Description

This immersive, accessible and thought-provoking book takes the reader on a journey to explore the pros and cons, the myths and realities of life for LGBTQ+ people today.

Shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize 2020

‘Eloquent, empathetic and passionate, this book will not just resonate with a new generation of queer people, but with all those who seek to be their allies. A brilliant book.’ – Owen Jones, author of The Establishment

Today, the options and freedoms on offer to LGBTQ+ people living in the West are greater than ever before. But is same-sex marriage, improved media visibility and corporate endorsement all it’s cracked up to be? At what cost does this acceptance come? And who is getting left behind, particularly in parts of the world where LGBTQ+ rights aren’t so advanced?

Combining intrepid journalism with her own personal experience, in Queer Intentions, Amelia Abraham searches for the answers to these urgent challenges, as well as the broader question of what it means to be queer right now. With curiosity, good humour and disarming openness, Amelia takes the reader on a thought-provoking and entertaining journey.

Join her as she cries at the first same-sex marriage in Britain, loses herself in the world’s biggest drag convention in L.A., marches at Pride parades across Europe, visits both a transgender model agency and the Anti-Violence Project in New York to understand the extremes of trans life today, parties in the clubs of Turkey’s underground LGBTQ+ scene, and meets a genderless family in progressive Stockholm.

‘A landmark exploration into what it means to be queer today’ – DAZED

Publisher Review

Amelia Abraham’s exploration of LGBTQ+ culture in the West is fascinating. * Stylist * A brilliantly vibrant and hopeful book – entertaining and relatable, but also incredibly thoughtful and wide-ranging. It explores with curiosity and compassion what it means to live a queer and life, the limits that still exist but also the radical possibilities of dismantling binaries and structures — Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water Cure Soooo good. The culture needs it — Niven Govinden, author of This Brutal House I raced through Queer Intentions; it’s a great read, provocative and yet really gets to grips with how complex queer life and identity is. It’s also bloody funny . . . it cracked me up loads — Luke Turner, author of Out of the Woods Immersive, funny and relatable. In the style of Louis Theroux, 27-year-old journalist Abraham uses skills she’s picked up working at VICE, Refinery29 and Dazed to find answers to the big questions in her own life. It’s quite the journey . . . A fascinating read for anyone with a passing interest in LGBTQI culture, Queer Intentions not only touches on issues in Abraham’s life, but issues many LGBTQI people in the West are facing ourselves. I highly recommend picking up a copy of this when it comes out * DIVA Magazine * A landmark exploration into what it means to be queer today * DAZED * It’s really interesting . . . a journey through LGBTQ+ culture . . . questioning lots of things but in a very interesting, self-effacing, relatable way and I think it’s rather cool; I think she’s rather cool actually, I like her . . . it’s a good book’ — Will Young on the Homo Sapiens podcast This incredibly funny, thought-provoking and immersive exploration of the pros and cons, myths and realities of life for LGBTQ+ people today . . . includes plenty of clubbing, pride parties, joy, shame and lesbian drama * Vogue * An intersectional and insightful journey through the vast nuances of the queer experience — Munroe Bergdorf I loved Queer Intentions! Absolutely fascinating and endlessly entertaining, but so much more than that. It’s also an important read that will resonate with anyone who’s spent more than a minute thinking about gender and sexuality and what it means to identify as queer in 2019, or who’s ever wondered where we go from here — SJ Watson, author of Before I Go To Sleep A beautifully written, personal, intimate voyage into what it is to be queer. Incredibly eloquent, empathetic and passionate, this book will not just resonate with a new generation of queer people, but with all those who seek to be their allies. A brilliant book — Owen Jones, author of Chavs and The Establishment