“In this courageous memoir, Ben Appel recounts his journey from a fundamentalist Christian cult to a queer Ivy League subculture, highlighting the unsettling parallels between these two seemingly contrasting worlds. Challenged to reevaluate his deeply rooted beliefs, he grows increasingly alarmed about the psychological and physical harm radical gender ideology is inflicting on young gay people. Having broken free from two forms of mental captivity, Appel underscores the vital importance of something all too rare: thinking for oneself.”

James Kirchick, author of Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington