Are You Ready? : The Gay Man's Guide to Thriving at Mid-Life Book

Acknowledgments	VII
Introduction	IX
1: Thriving at Midlife	1
Countering Stereotypes
Positive Aspects
2: Ready or Not!	20
Gay Midlife Challenges
Stages
Soaring, Crashing, Walking
3: Into the Dark Wood	41
Reaching Closure with a Youthful Identity
Types of Evasion
Recovery at Midlife
Coming Out of the Darkness
4: Behind the Mask	59
The Persona
The Inner Butch and the Inner Fairy
Only the Shadow Knows
5: Physical and Sexual Changes	79
Changes in Body Image
Daddies and Masters and Bears (Oh, My!)
Changes in Sexuality
6: Sex and the Single Gay Guy	98
Sex and Dating at Midlife
Countering Shame About Being Single
Looking for a Relationship
7: Impact of Midlife on Gay Relationships	121
How Relationships Change Over Time
Renewal or Leaving?
Creating Our Own Families
8: Loss and Mortality	140
HIV and Multiple Loss
Grieving
New Hopefulness
Dealing With Aging Parents
9: Meaningful Work	153
Mentoring
Midlife and Beyond
10: Gay Menas Shaman/Tricksters	165
Tricksters and Wounded Healers
Midlife Tasks
Celebrating Gay Midlife
Appendix	194