Gay Like Me

A Father Writes to His Son

By: Richie Jackson

Narrated by: Richie Jackson

Chosen by Town & Country as one of the most anticipated books of the year | Named "An LGBTQ Book That'll Change the Literary Landscape in 2020" by O: The Oprah Magazine

In this poignant and urgent love letter to his son, award-winning Broadway, TV, and film producer Richie Jackson reflects on his experiences as a gay man in America and the progress and setbacks of the LGBTQ community over the last 50 years.

“My son is kind, responsible, and hardworking. He is ready for college. He is not ready to be a gay man living in America."

When Jackson's son born through surrogacy came out to him at age 15, the successful producer, now in his 50s, was compelled to reflect on his experiences and share his wisdom on life for LGBTQ Americans over the past half-century.

Gay Like Me is a celebration of gay identity and parenting, and a powerful warning for his son, other gay men, and the world. Jackson looks back at his own journey as a gay man coming of age through decades of political and cultural turmoil.

Jackson's son lives in a seemingly more liberated America, and Jackson beautifully lays out how far we've come since Stonewall - the increased visibility of gay people in society, the legal right to marry, and the existence of a drug to prevent HIV. But bigotry is on the rise, ignited by a president who has declared war on the gay community and fanned the flames of homophobia. A newly constituted Supreme Court with a conservative tilt is poised to overturn equality laws and set the clock back decades. Being gay is a gift, Jackson writes, but with their gains in jeopardy, the gay community must not be complacent.

As Ta-Nehisi Coates awakened us to the continued pervasiveness of racism in America in Between the World and Me, Jackson's rallying cry in Gay Like Me is an eye-opening indictment to straight-lash in America. This audiobook is an intimate, personal exploration of our uncertain times and most troubling questions and profound concerns about issues as fundamental as dignity, equality, and justice.

Gay Like Me is a blueprint for our time that bridges the knowledge gap of what it's like to be gay in America. This is a cultural manifesto that will stand the test of time. Angry, proud, fierce, tender, it is a powerful letter of love from a father to a son that holds lasting insight for us all.

©2020 Richie Jackson (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Stunning, fantastic.... I cried numerous times.

What a heartfelt message from a father to a son, but really from the author to all of us as children of the World.
Mr. Jackson eloquently uses historical context, and drives emotion throughout the entire book.
I had never read, nor heard of Mr. Jackson before this book. This book is now a “must read,” for every LGBT child of the World, their friends, families & allies.
Bravo Mr. Ritchie, now please get busy producing more wonderful material.

Unbelievably beautiful

This book is the most powerful I’ve ever read. I devoured it. Cried while listening. Have recommended to 10 people so far and feel absolutely changed, inspired, and whole. If I had read this as a young gay kid, it would have been life changing.

very good

loved it had such a good story. enjoyed it from start to finish. enjoyed listening to it.

What a beautiful gift

This book is a must read for all youth in the LGBTQ community. As the mother of a young gay son, this book has everything I would want to tell him, but I am not equipped to do so. Thank you for this book. What a loving gift to your son.

Helpful but overly fearful

I liked this book overall, but the author's attempt to infuse healthy fear in his son and audience was too much. I don't agree that some wounds never heal and it's not good to promote this idea, no matter how well intentioned.

Awesome Book.

Loved it!! Hit home hard. Reminded me of how far we have come as a community!

Very imformative

I totally enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about what a gay person has to ensure on a daily basis.Very enlightening for me.

Wow.

This book is what I wish I had when I was in high school but am so very grateful someone has written it. I cried several times. Really wonderful.

Who is Richie Jackson?

This is what I wondered when this book popped up in my search results. I spent the next few hours listening and figuring out the answer. In an open-hearted and candid telling of his experiences, Mr. Jackson reveals that love is an ethereal essence, life is comical, and together they make things more interesting than we can ever imagine. Every parent, and every child, can learn from this book so many things that so often go unsaid - the very real worry, the incredible joy, the marvelous independence of children, and the oppressive meddling of parents (including Mr. Jackson!). Even more enjoyable is that the story covers an essential period of American history and Mr. Jackson's own growth within (and at times outside of) it. The introduction lead me to additional books I hadn't yet read, including "Wisecracker" about William Haines, and to books I didn't yet know I needed to read, such as, "I Was Better Last Night," by Harvey Fierstein. Both are wonderful and my life is better for having learned who Mr. Jackson is and how he experienced his life and how his children changed him forever.

Truth, Love, Light, and Power

This well thought-out and meaningful text is a summary of seemingly all that one must endure with being gay, “in a nutshell”.

The text is a beautiful writing of lifelong advice to the author’s son, who is also gay. The author, Richie Jackson, is a father who loves his son.

Mr. Jackson pens this text to help his eldest son, most especially, through what transpires in his journey of being a gay man.
Mr. Jackson’s passion for living life as who you are born as, has created a monumental memoir.

As Mr. Jackson indicates many times in the text, being gay (or LGBTQ+) is not always roses, and has a history of negative connotations in society, especially being someone who is labeled as different from the ‘norm’, AKA heterosexual/cisgender.

Mr. Jackson’s book is thoughtful and provocative.

It achieves another level, of not only inspiring his son, but it serves as a true guidebook that can help others who are LGBTQ+.

The text clarifies this fact about being yourself: being gay is your version of you. And you should never be anyone but YOU!

Bravo and thank you, Richie Jackson.

I know that this text goes out to your son, but it’s also helping many people who are also LGBTQ+.

I personally identify as bisexual. It’s been difficult for me to come out to all who I know, though being bisexual is truly part of my identity. You’ve inspired me to use this text to help myself.

I plan to also share it with my daughter (who is also bisexual) and with my son (who is transgender).

Your words are a true blessing that opened my eyes and mind to much more understanding and insight in life, as someone who is bisexual.

I wish you and your family all the best that life can offer.