In Family Outing Chastity weaves her own dramatic story into those of other gays and lesbians to illustrate the phases, pitfalls, and rewards of coming out. We hear how gays and lesbians often feel indescribably "different" when they are quite young, how they come to recognize and explore that difference in themselves and then deal, in various ways, with parents' reactions, those of friends and coworkers, and their own unearthed homophobia. Ultimately, we learn how enormously empowering the whole process can be. While Family Outing provides sensible, helpful advice to gays and lesbians who are thinking about coming out, it is also an important primer for parents. We hear parents talk about their difficult - but ultimately successful and satisfying - journey through their part of the coming-out experience. And in conversations with Chastity, Cher tells her side of the story, relating her suspicion, denial, confrontation, and eventual acceptance of her daughter's sexual orientation. Practical, revealing, and utterly necessary, Family Outing is a guide like no other.