Transparent: Love, Family, and Living the T with Transgender Teenagers by Cris Beam was released last month by Harcourt. In Transparent Beam introduces four teen trans girls whose lives she found herself deeply involved with when she decided to volunteer at a Los Angeles school for gay and transgender kids.

You’ll find an excerpt after the jump.

I’ll have a review copy of Transparent soon. More after I finish it. And maybe an interview with Cris Beam, too.

Read more »

Hiding in Hip-Hop: Confessions of a Down Low Brother in the Entertainment Industry, a book by former MTV producer Terrance Dean, has been sold to Atria Books, a division Simon & Schuster, and is expected to be published next year.

Pink News reports the book will expose “[t]he author’s life as a closeted homosexual working in the film and music industry and his relationships with other closeted homosexuals—film stars, rap artists, and music producers.” While the book will not name any of the film stars, rap artists or music producers, an Atria spokesperson said those who know the hip hop world will be able to identify the people in Dean’s book.

Already published popular “down low” titles include:

On the Down Low: A Journey into the Lives of ‘Straight’ Black Men Who Sleep with Men

Charlene Cothran, the publisher of Venus Magazine, a magazine that has targeted Black gays and lesbians for 13 years, has announced that she is now an ex-lesbian. She has changed the direction of the magazine to one that will “encourage, educate and assist those who desire to leave a life of homosexuality.”

Back in October, Jasmyne Cannick posted the “10 ways to get out of ‘the life’” Cothran included in an issue of Venus and on the magazine’s website.

I don’t want to go on them or read about them, but if you have any interest: Bad Lesbian Dates.

(Heel click: Lusty Lady)

Robert Julian of the Bay Area Reporter calls Brian Whitaker’s Unspeakable Love – Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East, a book examining gay life in Middle Eastern and Islamic countries, “a book that simply must be read by any homosexual who lives, or contemplates living, in a Middle Eastern country.”

Doug Ireland posted his review of Unspeakable Love – Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East here.

Tania Katan, author of My One Night Stand With Cancer, will be reading at the February 15th Girlsalon at The Perch Bar and Cafe in Park Slope. Joining her: Ellis Avery, Cheryl B, Diana Cage, Zaedryn Meade and Janine Avril.

No cover charge. Be there at 6:30pm.

Em & Lo:

We’re looking for ten couples (aged 20-40) to feature in Glamour who are willing to chat with us about their sex live — in exchange for a gorgeous professional portrait. You don’t have to share anything X-rated or raunchy — unless you’d like to, of course! You could, for example, just tell us about how often you do it or who usually initiates or whether you like the lights on or off. The point is not to be shocking, but just to create a portrait of the sex lives of American couples. All couples will be considered: newly dating, happily married, shacked up, in an open relationship, gay, bi, straight, etc. The couples chosen will take part in a (fully clothed!) photo shoot, complete with hair/makeup/stylist, by a renowned photographer, and they’ll get a print of their portrait!

Contact Emma Taylor and Lorelei Sharkey for more information.

(Heel click: Lusty Lady)

Almost a year after the release of James McGreevey’s The Confession, Dina Matos McGreevey’s memoir, Silent Partner, will be published by Hyperion Books this spring. James and Dina are in the process of getting a divorce.

Jenny Shimizu is writing a book in which she exposes details about her past sexual relationships with Madonna and Angelina Jolie.

(Heel click: Best Lesbian-ish Day Ever)

Self-Organizing Men: Conscious Masculinities in Time and Space, which was recently included in “A Watershed Year for Trans Rights” in the San Francisco Bay Times, is on sale for $9.99 plus shipping.