Episode 145 Gail Hovey, author

My guest today is Gail Hovey. Gail is an inspiring author, editor, and activist who I recently met when she was invited to my book group. We had just read her newly published memoir: "She Said God Blessed Us: A Life Marked by Childhood Sexual Abuse in the Church" and we were thrilled to get to know the author. What a beautifully written memoir that sheds light on a largely invisible issue of sexual abuse by women. Georgia, a seminary-trained Christian Education Director was brilliant, charismatic and used the language of faith to seduce 16 year-old Gail and other teenage girls in the church. Nearly a 40 year process, Gail found the language to understand what happened to her, the courage to express her experience and finally put in writing the impact her relationship with Georgia had over her. Gail understands the importance of truth telling not just through her personal memoir, but what a crucial time it is in our country, in the world, for us to be telling the truth, facing the truth and taking responsibility for the truth, individually and collectively. Gail's story poignantly embodies the more accurate, complicated, nuanced layers of life, of trauma, of sexuality, of love. She breaks through the false narratives of dichotomous thinking, demonstrating that our experiences are not one-dimensional: either/or; gay/straight; male/female; right/wrong. Gail's life provides a rich history, from the 1950's of the perceptions around religion, sexuality, feminism, activism, race, culture, the healing power of therapy and writing. Check out these links for Gail's website www.hoveygail.com and to order her book online, if you are not able to purchase it at your local, independent bookstore. Enjoy the podcast and I encourage you to read her book! Have you heard? We launched a fundraiser! Tarik Greene and Toney Earl, Jr. co-founded MADE, a grassroots organization to address the needs of formerly incarcerated people. MADE stands for Making A Difference Everyday. Our bass playing daughter, her drummer husband and a circle of their talented musician friends recorded an album last year, thanks to the generosity of Matt and Margaret Balitsaris, to raise money for Tarik and Toney's program. Please join us in making a difference for an easily forgotten, marginalized group of people. We're happy to announce that along with the digital downloads that are available at TheMadeProject.BandCamp.com, MADE Transitions is offering physical CDs for purchase. The CDs contain 3 additional bonus tracks not available at TheMadeProject.BandCamp.com. Thanks for your continued support. Links: Gail's web site Indie Bound Books The MADE Project/GLOW album: themadeproject.bandcamp.com (Digital Downloads) GLOW Music Videos/YouTube channel M.A.D.E. Transitions (Glow CD orders)