Required Reading: Alison Bechdel's "Fun Home"

This story from Gawker reminded me of the tour-de-force artistic achievement that is "Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic", a book which should be required reading in schools for its lucid presentation of the effects of homophobia, both external and internal varieties. That it presents its powerful themes in such an accessible medium is enough to make an old cynic like me weep that maybe there's hope for humans as a species yet.

The book came out early in the autumn publishing cycle last year, and received raves from all and sundry (I mean, even People). In the interest of keeping it in the public eye a little longer, I've decided to use any excuse I can find to feature it here.

Also, I've lately been feeling that the lesbian content of my life is not being accurately reflected in the lesbian content of my blog. So it's win-win really.

Bechdel is also the mastermind behind the byzantine, long-lived comic "Dykes To Watch Out For" of course, which is visually dazzling, loaded with detail, and alive with topicality - practically a pop culture trifecta. I certainly have learned a lot from it, especially when it comes to lesbian transphobia and that eternal mystery (at least to me) known as female sexuality.

I, as a mere male, must admit hasn't always been easy for me to follow the plot. (Wait! Who's Sparrow again?) I find, though, that I'm able to take each strip on it's own terms, and failing that, there's also her nifty website and blog to bring me up to speed.

Being a writer I can't help but be moved by Bechdel's desire to be ethical in telling a story that is not only hers, and the angst she feels over the impact the book has had on her mother. Hopefully, when the time comes to spill the beans on myself I'll be as compassionate as she is here. Bechdel's own words on the subject appear inSlate, and are well worth the read.
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