Breakfast Leadership Show interview with Britt East Author of A Gay Man's Guide To Life
A Gay Man’s Guide to Life is part personal growth
and development manual, and part memoir.
From the author: “I want to transmute the pain of my past
into the food of future growth, and to be the family I never
had to gay men all over the world, so we might challenge
and inspire each other to seize our lives and be our best
selves. My greatest wish is that you ultimately use these
words to lift others: your family, your friends, your
coworkers, and your community—such that those who love
us might know us a little better, those who follow us might
have it a little easier, and those that hate us might learn to
fear us a little less.”
Britt East gets real about gay racism.
Britt admits that society often deems gay, white, cis men as
white and male first, making them one of the most
privileged social groups in the U.S. He says that gay, white, acknowledge that racism exists, cultivate a willingness to have scary
conversations about structural racism, advocate for POC, and meditate on the ways they have
rejected POC (often under the guise of preference).
“Gay, but not that gay.” Britt believes that most homophobia is rooted in sexism. Gay
misogyny is real and it’s reflected when gay men seek out “manly” men while labeling others as
“too gay” or “flamers”. Britt says that many gay men lie to themselves about how even though
they’re gay, they’re not that gay, modifying behavior to “pass” within straight society.
Corporate bigotry still exists. Corporations are just collections of people, and people are
imperfect. If a boardroom consists of only straight, white, cis men then the company lacks
diversity. But the reality is if there are not people of all races, genders, and sexual orientations
at all levels of our company, then corporate diversity is just lip service.
Author Bio
BRITT EAST is an author and speaker who uses his experience, strength, and hope to challenge and inspire change-oriented gay men to get down to the business of improving their lives. With over two decades of personal growth and development experience in a variety of modalities, such as the 12 Steps, Nonviolent Communication, yoga, meditation, talk therapy, and the Hoffman Process, Britt is committed to building a personal practice of self-discovery that he can then share with gay men everywhere. He lives in Seattle with his husband and their crazy dog.