❤️❤️❤️
The Family Outing is a memoir of a family of 5 who almost all eventually identify as queer, with each having their own unique coming out story.
At times funny, at times poignant, and at other times simply heartbreaking, The Family Outing is worth the read. Between her mother’s PTSD from a close encounter with a famed serial killer, to her father’s outing, to her brother’s difficulties finding medical care that was appropriate for his transition, Hempel is sensitive to her subjects. She tried to be objective, despite the deeply personal nature of her topic, and works to unpack her family’s traumas and transformations with consideration.
My only drawback with this book is that the ending seems altogether too quick. Each story is wrapped up in a little more than a chapter, and some of the stories felt like they deserved more.
(320 pages)
Kali J Desautels 
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