I Could Not Speak My Heart by Mary Cronin; James McNinch

This anthology documents the pain and misunderstanding that LGBTTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Two-spirited, Queer) people have experienced in the very recent past. It then demonstrates the real progress, both in theory and in practice, that has been made and will continue to be made in the 21st century. The struggle for equity and social justice for gay and lesbian youth is far from over, however, and much work remains to be done. A million people may have watched or joined the Gay Pride Parade in Toronto this year, but the debate about the status of queer citizens continues. Homophobia in its many forms continues to be an all-too-frequent factor in the lives of LGBTTQ citizens. Young readers in particular will find much diversity in this collection of nineteen articles: autobiography, testament, fiction, and found poetry, as well as more traditional personal and analytic essays. The reader will also see differences in intellectual perspectives across the chapters: human rights, social reform and human justice, feminist theory, liberationist theory, and queer theory. It is the intention of the editors that this book be used by educators in many fields so that students preparing for professions in education, in social work, in human justice, and in health and environmental studies will better understand the need to combat homophobia and embrace and celebrate sexual differences.