Authentic Leadership

This book provides new insights about the roles in which LGBTQ individuals contribute in society andvarious organizations. The literature is divided into two sections. Section one includes three chapters fromhigher education administrators faculty and community activists. The chapters share personal narrativesdescribing the life experiences of those who are often marginalized within academia. Each chapter providespersonal and professional aspects of the authors' lives. Section two includes four chapters which sharesvoices of people whom are normally excluded from research. Each author's identity is shared as an aspectof their research.The authors present a broad range of issues challenges and concerns supported by prior literatureorganized around several broad topical areas and intended to fill the gaps in our knowledge about howLGBTQ leadership is engaged across multiple types of institutions and how the experiences affect thequality of life for LGBTQ individuals throughout the academic community. Their complex identities affecttheir research interests findings and interpretations.Including the topics of leadership LGBT issues spirituality and race in one book is a miracle into itself. - Lemuel W. WatsonThe first thing I remember missing when I arrived on campus was the presence of other gender queer or transgender people. - Shae MillerMy authority has been challenged in the classroom; as a queer/gender queer person I chose not to heed warnings that I should not come out to myclasses - Shae MilllerBeing non-heterosexual in student affairs can leave administrators feeling marginalized and lonely despite the inclusive mission statements diversityphilosophies ally trainings and mottos they espouse. - Joshua Moon JohnsonMany educators who serve within social justice roles put their own well-being aside in order to best serve students. Educators can only withstand acertain level of institutional cultural and individual oppression before they face burn-out and lose hope. - Joshua Moon JohnsonI live at the cross-roads of my identities. As a South Asian/Desi Queer man from a working classorthodox Hindu-Brahmin family and being the first in my family to complete undergraduate andgraduate degrees I often find myself in spaces where I do not quite fit in. - Raja Bhattar