• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

Kate Bornstein Reads from Her Memoir ‘A Queer and Pleasant Danger’ – LISTEN

Towleroad November 29, 2015 Leave a Comment

kate bornstein queer and pleasant danger

We're turning to trans activist and icon Kate Bornstein's stunning memoir A Queer and Pleasant Danger for our next pick in our TowleREAD series, currently focusing on some of the best new and classic LGBT books available on Audible.com.

The subtitle of Bornstein's memoir tells you a lot about what to expect from the book: “The true story of a nice Jewish boy who joins the Church of Scientology, and leaves twelve years later to become the lovely lady she is today.”

AudibleWhile Bornstein was previously afraid to talk about her experience with the Church, fearing retribution, Bornstein decided to speak out because she hopes some of what she says will get through to her daughter, still a member of Scientology and thus not allowed to speak with Bornstein.

Bornstein, who rebuffs the idea of gender as binary and identifies neither as male nor female, straight nor gay, says that Scientology initially appealed to her because of its belief in a gender-less soul:

“Growing up we were secular Jews, but what I got out of Judaism at that time in my life was questions. Everything was a question. “Dad, is there a heaven? Is there a hell?” You never could get an answer. That informed a lot of my reasons for getting into Scientology, because they had all the answers. They said I was not my body, not my mind. I don't have a soul; I am an immortal soul. I've lived many lives and I'll live endlessly into the future, and as an immortal soul I have no gender. Now this is a big deal, because I never wanted to be a boy, and I didn't want to grow up to be a man.”

Despite the ways in which Scientology initially spoke to her desire to exist free of a gender binary, it was Bornstein's burgeoning awareness of her transsexual identity that would ultimately put her at odds with Scientology:

“That's the big paradox. They don't believe that thetans, immortal souls, have a gender, but they're really homophobic and transphobic. If you're a pervert like me, that's a symptom of being a suppressive person. You must be a suppressive person, too.”

Bornstein was excommunicated from the Church of Scientology in 1982 after discovering “some private information about [founder] L. Ron Hubbard.” After concluding that she is transsexual, she had gender confirmation surgery in 1986. Since then she has been at the forefront of the trans rights movement.

Yet for all her activist work, Bornstein says she doesn't want to be remembered as an activist so much as for helping those marginalized because of their sexuality and gender identity. For that reason, if not for many others, Bornstein's memoir is compelling and vital. Speaking with The Huffington Post, Bornstein said,

“I like that there's now a foot in the door and these teens freaks and other outlaws, some of them, are now talking about making themselves a life worth living. And they're not thinking anymore — there's a bunch of people who used to think “I'm a terrible person for changing my gender” or “I'm a terrible person because I'm fucking same-sex people” and people are now understanding that, no, trans is not mean to anybody. Queering up your sexuality isn't mean to anybody. It's different and I'm glad that I've put a foot in that door so that it's not slammed so much on people anymore.”

As part of its sponsorship of TowleREAD, Audible is offering a free download of Kate Bornstein's A Queer and Pleasant Danger at Audible.com with a 30-day trial membership for Towleroad readers.

Listen to Bornstein read an excerpt from A Queer and Pleasant Danger, below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4781uQv7fE&list=PL159CF9F986E2189F

Sponsored by Audible.

Topics: Uncategorized More Posts About: Books, Kate Bornstein, TowleREAD, Transgender, Video

Related Posts
  • Stonewall veteran Miss Major is on the road, urging trans people to ‘stand up and fight’
  • Tennessee pride celebrations showcase queer joy amid neo-Nazi threats, legal attacks
  • Pregnant transgender man featured on cover of Glamour magazine
  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B will “always be open” when it comes to her sexuality. The Spice Girls singer, 48, who reunited with her bandmates including the group's ex-singer Victoria Beckham for the fashion …Read More »
  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Megan Thee Stallion is being sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment and forcing her cameraman to watch her having lesbian sex. The 29-year-old ‘Savage' rapper faces the salacious claims …Read More »
  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Bennett's life was “changed forever” by his role in ‘Mean Girls'. The 42-year-old actor starred as heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the 2004 cult classic – which followed Lindsay Lohan, Rachel …Read More »
  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass a gift basket after he came out as gay. The 44-year-old NSYNC star revealed the legendary singer showed his support when Lance decided to reveal …Read More »
Previous Post: « Fiorina and Huckabee: Anti-Abortion Rhetoric Not to Blame for Planned Parenthood Attacks: WATCH
Next Post: Sinead O’Connor Receiving Medical Care After Posting Suicide Note to Facebook »

Primary Sidebar

Most Recent

  • Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

    Sophia Bush’s girlfriend ‘proud’ the actress has opened up about coming out as queer

  • Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

    Mel B declares she’ll ‘always be open’ when it comes to her sexuality!

  • Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

    Megan Thee Stallion being sued for ‘forcing cameraman watch her having lesbian sex!’

  • Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

    Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett recalls the moment his life ‘changed forever’

  • Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

    Sir Elton John sent Lance Bass gift basket to celebrate coming out

  • Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

    Relationship status influences heterosexual women’s sexual prejudice towards lesbians

  • JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

    JoJo Siwa had a challenge transitioning to new grown-up image

  • Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

    Liz Hurley defends lesbian sex scene in new movie that was directed by her son

Partner Links

  • Upgraded Scope Reveals Sun’s ‘Coronal Rain’
    Our telescope technology keeps improving as Gizmodo illustrates. The Sun is […]
  • ‘And Just Like That’ Season 3: Sarah Jessica Parker dishes on Carrie and Aidan’s relationship fate
    I feel like season three of … And Just Like That, […]
  • Sky: ‘Workshy’ Prince William is ‘quiet disruptor’ who yammers about ‘social impact’
    Here’s an incomplete list of Prince William’s activities in the recent […]
  • “The final ‘Mission: Impossible’ had a great Memorial Day-weekend opening” links
    The Memorial Day weekend box office was huge. The live-action Lilo […]
  • Shareholders Revolt Against CBS 'Deal' With Trump
    If Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News, settles a […]

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Ptown Hacks 2018

Read

  • Travel
  • Film
  • Law – LGBT Rights
  • Columns
  • Specials

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Log in

×
×