{"product_id":"coming-out-janis-e-mills-9781954213173","title":"Coming Out: It Only Took Fifty Years","description":"I knew I was gay at age eight when my mother's definition of queer described me perfectly. I hid my truth and left small town Pennsylvania for the city life of Washington, DC. immediately after college graduation.\u003cbr\u003eMy mother carried memories of tragic family deaths and a lesbian encounter of her own. When she questioned my lifestyle and said she would \"blame herself and not know what to do for the rest of her life,\" I thought she might take her own life so, I lied. My father, raised in the non-traditional life of circus performers, unleashed me to be whoever I wanted to be but I continued my double life of straight daughter and gay lover.\u003cbr\u003eThen becoming a teacher and high school principal, I also lived a secret nocturnal life-my triple life. Bartending in shady parts of D.C., I was hit by a rock, saw a gun pulled on my friend, and witnessed fights, arrests, and marches that pitted straights against gays. I jumped from girlfriend to girlfriend, courted a few straight girls, and dabbled in activities far different from the straight educator I portrayed by day.\u003cbr\u003eOn the day of my father's funeral, my mother proclaimed her recognition of my gayness. What I hoped would be a celebration of love and openness was anticlimactic. I had wasted too many years. My father was gone, and I had lost friends rather than share my truth.\u003cbr\u003eAgainst the backdrop of the burgeoning LGBTQ movement, I became a courageous trailblazer and did my own coming out in a big way, I married a woman. Now I share my truth with the world and enjoy the happiness that honesty has given me.\u003cbr\u003eDo not make the mistakes I made. Openly love who you love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Janis E. Mills\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1954213174\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781954213173\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Desert Palm Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/20\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 150\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.46lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.32d","brand":"Janis E. Mills","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43994692550911,"sku":"9781954213173","price":24.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_7c89a94e-41b0-49af-a3c8-aa6c9fd3c00c.jpg?v=1683331632","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/coming-out-janis-e-mills-9781954213173","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}