Cigarettes & Wine

"Imagine the terror and exhilaration of a first sexual experience in a church where you could be caught at any moment. In Cigarettes & Wine, this is where we meet an unnamed teenage narrator in a small southern town trying to make sense of their own bisexuality, gender variance, and emerging adulthood. When our narrator leaves the church, we watch their teen years unfold alongside one first love wrestling with his own sexuality and his desire for a relationship with God, and another first love seeking to find herself as she moves away from town. Through the narrator’s eyes, we also encounter a newly arrived neighbor who appears to be an all American boy, but has secrets and pain hidden behind his charming smile and athletic ability, and their oldest friend who is on the verge of romantic, artistic, and sexual transformations of her own. Along the way, these friends confront questions about gender and sexuality, violence and substance abuse, and the intricacies of love and selfhood in the shadow of churches, families, and a small southern town in the 1990’s. Alongside academic and media portrayals that generally only acknowledge binary sexual and gender options, Cigarettes & Wine offers an illustration of non-binary sexual and gender experience, and provides a first person view of the ways the people, places, and narratives we encounter shape who we become. While fictional, Cigarettes & Wine is loosely grounded in hundreds of formal and informal interviews with LGBTQ people in the south as well as years of research into intersections of sexualities, gender, religion, and health. Cigarettes & Wine can be read purely for pleasure or used as supplemental reading in a variety of courses in sexualities, gender, relationships, families, religion, the life course, narratives, the American south, identities, culture, intersectionality, and arts-based research. “I suspect that many people who have even unrecognized ambivalences about sexual and gender binaries might find in it an illuminating reflection of their own paths. This fast-paced, introspective romp through high school and beyond keeps the pages turning with love, sex, and an understanding grandma.” Dawne Moon, Ph.D., Marquette University, and author of God, Sex and Politics: Homosexuality and Everyday Theologies “Cigarettes and Wine is entertaining, thrilling, heartbreaking, while also a bit educational about the often invisible members of the LGBTQ community – bi and pan sexual, trans and gender non-conforming, and polyamorous folks. You won’t want to put it down!” Eric Anthony Grollman, Ph.D., University of Richmond and editor of Conditionally Accepted at Inside Higher Ed J. E. Sumerau is an assistant professor and director of applied sociology at the University of Tampa. Zir writing and research focuses on the intersections of sexualities, gender, religion, and health in the interpersonal and historical experiences of sexual, gender, and religious minorities". -- Prové de l'editor Imagine the terror and exhilaration of a first sexual experience in a church where you could be caught at any moment. In Cigarettes & Wine, this is where we meet an unnamed teenage narrator in a small southern town trying to make sense of their own bisexuality, gender variance, and emerging adulthood. When our narrator leaves the church, we watch their teen years unfold alongside one first love wrestling with his own sexuality and his desire for a relationship with God, and another first love seeking to find herself as she moves away from town. Through the narrator's eyes, we also encounter a newly arrived neighbor who appears to be an all American boy, but has secrets and pain hidden behind his charming smile and athletic ability, and their oldest friend who is on the verge of romantic, artistic, and sexual transformations of her own. Along the way, these friends confront questions about gender and sexuality, violence and substance abuse, and the intricacies of love and selfhood in the shadow of churches, families, and a small southern town in the 1990's. Alongside academic and media portrayals that generally only acknowledge binary sexual and gender options, Cigarettes & Wine offers an illustration of non-binary sexual and gender experience, and provides a first person view of the ways the people, places, and narratives we encounter shape who we become. While fictional, Cigarettes & Wine is loosely grounded in hundreds of formal and informal interviews with LGBTQ people in the south as well as years of research into intersections of sexualities, gender, religion, and health. Cigarettes & Wine can be read purely for pleasure or used as supplemental reading in a variety of courses in sexualities, gender, relationships, families, religion, the life course, narratives, the American south, identities, culture, intersectionality, and arts-based research. "I suspect that many people who have even unrecognized ambivalences about sexual and gender binaries might find in it an illuminating reflection of their own paths. This fast-paced, introspective romp through high school and beyond keeps the pages turning with love, sex, and an understanding grandma." Dawne Moon, Ph. D., Marquette University, and author of God, Sex and Politics: Homosexuality and Everyday Theologies "Cigarettes and Wine is entertaining, thrilling, heartbreaking, while also a bit educational about the often invisible members of the LGBTQ community - bi and pan sexual, trans and gender non-conforming, and polyamorous folks. You won't want to put it down!" Eric Anthony Grollman, Ph. D., University of Richmond and editor of Conditionally Accepted at Inside Higher Ed J.E. Sumerau is an assistant professor and director of applied sociology at the University of Tampa. Zir writing and research focuses on the intersections of sexualities, gender, religion, and health in the interpersonal and historical experiences of sexual, gender, and religious minorities Imagine The Terror And Exhilaration Of A First Sexual Experience In A Church Where You Could Be Caught At Any Moment. In Cigarettes & Wine, This Is Where We Meet An Unnamed Teenage Narrator In A Small Southern Town Trying To Make Sense Of Their Own Bisexuality, Gender Variance, And Emerging Adulthood. When Our Narrator Leaves The Church, We Watch Their Teen Years Unfold Alongside One First Love Wrestling With His Own Sexuality And His Desire For A Relationship With God, And Another First Love Seeking To Find Herself As She Moves Away From Town. Through The Narrator's Eyes, We Also Encounter A Newly Arrived Neighbor Who Appears To Be An All American Boy, But Has Secrets And Pain Hidden Behind His Charming Smile And Athletic Ability, And Their Oldest Friend Who Is On The Verge Of Romantic, Artistic, And Sexual Transformations Of Her Own. Along The Way, These Friends Confront Questions About Gender And Sexuality, Violence And Substance Abuse, And The Intricacies Of Love And Selfhood In The Shadow Of Churches, Families, And A Small Southern Town In The 1990's. Alongside Academic And Media Portrayals That Generally Only Acknowledge Binary Sexual And Gender Options, Cigarettes & Wine Offers An Illustration Of Non-binary Sexual And Gender Experience, And Provides A First Person View Of The Ways The People, Places, And Narratives We Encounter Shape Who We Become. While Fictional, Cigarettes & Wine Is Loosely Grounded In Hundreds Of Formal And Informal Interviews With Lgbtq People In The South As Well As Years Of Research Into Intersections Of Sexualities, Gender, Religion, And Health. Cigarettes & Wine Can Be Ready Purely For Pleasure Or Used As Supplemental Reading In A Variety Of Courses In Sexualities, Gender, Relationships, Families, Religion, The Life Course, Narratives, The American South, Identities, Culture, Intersectionality, And Arts-based Research. J.e. Sumerau Front Matter....Pages i-xx Chapter 1....Pages 1-6 Chapter 2....Pages 7-12 Chapter 3....Pages 13-21 Chapter 4....Pages 23-26 Chapter 5....Pages 27-29 Chapter 6....Pages 31-35 Chapter 7....Pages 37-44 Chapter 8....Pages 45-49 Chapter 9....Pages 51-53 Chapter 10....Pages 55-58 Chapter 11....Pages 59-62 Chapter 12....Pages 63-66 Chapter 13....Pages 67-70 Chapter 14....Pages 71-73 Chapter 15....Pages 75-78 Chapter 16....Pages 79-83 Chapter 17....Pages 85-87 Chapter 18....Pages 89-92 Chapter 19....Pages 93-96 Chapter 20....Pages 97-101 Chapter 21....Pages 103-108 Chapter 22....Pages 109-114 Chapter 23....Pages 115-116 Chapter 24....Pages 117-119 Chapter 25....Pages 121-124 Chapter 26....Pages 125-129 Chapter 27....Pages 131-132 Chapter 28....Pages 133-136 Chapter 29....Pages 137-138 Chapter 30....Pages 139-143 Chapter 31....Pages 145-146 Chapter 32....Pages 147-149 Chapter 33....Pages 151-154 Chapter 34....Pages 155-157 Chapter 35....Pages 159-161 Chapter 36....Pages 163-166 Chapter 37....Pages 167-172 Chapter 38....Pages 173-177 Chapter 39....Pages 179-183 Chapter 40....Pages 185-190 Chapter 41....Pages 191-194 Chapter 42....Pages 195-197 Chapter 43....Pages 199-201 Chapter 44....Pages 203-205 Chapter 45....Pages 207-208 Chapter 46....Pages 209-212 Chapter 47....Pages 213-215 Chapter 48....Pages 217-219 Chapter 49....Pages 221-224 Back Matter....Pages 225-229