Ready or Not: Stories of Young Adult Sexuality
Edited by Mark McLeod
Random House, 1996
308pp., $14.95
Reviewed by Jen Crothers
Being a young adult is never easy. There are the inevitable conflicts with "old adults" about school, work, drugs and sexuality. Most parents, it seems, are pretty unsure about how to deal with their kids' sexual activity. Some accept it, some deny it, some forbid it. Usually, though, there isn't much communication about it.
This means that young people generally get most of their sex education from peers or from magazines. Both sources have their faults, but nonetheless young people generally know quite a lot about sex.
Unless, of course you think or know that you're gay, lesbian or bisexual. When this is the case, every tiny scrap of information in the mainstream media about "queers" is lapped up. How else do you know what it's like? It's not like most young people have gay or lesbian role models in their day-to-day lives.
That's why books like Ready or Not are so important. Most of the stories in this book deal with young people who are coming to terms with liking people of the same sex. They deal with being different, being in love, violence, telling the parents and other issues that queer young adults don't hear too much about. The book will not be of interest only to queer young adults, but being able to identify with the characters and the plots is very important.
Leigh Hobbs' cartoons are an amusing break between stories, particularly the one on "How Parents React", which includes the too-well-known "there go the grandchildren" look.There is also an interview with Heather Horntvedt, the initiator of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) in Australia.
Not every lesbian likes kd lang and not every gay man wants a muscle man chest. This book explores a range of characters, situations and emotions, and on top of this is rather amusing. Recommended reading.