Portlander Shaley Howard joins us on Between the Covers to talk about her new memoir Excuse Me, Sir! Memoir of A Butch. Shaley illustrates firsthand how growing up in a homophobic world led to a life lived in a closet of fear and shame. She endured the consequences of living a shadow life, and tells a powerful story of endurance and overcoming the agony of addiction, which serves as a reminder of the stakes we are living with in the current political climate.
In the words of Kevin Cook, aka Poison Waters of Darcelle XV, "Excuse Me, Sir! Memoir of a Butch arrives at the perfect time in our history. The details shared describe experiences many of us can relate to and gain power in feeling seen and thus, understood. Finding strength through struggle isn’t easy and Shaley’s ability to guide us through her experiences with thoughtfulness, transparency, accountability and humor make this not only an enjoyable read, but an important one. While the journey to fully embrace who we are can be arduous, sharing her story will certainly make it easier for others."
Author photo courtesy of Christopher Dibble
- KBOO