Overview

Before the gay rights movement had a name, Harry Hay had a question: Who are we? At a time when gay men were labeled criminals, sinners, and mentally ill, Hay dared to imagine something radically different. In 1948--decades before Stonewall--he proposed that gay people were not broken individuals but a cultural minority with unique gifts to offer the world. That vision would help ignite the modern gay rights movement. This lyrical biography in verse traces Hay's life from a bullied boy in the 1920s to a founder of the Mattachine Foundation, the first enduring gay rights organization in the United States, and later to the spiritual community of the Radical Faeries. Along the way, Hay wrestled with politics, love, and belonging--never abandoning his search for gay identity rooted in dignity and purpose. More than a life story, this book invites readers to consider how identity is shaped, claimed, and transformed--and how one person's daring vision can help change history.

Full Product Details

9798385276820

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Because Hay's life was much like a long, beautiful, and meaningful poem, Jim Cartwright has chosen the perfect medium in which to share it. It is poetry, it is a short story, it is a song, and it is a biography--Cartwright has created a book as visionary as its subject. It's a celebration of difference, a song of oneself about a man who lived his truth in all its glory."" --Trebor Healey, author of Sweet Son of Pan ""In Thank You for My Life, Jim Cartwright has woven a delightful garland of Harry Hay's stories. I can hear his voice on every page. For young and old, gay and questioning, you will be inspired by the lessons of Harry's life, his journey to self-acceptance, and the beginning of gay liberation. Thank You for Jim Cartwright!"" --Will Roscoe, author of The Zuni-Man Woman ""I can see Harry sitting in a rocking chair, reading this amazing book. I can hear him say, 'Wow. The story of my life, told in verse and not in prose.' I can see him looking out the window across from him, out to a world in need of his wisdom, knowing that in this very challenging time Jim's book will make a world of difference, help to make a better different world."" --Eli Andrew Ramer, author of Tales of an Urban Mystic: A Spiraling Memoir ""Jim Cartwright's simple, straightforward retelling of Harry Hay's amazing life and influential legacy will engage a new generation of readers. This is an imaginative contribution to queer history; one whose appealing format reveals where queer folks have come from as it illuminates our path forward."" --Jim Van Buskirk, Founding Program Manager, San Francisco Public Library's James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center ""A propulsive, sparkling, and full of heart journey through the life of Harry Hay. Thank You for My Life is a kaleidoscope, illuminating the history of one man and the rainbow origins of queer consciousness today. I couldn't put it down."" --Lee Wind, author of No Way, They Were Gay? ""In a unique, concise, and engaging way Jim Cartwright reveals the story of Harry Hay--a man of adventure, achievement, and flaws. Like many gay men of my generation, I only learned bits and pieces of the myth/reality of Harry Hay. At last, I feel like I have a grasp of his true-life story. I see the impact he had on the world. I experience the many freedoms I enjoy today due to his work."" --Allen Silver, Sacred Intimate

Author Information

Jim Cartwright is a lecturer at San Francisco State University and the author of A Heart Shaped Room (2023). He is a holistic life coach for queer and quirky people, radical faerie, and singer-songwriter. He has released four albums under the name Jim e Sparkle Pants. He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Oregon and an MS in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences from San Francisco State University.

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