This is definitely the book you want to read before you face the difficulties you can have with telling your family and friends your gay. I wish there had been such a book when I was growing up. Chastity not only tells you about her struggles with her coming out, which at times are very entertaining, but she shares some other great stories and blends them with her own story very gracefully. You will not be disappointed by reading this book even if you have already experienced your coming out. Even though I had already dealt with my coming out, long before this book was even a thought in Chastity's mind, it gave me a better understanding of the things I experienced growing up a lesbian. This book is entertaining and educational and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed it! Thank you Chastity, wherever you are!

Aug 20,99

After reading Family Outings I couldn't help think about all those families who never had P-FLAG or youth out-reach programs when they were growing up. "What a shame".. If it's not too late which it isn't in this day and age go get Family Outings and read it. It will bless and inspire your life if you are or aren't gay,you are not alone. If Chas and the others who shared their stories can get together and make a documentry of Family Outings-I strongly suggest it. As for my folks picking up a book isn't a common thing and they would put in a video tape before ever reading anything other then the phone bill. Chas if you read this Excellent Work!!! Rainbow Radio Network for community and campus radio in London, Ontario Canada

The tears that rolled down my cheeks as I read through this book were a reminder to me that I was certainly not alone when it came to "outing" myself to friends and family. Because this comes straight from real life experiences, you take the ride with Chastity and those amazing people she spoke to throughout her book and read about their various experiences in "coming out". I know that many people of all ages who have or are going to "come out" should at least try to read this amazing book because believe me, it made me a lot wiser, stronger and confident and finally telling my family and friends that I was a lesbian not only became easier but gave me a real sence of freedom to finally be me.

I thought by reading this book, I could learn something from the journey Chastity has taken thru life. However, not much to learn here. Although I admire her love for Joan, there wasn't much to take away except the sense that I may have wasted my time and money.

I was really excited about reading about Cher's sexcapades over the years, all the men, all the wild times, to get to know the real woman who is the diva we all know as Cher. Who better to tell it than her daughter? All the reviews here talked about Chastity's "honesty." What a bust! Chastity was honest all right, honest about her own boring life. Who cares! There was hardly any content on Cher at all. At least she could have tossed in some Greg Allman stuff, or a few tid-bits on Rob Camiletti a/k/a the Bagel Boy. No! Not a word! All it was was some boring tale about Chastity's life as a lesbian. Sorry, that holds no interest for me. If you don't have any interest in Cher, this book is for you. Otherwise, stay away!

i was so depressed closing this book it was unreal. i found her honesty admirable, but i also found too subtle and not so subtle self pity in most of her narrative of situations....the book was or could be somewhat confusing, and overwhelming, with the doe si doe recital of the lesbian history starting from her grandmothers time. chastity bono was a young woman, yes, but talk about a stunted childhood, or slow on the uptake maturing....she constantly put one girls needs (manipulations) before her own and let it affect her relationship with her true love, and she was just unanchored, flailing, weak. also, the graphic descriptions of joans illness? please, way too much information. horrible. real, yes. reality, sure, but did we need to hear explicit descriptions of every tube, every failing orifice, to get the points? NO WAY. perhaps being a breast cancer survivor colored my reaction to her detailed account of joans physical deterioration, but i found it very sad she felt it had to be that graphic. honesty is honesty but c'mon, couldn't she let the love of her life keep ANY of her DIGNITY even in death? NO. i felt she wrote all this just to show what SHE suffered through with joans suffering of cancer... i sure won't buy her 3rd book about her drug use. and am glad i got this copy of "loss of.....
total empathetic descretion".... for less than original price.