Prefacing these stories are contributions from 5 local commentators who share their personal reflections on the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities in Singapore. They are: Mrs Juliana Toh, Executive Director of Counselling and Care Centre; Reverend Yap Kim Hao, former Methodist Bishop of Singapore; transgender activist Ms Leona Lo; and former Nominated Members of Parliament Ms Braema Mathi and Mr Siew Kum Hong. The book also contains a glossary of the common terms used to describe the diversity within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities, and a listing of relevant community and professional resources in Singapore. The editor’s proceeds from sales of the ebook will be donated to Oogachaga, a counselling and support service.

    A memoir...

    She has been raped, tortured and abused. She no longer trusts anyone but the siblings who endured the same abuse as her. The years of abuse have led the fragile Butterflii to commit the ultimate crime… murder.She is deemed mentally unstable and her crime lands her in the infamous mental hospital St. Elizabeth’s in S.E. Washington, DC where she meets the only person she feels she has a connection to, Georgia Marks. Georgia is the complete opposite of Butterflii, she is beautiful and smart and seems to have everything under control, except one thing…her drug problem. Georgia battles her own demons which stems from a past of her abuse of the drug, Love Boat, that runs rampant through the DMV streets at an all time high.Her addiction to the powerful drug LB, the death of her brother Emilio accompanied by a heist gone wrong, places Georgia in St. Elizabeth’s along with Butterflii when they decide being locked up in St. Elizabeth’s is something they can no longer withstand. Together, they break free from bondage and develop something they have never felt for anyone…love. The two girls embark on a journey to find themselves and make a way to survive in a world that has shunned and turned its back on them, only to find that the bond they thought could never be broken will be, by a twist of fate, that will devastate the unsuspecting Butterflii who refuses to forgive.Exhale II: A Sister's LoveLife for the Fields women ain’t never been no crystal stair. Touche and Shyra Fields were abandoned by their mother and repeatedly victimized at the hands of their father. They witnessed a world some could hardly imagine, let alone live through.After the death of their sisters Butta and Reese, the youngest women of the Fields Family find themselves being bounced around through group homes and foster care until Touche is finally of age to be free of her past.She makes an attempt at finding out who murdered her sisters, but because of her uncontrollable temper, Touche’s plans go horribly wrong one week before she's released from the same system she feels failed her. From the man suspected of the death of her two older sisters, to her mother who abandoned her and her siblings, Touche is on a path of self-destruction and is willing to take the chance of losing her freedom and her life to finally be able to Exhale.

    Asked by author Alexandra del Torre to provide as much detail as possible, they held nothing back in their retelling of these intensely intimate encounters. In “Lesbian Firsts,” you will hear from real lesbians and read about their real first times, including:HEATHER, a 24-year-old high school English teacher who discovered her lesbianism with a volleyball teammate at the age of 19.MEGHAN, a 32-year-old attorney who lost her lesbian virginity to her first-year dormmate in college.KRISTEN, a 26-year-old accountant who discovered her preference for women at 18 during a sleepover with her more advanced 22-year-old friend, Michelle.MARIA, a 36-year-old basketball coach who found sapphic love in a locker room shower with a teammate.KORI, a 28-year-old makeup artist who, at 18, was stimulated in a movie theatre by her cousin’s suave, butch neighbor.DEBBIE, a 41-year-old psychologist whose first lesbian experience came at age 30, following her divorce from her husband of two years. Trapped overnight during a rainstorm at her book club friend’s house, Debbie discovers pleasures she never knew with a man.JENNIFER, a 34-year-old police officer who lost her lesbian virginity on the same night she gained the legal right to drink – her 21st birthday. A mysterious stranger in a lesbian bar introduces Jennifer to strap-on sex in the bathroom, much to her delight.DIANE, a 25-year-old assistant book editor who engaged in her first lesbian sexual encounter with her current boss when she was a 20-year-old intern at a publishing company.TAYLOR, a 37-year-old personal chef who, as a student at a women’s Catholic college, shared an intimate encounter with a classmate in her car during half-time of a school basketball game.SARAH, a 22-year-old flight attendant who found lesbian love in the skies with a flirtatious flight attendant who was serving as her mentor when she was a 20-year-old trainee.***

    Focusing on Huli “passenger women,” (women who accept money for sex) Wayward Women explores the socio-economic factors that push women into the practice of transactional sex, and asks how these transactions might be an expression of resistance, or even revenge. Challenging conventional understandings of “prostitution” and “sex work,” Holly Wardlow contextualizes the actions and intentions of passenger women in a rich analysis of kinship, bridewealth, marriage, and exchange, revealing the ways in which these robust social institutions are transformed by an encompassing capitalist economy. Many passenger women assert that they have been treated “olsem maket” (like market goods) by their husbands and natal kin, and they respond by fleeing home and defiantly appropriating their sexuality for their own purposes. Experiences of rape, violence, and the failure of kin to redress such wrongs figure prominently in their own stories about becoming “wayward.” Drawing on village court cases, hospital records, and women’s own raw, caustic , and darkly funny narratives, Wayward Women provides a riveting portrait of the way modernity engages with gender to produce new and contested subjectivities.

    Part II contains over 25 especially powerful prayers: to Our lady, St. Joseph, St. Anne, St. Jude, St. Philomena, St. Anthony, etc. Part III contains miscellaneous favorite prayers: e.g., Morning Offering, Prayers to Our Lady, to St. Joseph for Purity, to overcome a bad habit, for grace, the Te Deum, Consecration to the Holy Ghost, etc. And Part IV contains various other "favorite prayers," such as for a happy death, the choice of a state of life, for priests, Fatima Prayers, for safe delivery of a baby, for the dying, for the dead, for the Poor Souls, etc. For a small package, this little Prayerbook is dynamite, and should be carried by all!

    9 selections from the critically acclaimed blockbuster musical about Alexander Hamilton which debuted on Broadway in August 2015 to unprecedented advanced box office sales. This collection features easy piano arrangements of the music penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda, including: Alexander Hamilton * Burn * Dear Theodosia * Helpless * My Shot * The Schuyler Sisters * That Would Be Enough * Wait for It * You'll Be Back.

    The crime resonated deeply with America's bitter history of violence against minorities, and something about Matt Shepard himself struck a chord with people across the nation. Although the details of the tragedy are familiar to most people, the complex and ever-shifting context of the killing is not. Losing Matt Shepard explores why the murder still haunts us--and why it should.Beth Loffreda is uniquely qualified to write this account. As a professor new to the state and a straight faculty advisor to the campus Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Association, she is both an insider and outsider to the events. She draws upon her own penetrating observations as well as dozens of interviews with students, townspeople, police officers, journalists, state politicians, activists, and gay and lesbian residents to make visible the knot of forces tied together by the fate of this young man.This book shows how the politics of sexuality--perhaps now the most divisive issue in America's culture wars--unfolds in a remote and sparsely populated area of the country. Loffreda brilliantly captures daily life since October 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming--a community in a rural, poor, conservative, and breathtakingly beautiful state without a single gay bar or bookstore. Rather than focus only on Matt Shepard, she presents a full range of characters, including a panoply of locals (both gay and straight), the national gay activists who quickly descended on Laramie, the indefatigable homicide investigators, the often unreflective journalists of the national media, and even a cameo appearance by Peter, Paul, and Mary.Loffreda courses through a wide ambit of events: from the attempts by students and townspeople to rise above the anti-gay theatrics of defrocked minister Fred Phelps to the spontaneous, grassroots support for Matt at the university's homecoming parade, from the emotionally charged town council discussions about bias crimes legislation to the tireless efforts of the investigators to trace that grim night's trail of evidence. Charting these and many other events, Losing Matt Shepard not only recounts the typical responses to Matt's death but also the surprising stories of those whose lives were transformed but ignored in the media frenzy.

    With this he built a deep, internalized homophobia that made him want to disappear rather than live with the truth about himself. That denial played out in the forms of anorexia, bulimia, and obsessive running, which consumed him as an adolescent and young adult.It wasn’t until a grueling yet transformative Outward Bound experience that Jon began to face his sexual identity. This exploration continued as he entered college and started the serious work of sorting through years of repressed anger to separate from his father’s control and condemnation.My Thinning Years is an inspiring story of courage, creativity, and the will to live—and of recreating the definition of family to include friends, relatives, and teachers who support you in realizing your true self.“A storyteller's job is to help others find their way. Show them choices. Perhaps avoid pitfalls. Jon Derek Croteau's powerful new book is a beacon shining on the puzzle of life.”—Bob Dotson, New York Times bestselling author of American Story, a Lifetime Search for Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things & NBC News/Today Show Correspondent“I canceled plans to finish this book, and you will, too. Alternately riveting, heartfelt and horrifying, Jon Derek Croteau's descent into anorexia and obsessive running as a means to deny his true self is spellbinding.”—Eric Poole, author of Where's My Wand“Jon Derek Croteau writes with unstinting honesty in his memoir MY THINNING YEARS, and courageously explores the harmful effects of bullies long after they've left the scene. But he also reveals the plain fact that the greatest bully we have to win over is often the one within us.”—James Lecesne, Co-Founder of THE TREVOR PROJECT“A fantastic and harrowing story, told deeply and honestly…an emotional read…a generous, hopeful book I dearly hope gets into the hands of the many people who face similar hardships and desperately need to hear Jon Derek Croteau's story.”—Randy Harrison, actor, Queer As Folk“MY THINNING YEARS is an inspiring story of one man's struggle with anorexia, with sexual identity, and his struggle for selfhood.”—Betsy Lerner, author of Food and Loathing“The story of all of us as we come to terms with who we are. As I raced through these pages like the runner within them, I was reminded of my own trials… It takes courage to tell your story, to come out, to remove yourself from an abusive relationship. These pages help usher in our more tolerant present and our ever-evolving hearts.”—Award-winning singer/songwriter, Will Dailey“MY THINNING YEARS is not just a labor of love but a love-letter to those who are struggling silently and suffering deeply with an eating disorder. Jon Derek Croteau sheds incredible insight and a heartfelt vision for surviving and thriving in your life.”—Jess Weiner, Author, Strategist and Self-Esteem Expert“MY THINNING YEARS is an emotional journey through Jon Derek Croteau’s struggle with eating disorders and accepting his identity as a gay man. In his struggle to accept his sexuality, Croteau attempts to erase his pain through trying to erase himself. Men’s experiences of anorexia and bulimia are underrepresented in media, medical and personal accounts. This is an honest, powerful and raw insight into the self-punishing, self-harming and consuming force of eating disorders.”—Grace Bowman, author of Thin“You do not need an eating disorder, homosexual tendencies, or a terrible parent to love this book. Croteau's story is a universal one, and his painful and hard-won transformation will both move and inspire you.”—Eric Poole, author of Where’s My Wand? One Boy’s Magical Triumph over Alienation and Shag Carpeting“MY THINNING YEARS is a powerful story about overcoming adversity. Jon Derek Croteau’s courage, honesty, and unfailing passion are sure to both inspire and keep the pages turning!”—Jenni Schaefer, co-author of Almost Anorexic, author of Life Without Ed and Goodbye Ed, Hello Me

    Scott barely gave Falmouth a second thought once he was in California, but he’s never been able to get Jarlath completely out of his mind.Jarlath O’Connolly now owns his late father’s pub in Falmouth Heights. O’Connolly’s pub is part of the heartbeat of his hometown and its walls hold the memories of everything he’s ever loved. Everything except his best friend, Scott. Scott was easy to replace with a new bartender, but there was no replacing Scott in Jarlath’s heart.The summer is ending, there’s a hurricane in the forecast, and Scott’s finally come home, but Jarlath isn’t sure he’s ready for the reunion. A lot has changed, including Jarlath’s understanding of who Scott really was to him. Will they still find each other hard to get over once they’re face to face?

    His groundbreaking work explores India's sexual fantasies and ideals, the "unlit stage of desire where so much of our inner theater takes place."Kakar's sources are primarily textual, celebrating the primacy of the story in Indian life. He practices a cultural psychology that distills the psyches of individuals from the literary products and social institutions of Indian culture. These include examples of lurid contemporary Hindi novels; folktales; Sanskrit, Tamil, and Hindi proverbs; hits of the Indian cinema; Gandhi's autobiography; interviews with women from the slums of Delhi; and case studies from his own psychoanalytic practice. His attentive readings of these varied narratives from a vivid portrait of sexual fantasies and realities, reflecting the universality of sexuality as well as cultural nuances specific to India.Moving from genre to genre, Kakar offers a brilliant reading of verses from the Laws of Manu, the original source of Hindu religious laws, to uncover their psychological foundations—male terror of the female sexual appetite that shields itself by idealizing women's maternal role. Kakar also examines the psychosexual history of Gandhi at length, though his near-lifelong celibacy makes him an atypical subject. Gandhi's story is universal, Kakar says, because "we all wage war on our wants."In India's lore and tradition, complex symbols abound—snakes that take the shape of sensual women or handsome men, celibates sleep with naked women, gods rape their daughters, and a goddess fries a king in oil. With the analyst's "third ear," Kakar listens, decodes, and translates the psychological longings that find expression in Indian sexual relations.

    Most Christians are pro-marriage and hold traditional family values, but should they endorse extending marriage rights to gays and lesbians? If Jesus enjoined us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and the homosexual is our neighbor, does that mean we should accept and bless gay marriages? These and other, related questions are tearing many faith-based communities apart.Across the country, states have voted, courts have debated, and churches have divided over the legitimacy of same-sex marriage. Amid the uproar one perspective is decidedly missing: that of thoughtful, pro-marriage Christians who, informed by their faith, are struggling to make sense of this issue. What God Has Joined Together? is an effort to bridge the divide between marriage-supporting and gay-supporting people of faith by showing why both sides have important things to say and showing how both sides can coexist. Drawing on scientific research as well as on the Bible, the authors explain that marriage is emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually beneficial for everyone, not just heterosexuals.They debunk myths about sexual orientation, assess claims of sexual reorientation, and explore what the Bible does and does not say about same-sex relationships. The book ends with a persuasive case for gay marriage and outlines how this can be a win-win solution for all.

    Lesbian lovers in New York City during the time of Stonewall.

    In these memoirs, coming out is less important than coming of age and coming to the realization that young gay people experience the world in ways quite unlike straight boys. Whether it is a fascination with soap opera, an intense sensitivity to their own difference, or an obsession with a certain part of the male anatomy, gay kids — or kids who would eventually identify as gay — have an indefinable but unmistakable gay sensibility. Sometimes the result is funny, sometimes it is harrowing, and often it is deeply moving. Essays by lauded young writers like Alex Chee (Edinburgh), Aaron Hamburger (Faith for Beginners), Karl Soehnlein (The World of Normal Boys), Trebor Healy (Through It Came Bright Colors), Tom Dolby (The Trouble Boy), David Bahr, and Austin Bunn, are collected along with those by brilliant, newcomers such as Michael McAllister, Jason Tougaw, Viet Dinh, and the wildly popular blogger, Joe.My.God.

    As a gay woman, she has both the equipment and the experience to give straight men (and the women who love them) advice on both how to get more sex and how to get this job done right. In her day job as a comedy writer and TV producer, Ali is sometimes the only woman in a room full of comedy writers. She became legendary for offering frank, sometimes insightful, often bossy reality checks and for translating female sexuality into words a man could understand. In her book, How to F*ck a Woman -- 20 percent explicit instructions, 80 percent relationship advice, and 100 percent hilarious -- she brings together essential advice for men (even the ones who insist they could write this book) and the women who want their lovers to truly understand them, both mind and body. With illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly.