I wasn't sure what to expect, so I was surprised when Cate Blanchett began speaking, and the first essay was the author's experience of being a lesbian in the Air Force. At first, I thought I'd read the description wrong and I felt a little cheated. Why wasn't she talking about a cult? But then I got interested in her story. Hough was in the Air Force during the "Don't ask, don't tell" years and it sounded harrowing. She didn't tell, but people guessed and she was threatened and harassed. When her car was torched the Air Force decided that Hough did it because she owed too much money on it. She was court martialed and even faced jail time. Although Hough was found not guilty, her situation became untenable, and she eventually left the Air Force.
Hough does discuss being born into the "Children of God" cult--now called The Family. Needless to say, a little independent, budding lesbian was not the best fit for this sexist, controlling organization. There is some detail about her life growing up in the cult, which was interesting. Also, at some point, the author starts narrating her own story, and it's interesting to hear her voice.
Hough goes on to describe how she lived in a car (right after she got out of the Air Force), was a bouncer at a gay bar, and worked as a cable technician for ten years. Because Hough had made it out of a cult, she was hypersensitive to the same techniques the cult had used on her. She saw it in the training videos used in the Air Force as well as the myth of the "American Dream." It was interesting to hear her unique perspective.
At some point Cate Blanchett goes back to narrating before Hough finishes off the book herself. In the end, I thought this book was really good. Hough is very honest, and it was interesting to see how her childhood affected her throughout her life. It reminded me that you can never know what people may have gone through and how it's shaped their perspective and thinking. Recommended.
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