Is cancer a contagious disease? In the late nineteenth century this idea, and attending efforts to identify a cancer "germ," inspired fear and ignited controversy. Yet speculation that cancer might be contagious also contained a kernel of hope that the strategies used against infectious diseases, especially vaccination, might be able to subdue this dread disease. Today, nearly one in six cancers are thought to have an infectious cause, but the path to that understanding was twisting and tu...

In this compelling collective memoir, twelve gender and/or sexual minorities share true memories of community, loss, joy, and becoming. Each is recorded in the storyteller’s own words and illustrated by queer textile artist Robin Wolfe. From the struggles of finding one’s true self in deeply religious enclaves, to surviving harsh conditions with the support of chosen family, to funny stories about finding community, these tales preserve our diverse history and prove “average people” have f...