Gaysia

Book excerpt: Benjamin Law considers himself pretty lucky to live in Australia: he can hold his boyfriend's hand in public and lobby his politicians to recognise same-sex marriage. As the child of migrants, though, he also wonders how different life might have been had he grown up elsewhere. So off he sets to meet his fellow Gaysians. Law takes his investigative duties seriously, baring all in Balinese gay nudist resorts, and taking Indian yoga classes designed to cure his homosexuality. The characters he meets – from Tokyo's celebrity drag queens to HIV-positive Burmese sex workers, from Malaysian ex-gay Christian fundamentalists to Thai ladyboy beauty contestants – all teach him something new about being queer in Asia. At once hilarious and moving, Gaysia traces a fascinating quest by a leading Australian writer. 'A terrific read … gonzo anthropology and great storytelling' John Safran 'Gaysia is like a Louis Theroux documentary in book form' Books+Publishing 'Benjamin Law is funny and honest and handsome – Gaysia is a delightful, occasionally confronting adventure' Josh Thomas