No Way, They Were Gay?
Hidden Lives and Secret Loves
From the Series Queer History Project
“History” sounds really official. Like it’s all fact. Like it’s definitely what happened.
But that’s not necessarily true. History was crafted by the people who recorded it. And sometimes, those historians were biased against, didn’t see, or couldn’t even imagine anyone different from themselves.
That means that history has often left out the stories of LGBTQIA+ people: men who loved men, women who loved women, people who loved without regard to gender, and people who lived outside gender boundaries. Historians have even censored the lives and loves of some of the world’s most famous people, from William Shakespeare and Pharaoh Hatshepsut to Cary Grant and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Join author Lee Wind for this fascinating journey through primary sources—poetry, memoir, news clippings, and images of ancient artwork—to explore the hidden (and often surprising) Queer lives and loves of two dozen historical figures.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-5415-8162-3
|
$18.99 | |
|
978-1-7284-2757-7
|
$41.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 6 - Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 6 |
| Genre | Social Studies, Young Adult |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Traditional Nonfiction, Diverse Books: LGBTQIA+, Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diversity, SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: C Social Awareness, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2021 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Zest Books ™ |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 296 |
| Publication Date | 2021-04-06 |
| Text Type | Narrative Nonfiction |
|---|---|
| BISACS | YAN006150, YAN025000, YAN051270 |
| Dewey | 306.76/60922 |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 8.25 |
| Lexile | 1110 |
| Features | Author/Illustrator biography, Author/Illustrator note, Awards, Bibliography/further reading, Introductory note, Primary source quotations/images, Reviewed, Source notes, and eSource |
Author: Lee Wind
Lee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of I'm Here. I'm Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, an award-winning website about books, culture, and empowerment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Questioning and Queer youth, and their Allies. He is the author of No Way, They Were Gay: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves, which won the ILA Children's and Young Adult's Book Award and was named a 2021 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book. Lee also works for IBPA and SCBWI. Visit him online at www.leewind.org to see and share how #QueerHistoryIsEverywhere.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
Queer History Project
Take a fascinating journey through LGBTQIA2+ history, delving into primary sources to explore and reclaim the lives, loves, and identities of historical figures around the world. View available downloads →
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Today’s guest post comes to us from Lee Wind, author of No Way, They Were Gay? His book, a fascinating look at the hidden lives and secret loves of twelve well-known historical figures, came out in April 2021. Since then, it has been challenged or banned in a number of school districts… View →
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June marks Pride month for the LGBTQIA+ community, and June 28 marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969 that is recognized as a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in the United States. If you’re prepping book displays, looking for titles to support lessons… View →
Awards
- Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
- ILA Children's and Young Adult Book Award in Nonfiction
- Cybils Nominee
- Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books
Reviews
Publishers Weekly
“Using primary sources to frame an alternative historical narrative, and asking readers to form their own conclusions, Wind sets out to fill some of those gaps, focusing primarily on the same-sex relationships or nonbinary identities of 12 well-known public figures.”—Publishers Weekly
Foreword Reviews
“At a time where issues of social justice are often deemed either overinflated or ‘solved,’ Lee Wind makes a powerful case that queer historical erasure is an ongoing issue.”—Foreword Reviews
Michael D. Cohen
“I can’t believe this book hasn’t existed until now!! It’s a joyful and fascinating read that reminds us that LGBTQ+ people have always existed, thrived and made important contributions to society. No matter what your age, orientation or gender identity, Lee Wind makes you feel like this book was written for you.”–Michael D. Cohen, Actor/Writer/Director/Acting Coach