Semi Queer - by Anne Balay (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Long-haul trucking is linked to almost every industry in America, yet somehow the working-class drivers behind big rigs remain largely hidden from public view. Gritty, inspiring, and often devastating oral histories of gay, transsexual, and minority truck drivers allow award-winning author Anne Balay to shed new light on the harsh realities of truckers' lives behind the wheel. A licensed commercial truck driver herself, Balay discovers that, for people routinely subjected to prejudice, hatred, and violence in their hometowns and in the job market, trucking can provide an opportunity for safety, welcome isolation, and a chance to be themselves -- even as the low-wage work is fraught with tightening regulations, constant surveillance, danger, and exploitation. The narratives of minority and queer truckers underscore the working-class struggle to earn a living while preserving one's safety, dignity, and selfhood.

Through the voices of drivers from marginalized communities who spend eleven- to fourteen-hour days hauling America's commodities in treacherous weather and across mountain passes, Semi Queer reveals the stark differences between the trucking industry's crushing labor practices and the perseverance of its most at-risk workers.

Review Quotes

"Balay offers fascinating insights about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans persons working in the trucking industry--a vital yet disrespected industry that is becoming increasingly queer, female, and non-white. Highly recommended."--CHOICE

"Written in a lucid style punctuated by the language of truckers themselves, this is an engaging narrative that must be viewed as a major contribution to understanding the impact of (de)regulation, the trucking industry, and the lives of black, gay, female, indigenous, Mexican, and trans workers."--Labor