Posts Tagged: photographs

Gay in America

Gay in America book cover art

During my year and a half working on the DIVerse Families collection, I have read many incredible works showcasing diversity. One in particular that has made a lasting impact on me is a photography book called, Gay in America, with photographs taken by Scott Pasfield. This book encompasses a series of portraits and stories of 140 gay men across all 50 states. The photography book depicts gay men of different races, lifestyles, and careers. By doing so, it shatters the stereotypes that usually surround what being a gay man means and shows them in their reality. One of the most striking things about this book is it’s cover. The cover shows a man named Dan Choi, a former army lieutenant and LGBTQ activist, standing in his military uniform. I’m glad Scott put him on the cover to represent this book because in American society today, there is such terrible discrimination of LGBTQ military service members. This stemming from the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Act from 25 years ago, later repealed, to the transgender ban that is now in effect. This book is real, honest, and doesn’t sugarcoat the ups and downs of what being gay in America means for these men. The series of portraits and stories gave me a realistic view of the lives of gay men in our country, and I hope by others reading this book, it will do the same for them.

-Bailey


Want to see the analysis for Gay in America? Click here to check it out.