Nicole is more than an account of a courageous girl and her extraordinary family. It’s a powerful portrait of a slowly but surely changing nation, and one that will inspire all of us to see the world with a little more humanity and understanding.

Torn

by Justin Lee

Justin Lee, a gay man and devout Christian, bridges the gaps between his faith and sexuality in this insightful and touching memoir.  As a teenager and young man, Justin Lee felt deeply torn. Nicknamed “God Boy” by his peers, he knew that he was called to a life in the evangelical Christian ministry. But Lee harbored a secret: He also knew that he was gay. In this groundbreaking book, Lee recalls the events–his coming out to his parents, his experiences with the “ex-gay” movement, and his in-depth study of the Bible–that led him, eventually, to self-acceptance.  But more than just a memoir, TORN provides insightful, practical guidance for all committed Christians who wonder how to relate to gay friends or family members–or who struggle with their own sexuality. Convinced that “in a culture that sees gays and Christians as enemies, gay Christians are in a unique position to bring peace,” Lee demonstrates that people of faith on both sides of the debate can respect, learn from, and love one another.

Moonlight

A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.  Powerful acting quietly conveys the power of these emotions.

Love Simon

Simon Spier keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends and all of his classmates: he’s gay.  When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity.  Confirmation that the rom-com applies consistently within the LGBTQ+ community, while promoting positive messages about same-sex relationships.

The Half of It

A shy, introverted, Chinese-American, straight-A student finds herself helping the school jock woo the girl they both secretly love. In the process, each teaches the other about the nature of love as they find connection in the most unlikely of places.

Boy Erased

Jarred, the son of a Baptist preacher must overcome the fallout after being outed as gay to his parents.  His father and mother struggle to reconcile their love for their son with their beliefs.  Fearing a loss of family, friends and community, Jarred is pressured into attending a conversion therapy program.  While there, Jarred comes into conflict with its leader and begins the journey to finding his own voice and accepting his true self.