Gabfest Reads | Alison Bechdel Explains Selling Out the Progressive Way

In *The Fantasy and Necessity of Solidarity*, Sarah Schulman delves into the intricate and often misunderstood concept of solidarity. She presents case studies from various movements, including AIDS activism in 1990s New York City and campus protests against Israel’s war on Gaza, to challenge traditional notions of solidarity and offer a hopeful vision for the future. Schulman argues that true solidarity requires collaboration among diverse groups and acknowledges the complexities and costs involved.

Published in 2006, 'Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic' is a graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel that recounts her upbringing in a funeral home in rural Pennsylvania. The book focuses on Bechdel's fraught relationship with her father, Bruce, a closeted gay man and high school English teacher who also worked as a part-time mortician. The narrative is non-linear, using literary and mythological allusions to explore themes of sexual orientation, gender roles, family dysfunction, and the impact of secrets on family life. Bechdel's meticulous artwork and essayistic writing style combine to create a powerful and intimate portrayal of her childhood and her attempts to understand her father and herself.