91´«Ã½

Compiled by Don Bell, Mike McCabe, and Carlos R. Fernandez with additions by Laura Haynes.

Annotated by Carlos R. Fernandez, annotations adopted from Amazon.com

Banis, Victor J. The C.A.M.P. Guide to Astrology. Borgo, 2012. Print.

Jackie Holmes, writes: "If there's one subject almost certain to break the ice, and sometimes even bring things to a boiling point, it's the subject of Astrology. I touched upon it ever so briefly in Sex and the Single Gay, and was nearly deluged by remarks about my remarks. At this point I'm probably expected to make a ringing defense of the star system, or admit that it's all a put-on. Sorry, but I'm just not going to do either. The fact is, Astrology can be useful and awesomely accurate, but if taken in the wrong light, it can be a sheer farce. The stars impel, they don't compel. In other words, they nudge you into certain channels, but they don't force you." This witty guide to gay astrology, a book that had become a high-priced and highly-prized collector's edition, is now available for the first time in over four decades!

Bhava, Sakhi. Transgender Spirituality: Man into Goddess. CreateSpace, 2012.

This book presents a historical survey of male transgenderism in spiritual life – including biographies of well-known figures who used their crossed-sex identification as vehicles for worship and self-discovery. It also discusses ways for the transgender male to turn his yearning for sexual transformation into a powerful tool for spiritual transformation - to turn what is seen as a curse by some into a blessing.

Bornstein, Kate. Queer and Pleasant Danger The True Story of a Nice Jewish Boy Who Joins the Church of Scientology, and Leaves Twelve Years Later to Become the Lovely Lady She Is Today. Beacon, 2012.

A stunningly original memoir of a nice Jewish boy who joined the Church of Scientology and left twelve years later, ultimately transitioning to a woman. A few years later, she stopped calling herself a woman and became famous as a gender outlaw. Kate Bornstein—gender theorist, performance artist, and author—is set to change lives with her compelling memoir. Wickedly funny and disarmingly honest, this is Bornstein's most intimate book yet, encompassing her early childhood and adolescence, college at Brown, a life in the theater, three marriages and fatherhood, the Scientology hierarchy, transsexual life, LGBTQ politics, and life on the road as a sought-after speaker.

Coakley, Sarah. The New Asceticism. Bloomsbury Academic, 2013.

Each chapter of The New Asceticism concentrates on a contentious issue in contemporary theology - the role of women in the churches, homosexuality and the priesthood, celibacy and the future of Christian asceticism - in an original thesis about the nature of desire, which may start to heal many contemporary wounds. Professor Coakley is as familiar with the Bible and the Early Fathers as she is with the writings of Freud and Jung, and she draws heavily on Gregory of Nyssa's theology of desire in what she proposes. She points the way through the false modern alternatives of repression and libertinism, agape and eros, recovering a way in which desire can be freed from associations with promiscuity and disorder, and forging a new ascetical vision founded in the disciplines of prayer and attention.

Fitzgerald, Troy. Cults and Closets: Coming Out of Chaos. CreateSpace, 2013.

This is not just a story about coming out of a religion, cult or as gay from a religious environment -- it is a story about escaping the bonds the world can place upon us, how to listen to our inner voice, and find and embrace our true passion and happiness. This is the story of how one man was raised in a fundamentalist Christian cult -- the Worldwide Church of God -- as the son of a pastor, later leaving organized religion, and then came out of the closet as gay after marrying a woman and having three sons (and remaining close friends with his ex-wife). He learned along the way that cults and closets come in many forms. He shares his story in hopes others will find the courage to liberate themselves and support others in the process, and ultimately find true peace. One reader wrote: “…captivating and hard to put down…his book has a wide appeal to a variety of audiences, including clergy, lay leaders and youth pastors, as well as therapists, social workers and clinicians. Those who are interested in cults, extreme religious fundamentalism, spiritual abuse and abusive institutions or systems will find the book useful. Finally, anyone -individuals, parents, spouses– struggling with issues of sexual orientation will find the author’s story not only helpful, but inspiring and life-changing.” Kraemer, Christine Hoff.

Hendricks, Karin, and June Boyce-Tillman. Queering Freedom: Music, Identity and Spirituality. (Anthology with Perspectives from over Ten Countries). Peter Lang Verlag AG, 2018.

This book is intended to challenge the status quo of music learning and experience by intersecting various musical topics with discussions of spirituality and queer studies. Spanning from the theoretical to the personal, the authors utilize a variety of approaches to query how music makers might blend spirituality’s healing and wholeness with queer theory’s radical liberation.

Queering Freedom: Music, Identity and Spirituality represents an eclectic mix of historical, ethnomusicological, case study, narrative, ethnodramatic, philosophical, theological, and theoretical contributions. The book reaches an international audience, with invited authors from around the world who represent the voices and perspectives of over ten countries. The authors engage with policy, practice, and performance to critically address contemporary and historical music practices. Through its broad and varied writing styles and representations, the collection aims to shift perspectives of possibility and invite readers to envision a fresh, organic, and more holistic musical experience.

Johnson, Edwin Clark. Gay Spirituality: Gay Identity and the Transformation of Human Consciousness. Peregrine Ventures, 2018.

A classic, titled before "queer" became an accepted umbrella term for sexual and gender deviations of all sorts, i.e., LGBTQIA, and written from a gay man's perspective, Gay Spirituality shows how the experience of being an outsider, a deviant with different feelings and attitudes, and not part of the ordinary human round of birth, reproduction, and death affords its own kind of enlightenment and vision of greater meaning for life and for God. Still timely and insightful.

Gay Spirituality: Gay Identity and the Transformation of Consciousness offers a sensible, modern and enlightened understanding of spiritual consciousness for gay men who are so often faced with misunderstanding and conflict dealing with traditional religion. Acclaimed author Toby Johnson presents a bold perspective: being the outsider and consciousness scout allows cutting edge insight.

In this Lambda Literary award-winning title, Toby Johnson explores how the rise of gay identity has become an important part of contemporary religious development. This dramatic transformation has resulted due to the perspective of gay men with their ability to step outside the assumptions and conventions of culture and see things from a different point of view. This book will reward readers seeking new insight into faith as well as culture, myth and traditions.

Johnson's vision of a life-affirming, sex-positive spirituality of love, cooperation, mutual respect and acceptance is in sync with modern scientific knowledge, and does not ask the reader to suspend logic or critical thinking. Gay Christians who are struggling with their sexual orientation will especially appreciate Johnson's convincing refutation of common "biblical" anti-gay arguments. A powerful book for personal change and a great gift to a gay friend who is unhappy with his life or suffering from low self-esteem.

Kraemer, Christine Hoff. Eros and Touch from a Pagan Perspective: Divided for Love's Sake. Routledge, 2013.

Within the past twenty years, contemporary Pagan leaders, progressive Christian and Goddess theologians, advocates for queer and BDSM communities, and therapeutic bodyworkers have all begun to speak forcefully about the sacredness of the body and of touch. Many assert that the erotic is a divinely transformative force, both for personal development and for social change. Although "the erotic" includes sexuality, it is not limited to it; access to connected nonsexual touch is as profound a need as that for sexual freedom and health. In this book, Christine Hoff Kraemer brings together an academic background in religious studies and theology with lived experience as a professional bodyworker and contemporary Pagan practitioner. Arguing that the erotic is a powerful moral force that can ground a system of ethics, Kraemer integrates approaches from queer theology, therapeutic bodywork, and sexual minority advocacy into a contemporary Pagan religious framework. Addressing itself to liberal religious people of many faiths, Eros and Touch from a Pagan Perspective approaches the right to pleasure as a social justice issue and proposes a sacramental practice of mindful, consensual touch.

Prower Tomás. Queer Magic: LGBT+ Spirituality and Culture from around the World. Llewellyn Publications, 2018.

Queer Magic provides nourishment for LGBTQ+ souls and their allies who are interested in learning about the significant presence and influence of queer folks throughout history. Explore fascinating insights into queer relationships and spiritual practices from different regions of the world. Learn about deities, heroes, and historical figures who embody the power of the queer spirit.

Discover inspiring contributions from contemporary LGBT+ Pagans, Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims, and others as they share personal stories of their experiences as well as spells, prayers, and meditations from their own practices. With practical suggestions and enlightening perspectives, this book is a unique resource for LGBT+ spiritual seekers who want to experience the sustaining energy and strength of the worldwide queer community.

Roscoe, Will. Jesus and the Shamanic Tradition of Same-sex Love. San Francisco: Suspect Thoughts, 2013.

Recipient of the Lambda Literary Award for Religion/Spirituality, Jesus and the Shamanic Tradition of Same-Sex Love is a passionate exploration of the history of Western religion as seen through the queer eye of one of the most widely acclaimed authors in gay spirituality. Drawing on recently discovered ancient sources, Will Roscoe offers a striking new view of Jesus as a charismatic mystic, whose teachings on love and the kingdom of heaven were complemented by a secret rite that served to impart the experience of entering heaven. After meticulously reconstructing this rite, Roscoe seeks its ultimate origins an odyssey that eventually leads him to the margins of the inhabited world, where the ancient practices of shamanism survive to today.

Snow, Cassandra. Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft from the Margins. Weiser Books, 2020.

Witchcraft has always belonged to the outsiders and outcasts in society, yet so much of the practice enforces and adheres to the same hierarchy we face in the world at large—a hierarchy that isolates and hurts those living beyond society’s binaries and boundaries. While there are books that address magick for resistance and queer myth, until now there has not been one that specifically addresses the practice of queer magick from an LGBTQ+ standpoint.

Queering Your Craft combines queer aesthetic and culture (like DIY culture and an emphasis on chosen family over formal covens) with pagan and metaphysical spiritual practice in a way that is commonplace but has not been written about until now. This book covers the personal, the collective, and the political, and how deeply intertwined all three are in a magickal practice for those who are LGBTQ+.

In this introduction to witchcraft, Snow presents why/how each concept is important to a queer craft, or how to approach it from a queer mindset. For example, conventional prayer, words, and symbols have always been problematic in a queer universe: How to make them work and still be true to yourself? The bulk of the book is about learning the craft. The latter portion is a grimoire of spells.

While accessible to beginning witches, Queering Your Craft provides new and inspiring information for longtime practitioners interested in a pure and personal approach that avoids the baggage of history and stereotype.

Stedman, Chris. Faitheist: How an Atheist Found Common Ground with the Religious. Beacon, 2012.

The stunning popularity of the “New Atheist” movement—whose most famous spokesmen include Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the late Christopher Hitchens— speaks to both the growing ranks of atheists and the widespread, vehement disdain for religion among many of them. In Faitheist, Chris Stedman tells his own story to challenge the orthodoxies of this movement and make a passionate argument that atheists should engage religious diversity respectfully. Becoming aware of injustice, and craving community, Stedman became a “born-again” Christian in late childhood. The idea of a community bound by God’s love—a love that was undeserved, unending, and guaranteed—captivated him. It was, he writes, a place to belong and a framework for making sense of suffering. But, Stedman’s religious community did not embody this idea of God’s love: they were staunchly homophobic at a time when he was slowly coming to realize that he was gay. The great suffering this caused him might have turned Stedman into a life-long New Atheist. However, over time, he came to know open-minded Christians, and his interest in service work brought him into contact with people from a wide variety of religious backgrounds. His own religious beliefs might have fallen away, but his desire to change the world for the better remained. In Faitheist, Stedman draws on his work organizing interfaith and secular communities, his academic study of religion, and his own experiences to argue for the necessity of bridging the growing chasm between atheists and the religious. As someone who has stood on both sides of the divide, Stedman is uniquely positioned to present a way for atheists and the religious to find common ground and work together to make this world—the one world we can all agree on—a better place.

Strunk, Kamden K. Queering Spirituality and Community in the Deep South. Information Age Publishing Inc., 2019.

In this volume, authors explore the interconnected issues of spirituality and community as they relate to queer issues in the Deep South. The book begins with explorations of queer spiritualities and LGBTQ people in religious settings. Next, authors investigate and document the rise of the religious right political movement in the South. Finally, the authors of this text document community life for LGBTQ people in the Deep South, including efforts to create affirming queer spaces inside otherwise hostile locales.

Through the chapters in this text, the peculiarities of spirituality and community life for LGBTQ people in the Deep South are explored. However, this volume also points to trends, themes, and dynamics at work in the Deep South that are also implicated in the queer experience in other parts of the U.S. The authors of this text push readers to think deeply about these issues, probe the limits of queer potentialities in Southern religious and community contexts, and clearly point to the interweaving of Christian religiousness, communities of practice, the operation of white supremacist heteropatriarchy in oppression of LGBTQ people, and the possibilities of affirming spiritual and community praxis.

Wilcox, Melissa M. Queer Nuns: Religion, Activism, and Serious Parody. New York University Press, 2018.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence make up an unlikely order of nuns. Self-described as “twenty-first century queer nuns,” the Sisters began in 1979 when three bored gay men donned retired Roman Catholic nuns’ habits and went for a stroll through San Francisco’s gay Castro district. The stunned and delighted responses they received prompted these already-seasoned activists to consider whether the habits might have some use in social justice work, and within a year they had constituted the new order. Today, with more than 83 houses on four different continents, the Sisters offer health outreach, support, and, at times, protest on behalf of queer communities.

In Queer Nuns, Melissa M. Wilcox offers new insights into the role the Sisters play across queer culture and the religious landscape. The Sisters both spoof nuns and argue quite seriously that they are nuns, adopting an innovative approach the author refers to as serious parody. Like any performance, serious parody can either challenge or reinforce existing power dynamics, and it often accomplishes both simultaneously. The book demonstrates that, through the use of this strategy, the Sisters are able to offer an effective, flexible, and noteworthy approach to community-based activism.

Serious parody ultimately has broader applications beyond its use by the Sisters. Wilcox argues that serious parody offers potential uses and challenges in the efforts of activist groups to work within communities that are opposed and oppressed by culturally significant traditions and organizations – as is the case with queer communities and the Roman Catholic Church. This book opens the door to a new world of religion and social activism, one which could be adapted to a range of political movements, individual inclinations, and community settings.

Thompson, Mark. The Fire in Moonlight: Stories from the Radical Faeries: 1975-2010. Maple Shade, NJ: White Crane, 2011.

This book offers a compendium of cultural wisdom, provocative wit, and challenging sensuality. Fire in the Moonlight gives witness to a groundbreaking movement that painstakingly emerged from the Gay Liberation era. Rooted in the history of radical visionaries, this little known, essential community infuses the modern world with new meaning, offering fresh definitions of faith, identity, purpose, and gender. Fire in the Moonlight is a series of personal reflections on who the Radical Faeries are, where they have been and where they are going: Radical Faeries in their own words. It is about how a movement has changed lives--and how Radical Faeries contribute to healing a fractured Earth.

Updated July 1, 2022