Out Spoken: Stories of Gay, Lesbian, and Transgendered Youth

The major newsmedia recently reported on the outing and ultimate ousting of Maya Keyes by her ultra religious right-wing father, Washington politician Alan Keyes. Sadly, many young gay people in the United States and around the world suffer this kind of rejectionby their own intolerant parents. Their stories often go untold, except among close friends and supporters. \"Out on the Street: Stories of Gay, Lesbian and Transgendered Youth\" will help break this silence. \"Out on the Street\" combines 20 candid, first-person narratives with specially commissioned, intimate portraits by award-winning photographer Joyce Tenneson, along with childhood snapshots and personal memorabilia. Through touching and sometimes startling interviews, queer youths share their journeys of finding self-worth and academic success despite limitations of family, culture and society. Some describe the process of finding reconciliationwith their families, friendships and even themselves. The stories in \"Out on the Street\" are inspiring because they end in success. The young subjects have already been honored by the Point Foundation, a scholarship fund granted to exceptional students regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Their stories are compelling for this reason alone. Among the most respected photographers of our time, Joyce Tenneson has been admired by critics as \"one of America\'s most interesting portrayers of the human character. Her photographs have been shown in over 150 exhibitions worldwide, and her unique artistic vision highlights \"Out on the Street\".