Gay in America - Hardcover

4.29

45 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1599621045 ISBN 13: 9781599621043

Publisher: Welcome Books, 2011

In this first-ever photographic survey of gay men in America, stereotypes are laid to rest and an intimate, honest picture of contemporary gay life is revealed through stunning personal portraits and narratives.

Photographer Scott Pasfield traveled 54,000 miles across all fifty states over a two-year span gathering stories and documenting the lives of 140 gay men from all walks of life. At turns joyful and somber, reflective and celebratory, each narrative and image is an enlightening look into the variety of gay life in the United States.

Pasfield’s striking and perceptive portraits reflect the same beautiful diversity found in any sampling of our population. Each of these men is unique and whole, complex and fallible, just as we all are. They come in every size and shape, every religion, color, profession, and background. There are farmers, writers, doctors, lawyers, artists, teachers, students; there are fathers and husbands, activists, and business men. Some are successful, some are struggling, some are political, some are wealthy, some are wounded, and some are deeply content.

Their commonality draws from a single shared trait: their homosexuality. These are men who are attracted to men, and have chosen not to disguise that truth. For many, there have been harsh consequences to this decision, but also deep rewards. The message that prevails is one of great hope that true equality is close within our reach, if only we would grasp it.

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About the Author:

SCOTT PASFIELD is a New York-based portrait photographer. His work has appeared in numerous publications, from BlackBook to Fortune, Poz to Gotham. His clients include the Independent Film Channel, Time Inc., and the American Red Cross. With a background in architecture, Pasfield's portraiture utilizes the interplay between space and subject to reveal new dimensions within each. Combining a practiced eye and a relaxed attitude with a determination to develop meaningful projects, Pasfield is intent on making a difference through art. Gay in America will travel as an exhibition, where Pasfield, who has taught photography seminars and workshops, will also speak to communities across the country about a work that defines and contextualizes contemporary gay culture.

Review:

Gay In America by Scott Pasfield Chosen for the 2012 Rainbow Projects List (American Library Association). The Rainbow Project is a joint project of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table and the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. The Rainbow Project presents an annual bibliography of quality books with significant and authentic GLBTQ content, which are recommended for people from birth through eighteen years of age. More: http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/953

"Gay In America captures our diversity, our joys, and our loves—and the
undeniable contribution we make to American culture."
- Dan Savage, author and editor of It Gets Better

"Sprawling, moving, and lively, Scott Pasfield's Gay in America shows what being a gay male looks, sounds, and feels like in today's USA. An inspiring cross section."
- Michael Musto, Village Voice

"Gay in America is a validating explosion of raging positivity. Wish I'd had it when I came out."
- Simon Doonan, author of Eccentric Glamour

“Scott Pasfield’s captivating new book, Gay in America, featur[es] images of 140 men from each of the 50 states shot against the backgrounds of their homes: a modernist living room in Manhattan, a nighttime beach in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, the battered backdoor of an apartment in Baltimore...a remarkable range of race, class, and age.”
- Out Magazine

"The stereotype of gay men is that they all live in urban environments and prance around in designer clothing saying 'fierce' and giving straight women makeovers. We all know that in reality gay men are much more diverse and mundane. Here is a real picture of what today's gay world is like."
- Brian Moylan, Gawker.com

His stirring portraits and interviews of out and proud gay men living in all fifty states are intended to help young homosexuals seeking acceptance and understanding from others as well as from themselves...With his offering, which encourages all who spend time with it, gay or straight, to be true to themselves, one senses that he is finally home.
– Julie Eakin, Foreword Reviews
(Gay In America was the July-August cover. Goes to all US libraries, indie book stores)

"For people living in communities where there are no comfortably out GLBT people, this is essential. Pasfield’s photographs are poignant, telling and beautiful. Without even reading the words the person has written, you can see their story on their face and in their eyes. Pasfield has drawn out the personality of each man in this book, and young adults will respond to these people as simply people. The stories they tell will make teens laugh, cry and most importantly relate. As Pasfield states in his introductory words, 'I want young people to have it as a constant resource as they move forward in their lives...' This is one of the most important gay books a library can offer teens."
- Lynn Evarts, Voice of Youth Advocates

The book features beautifully striking portraits of men, accompanied by their stories, which range from humorous to tragic...providing clear evidence that homosexuality and masculinity are not incompatible...a fascinating look at the impact of location on the gay experience...The book is not a refutation of the traditional gay stereotypes that are still present about the gay male community. Rather, it is a testament to the idea that there is no clear “gay America.”
– Adam Polaski, The Good Men Project

Like the flag that flies over them, this tapestry of gay male testosterone is a field of stars, uniformly similar yet snowflake-unique in its genetic stitching—each star framed by the bold, ordered stripes of Pasfield’s vision...glowingly, marvelously, fearfully individual. Visually, the book glows...presented with deceptive simplicity, identified by first names only, and their city and state...This seemingly rudimentary cataloging of subjects takes on a startling profundity:
they are every man. And they are everywhere.
– Steven Foster, OutSmart Magazine, Houston, TX

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