Surviving The Closet: Learning to Live After Coming Out Later in Life, is a memoir by Jo(anne) DeLuzio.  As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Jo came out much later in life,  after 20+ years of marriage to a man—to a wide array of different points of view from others who also came out later. The memoir explores her experiences and informs much of the ideas in this unique volume of writing. One part memoir, one part social discussion, and every part honest, Jo’s voice is unique–and her experiences inform much of the conversations she has about coming out.

In fact, coming out is only the beginning. Once out, Jo explores the many different ways members of her community may have a slow, sometimes painful journey to their authentic life. With honesty, humor, and deep insights, Surviving the Closet is essential reading.

With both humor and insight, Surviving the Closet is essential reading for anyone—gay or straight. The right of women and all people with non-conventional sexual orientations or gender identities to live a safe and open life is a story of global human rights and a celebration of diversity.

Available from ReBooks

Jo(anne) DeLuzio was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. She attended Western University in London, Ontario where she graduated with her Master of Clinical Science, with a speciality in audiology. Jo has practised audiology in a variety of facilities around the Greater Toronto Area for the last 40 years. She also holds a PhD in Speech-language Pathology from the University of Toronto. Currently, Jo teaches in the graduate program of Speech-language Pathology at the U of T.

Outside of the audiology world, Jo writes about the oppression of people who are LGBTQ+ both in Canada and globally. In her spare time, Jo enjoys bowling with her wife in a gay league. She is a terrible bowler but finds validation and acceptance in gay spaces. She currently resides in Toronto, Ontario with her wife and her two youngest children, who are currently learning about the process of adulting. Jo has had the privilege of parenting six children, and she considers surviving all those teenage years as one of her most remarkable accomplishments.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist based in Toronto with a focus on tourism, lifestyle, entertainment and community issues. He has written several travel articles and has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He’s willing to take on any assignments of interest, attend parties with free booze, listen to rants, and travel the world in search of the great unknown. He’s eager to discover the new, remember the past, and look into the future.