On Being Different: What It Means to Be a Homosexual

Originally published in 1971, Merle Miller’s On Being Different is a pioneering and thought-provoking book about being homosexual in the United States. Just two years after the Stonewall riots, Miller wrote a poignant essay for the New York Times Magazine entitled What It Means To Be a Homosexual in response to a homophobic article published in Harper’s Magazine. Described as the most widely read and discussed essay of the decade, the article was developed into the remarkable short book On Being Different - one of the earliest memoirs to affirm the importance of coming out. Merle Miller (1919-1986) was an editor at Harper’s Magazine, Time and The Nation and was the bestselling author of several books, including the novel A Gay and Melancholy Sound and Plain Speaking, a biography of Harry S Truman. Dan Savage is the internationally syndicated columnist of ‘Savage Love’ and the author of several books. Charles Kaiser is an author, journalist and blogger. His books include 1968 in America and The Gay Metropolis.