This book was provided to me via NetGalley for free for my honest review.
You’re Probably Gayish by Mike Johnson and Kyle Getz is based off of their podcast Gayish. Links to the podcast can be found here.
Review
The book focuses on gay stereotypes specifically gay male stereotypes. It includes both old stereotypes like limp wrists and being an only child. To more modern ones like gays liking iced coffee. It includes a quiz to see if you fit the stereotypes. While on one hand the book is playful. It also goes into series issues of homophobia and the negative impact of stereotypes in the authors own lives.
The book also goes into the origin of many of the stereotypes. Whenever possible using data from researchers to back up or refute the stereotype. One of my favorite chapters is the chapter on gay men liking iced coffee. I like it because it talks about the formation of modern stereotypes. I like how the book examines the influence of the internet on such things.
Another chapter I enjoyed was the chapter on limp wrists. It was a good examination of a historical stereotype. The book contained research to back their claim up, including media from the time of its formation as well as scientific data.
This was a fun little read. I think it would appeal to not only gay men, but that it is also accessible all demographics of people. This would be a good first informative text for people who aren’t aware of the background of these stereotypes.
Review
This is a good playful little social science text. It examines the history of prominent stereotypes as well as interrogating the possible harm caused by stereotypes and generalizations. This isn’t a book that goes into gender or sexuality theories. It doesn’t contain anything on a deep academic level and that is okay. It focuses instead on the authors lived experience and more popular science making the text more accessible.
I think those who follow the podcast would probably get the most out of this. It is a quick and easy read for just the casual reader as well. I’d give it four stars good for what it’s trying to do and easily finished in an afternoon.
The book releases January 21st 2025
You can pre-order it here.
About the Authors
Mike Johnson-Mike (he/him) is a computer programmer living in Seattle, WA. Born and raised in Eastern Washington, he came out as gay in 2008 at the age of 30. He is an alumnus of Eastern Washington University, where he joined a fraternity (and still volunteers). He’s also a musician, drives a Jeep, and loves beer.
Kyle Getz- Kyle (they/he) is a writer living in Seattle, WA with his dog Reynolds. He grew up in Katy, TX, and went to school at The University of Texas at Austin. Kyle came out when he was 19, and continues to come out all the time since most people confuse his height as a sign of straightness. Kyle enjoys top 40 pop music, wearing t-shirts and jeans, and trying to pretend that he didn’t forget your name. More at kylegetz.com.
Are you interested in social science books? If so tell me some of your favorites below in the comments!
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