Money Proud: The Queer Guide to Generate Wealth, Slay Debt, and Build Good Habits to Secure Your Future

Out magazine finance columnist Wolny debuts with an insightful and funny personal finance manual tailored to the LGBTQ+ community. Exploring how queer identity intersects with money management, Wolny argues that traditional personal finance advice often ignores or contradicts the realities of queer life (the wage gap for trans women, for example, is 60¢ for every dollar earned by the average American worker). He blends research, data, and personal anecdotes to illustrate how social pressures—such as the search for acceptance or the costs of safety and self-expression—shape financial habits and long-term security. Chapters focus on budgeting, investing, and income growth, as well as navigating taxes, cultivating chosen family networks, aligning career ambitions with values, and more. His tone is conversational and witty, mixing practical tips like setting aside a savings account for “occasional opulent shit,” with affirmations that financial independence is both an act of pride and a form of protection in an uncertain political climate. Exhibiting a clear understanding of behavioral finance, Wolny succeeds in making money talk feel inclusive and empowering rather than prescriptive. Readers seeking a fresh, culturally aware guide to financial wellness will find this as entertaining as it is instructive. (Dec.)