Every day, people face discrimination because of their sexuality and gender identity. The people between these pages have stood up for the queer community, whether on their own behalf or in support of people they love. Some made a difference by confronting injustice; others dared to be fully themselves.

Susan Ursel fought all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada for the right to have books with queer characters in schools. Sparkle Wilson runs an internship program for LGBTQ+ youth in San Francisco that helps them build skills and grow their confidence. Itzayana Gutiérrez Arillo discovered the joy and global community of queer tango. Their stories prove that we can all make the world a little safer, kinder, and more inclusive.

Mary Fairhurst Breen grew up in the suburbs of Toronto and raised her kids in an artsy, slightly gritty part of the city. A translator by training, she spent thirty years in the not-for-profit sector, managing small organizations with big social-change mandates. She also launched her own arts business, indulging her passion for hand-making, which was a colossally enjoyable and unprofitable venture. Its demise gave her the time and impetus to write her family history for her daughters. She began to publish autobiographical stories, and wound up with her first book, Any Kind of Luck at All.

Mary Fairhurst Breen's profile page

“Breen offers young readers a glimpse into the lives of 14 amazing women and non-binary people who have helped make the world safer for kids and adults who identify as LGBTQ…. It includes a useful historical timeline of LGBTQ activism in both Canada and the U.S as well as an excellent glossary.”

The Globe and Mail

"This volume offers important representation and engaging profiles of people who just might motivate readers to make their own significant contributions, no matter the scale or scope."

Mombian

"Breen’s passionate advocacy for equal rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity is a bold foray into the culture wars of today... The book addresses real issues of discrimination and of acceptance, both of oneself and of others.... I urge librarians to give this book careful consideration."

Canadian Review of Materials