Joyously Free

Joyously Free: Stories & Tips for Living Your Truth as LGBTQ+ People, Parents & Allies by Elizabeth Ann Atkins and Joanie Lindenmeyer is a groundbreaking exploration of the profound liberation found in embracing one’s true identity within the LGBTQ+ community. 

With poignant personal accounts from the authors themselves, alongside a diverse array of contributors from across America, the book illuminates the spectrum of experiences—from pain and struggle to freedom and unbridled joy.  

Through vivid storytelling, the authors delve into the struggles and triumphs of individuals navigating the intersections of LGBTQ+ identity and societal expectations.

The book emphasizes the courage required to live true to oneself.

At its heart, this book is a celebration of personal happiness, joy, and the exhilarating adventure of forging forward without a roadmap, but instead blazing a passionate trail toward self-discovery and fulfillment.

The authors hope that the book can help readers find their bliss, because they’ve individually found theirs!   

In fact, Elizabeth and Joanie are collaborating on this book because they’ve both lived it, “walked the walk” and written books that chronicle their unique journeys to empower themselves and live life to the absolute fullest!

In The Biss Tribe: Activating Your Goddess Power by Elizabeth Ann Atkins®, she shares how verbal abuse during a terrible divorce awakened her GoddessPower, and inspired her to create a joyous lifestyle and multimedia platform that shows women how to live and love bigger, better and bolder. 

Elizabeth became disillusioned by the hetero-monogamous template that families, religion and society instill in girls and women to conform to the oppressive standards of being a “good girl.” So The Biss Tribe series, upcoming retreats, and her podcast The Goddess Power Show with Elizabeth Ann Atkins all encourage women to create personalized “lovestyles” that free them to experience their greatest joy.  

Similarly, Joanie is changing lives around the world through her memoir, Nun Better: An Amazing Love Story by Joanie Lindenmeyer and Carol Tierheimer. This unique book showcases the beautiful story of how love blossomed between two Catholic nuns and led to a 40-year romantic adventure for Joanie and Carol. Both ultimately left religious vowed life and the church, courageously creating their own LGBTQ+ community during the 1980s when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was triggering hate and deadly violence against LGBTQ+ singles and couples. Also back then, today’s freedoms—and legalized same-sex marriage—seemed an impossible fantasy.    

Both Elizabeth and Joanie share extremely personal details in their books. Their vulnerability, readers say, inspires people to find their own courage and confidence to embrace who they are and blaze their own trails of self-discovery, celebration of their truths, and spiritual empowerment.

Joyously Free candidly addresses the consequences of not living one’s truth. And it paints a vivid picture of the emotional turmoil and unfulfillment experienced by those confined by fear, secrecy, and societal judgment.

Through empathetic storytelling, the authors provide insight into the profound regret that people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds feel when fear and shame stop them from revealing their LGBTQ+ truths.   

The narrative underscores the pivotal role of allies and advocates in creating supportive communities and empowering individuals to live authentically, while also highlighting the ripple effect of each person’s journey toward joyous freedom in inspiring others to do the same.  

Ultimately, Joyously Free serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment, offering practical tips and heartfelt guidance for both LGBTQ+ individuals, parents and their allies to navigate the complexities of identity, forge meaningful connections, and champion inclusivity and acceptance in a world that too often seeks to suppress individuality and love.