Forged in Fire Book

Forging Queer Leaders

How the LGBTQIA+ Community Creates Impact from Adversity

Forging Queer Leaders explores the connection between LGBTQIA+ identity, adversity, authenticity, and leadership development. Through research, interviews, and stories from nearly 100 LGBTQIA+ leaders, Bree Fram and Liz Cavallaro examine how experiences such as stigmatization, coming out, transition, and resilience can shape powerful leadership skills.

This book asks what is missing from most leadership literature and offers a clear answer: LGBTQIA+ leaders have been building wisdom, courage, adaptability, and connection through lived experience all along.

Order the Book Request a Speaking Event

Endorsements

What Leaders Are Saying

This is one of those rare books that has the capacity to save lives. For anyone questioning whether queer struggle can result in queer joy, this book offers dozens of stories exemplifying just that.

Kati McNamara, Air Force Social Worker

Forging Queer Leaders shows how the LGBTQIA+ community creates impact from adversity and offers concrete advice to the next generation of leaders within our communities.

Nick Grant, PhD, ABPP, Immediate Past President, GLMA

This was the book I didn’t know I needed. At a time when queer leaders are needed in this generation’s test, this book was the wind that filled my sails.

Scottie Jeannette Madden, Author, Writer, Director, and Showrunner

An inspiring, educational read. With both authority and empathy, Fram and Cavallaro masterfully weave stories, data, and advice into a leadership text that is long overdue.

Alison Fragale, PhD, Professor, University of North Carolina

Fram and Cavallaro have created a resource that harnesses our individual resilience as queer people and shows how our own superpower can be used to uplift others.

Jamie Windust, Author of In Their Shoes

An insightful and engaging read that helps us all step into our power as queer leaders, with surprising insights and connections that altered my perception of leadership.

Ben Pechey, LGBTQ+ Advocate, DE&I Consultant, and Author

If it takes a blast furnace to make steel strong, then the fires of coming out and living our authentic truth in an often hostile world make the best staff to hire.

Christine Burns, MBE, Trans Activist, and Author of Trans Britain

Fram and Cavallaro describe how the unique crucible of queer service develops the strong authentic leaders our military needs today.

Kera “Puff” Rolsen, Aviator and Author

Bring the Conversation to Your Community

Looking to host a conversation on LGBTQIA+ leadership, authenticity, resilience, or the power of lived experience? Connect with Forged in Fire to explore speaking opportunities, interviews, and community events.

Request a Speaking Event

---