So Gay for You

Friendship, Found Family, and the Show That Started It All

De: Kate Moennig, Leisha Hailey

Narrado por: Kate Moennig, Leisha Hailey

An intimate, hilarious memoir of art, friendship, queerness, and found family, written and read by Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey, stars of The L Word—including never-before-shared stories from behind the scenes of the show and their personal lives. This program includes an exclusive bonus Q&A with fans' questions.

"Are you comfortable with nudity?" my manager asked.

In the early 2000s, Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey—both young artists trying to figure it all out—met at auditions for an unknown little TV show. Given that it was a show about lesbians living in Los Angeles, with the first ever ensemble cast of openly queer female characters, Kate and Leisha knew the project was going to be unlike anything else out there—that is, if it even got picked up.

Then, one million people watched the premiere. The show, which came to be called The L Word, turned into a trailblazing phenomenon. Its influence on pop culture, in the political arena, and in the lives of viewers has been lasting, impactful, even life-saving. And in addition to changing the course of television history, The L Word changed Kate and Leisha's lives forever.

From their first day on set, Kate and Leisha have always had each other’s backs, inseparable to the degree that the cast joked they were like a pair of pants—you couldn't have one leg without the other. Hence the name for their branded partnership, PANTS, launched in 2020, and accompanying podcast, which has been downloaded over twenty million times.

This friendship has seen Kate and Leisha through their greatest triumphs and most painful moments, stumbling from closeted queer kids in a hostile culture, to LGBTQ+ activists, actors, podcasters, and business owners. Full of never-before-shared glimpses into the making of The L Word, Kate and Leisha's real-life loves and losses, and their experience as queer icons, So Gay for You is a heartfelt, inspiring love letter to a ride or die friendship over the decades, and a testament to the liberating power of chosen family.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2025 Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"So Gay for You is more than a memoir; it's a comprehensive almanac of Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey. Take it from a die-hard fan, and friend, this intimate exploration of their lives blends candid anecdotes with reflections on their youth, queer identity, the impact of The L Word, and perhaps most importantly, their two decades of friendship. Must-read queer lit and a testament to the enduring legacy of The L Word and the culture-changing stars at its heart."—Tegan Quin, bestselling author of High School

"So Gay for You is a beautiful story of two besties who also played besties on the ground breaking series The L Word. Read this book, you will love it as I did."—Rosie O'Donnell

"As magnetic and authentic as Kate and Leisha themselves, So Gay for You feels like catching up with an old friend. Hilarious, candid, and full of heart, this memoir perfectly captures the ups and downs of the 2000s and beyond, and the life-changing power of true, lasting found family."—Gwyneth Paltrow

Love hearing their stories in their own voices

This story is honest portrait of their work and a heartwarming story of their friendship

Fantastic!!!!

I absolutely loved So Gay for You. It’s a heartfelt, honest, and beautifully written memoir that truly moved me. What struck me the most was how open and vulnerable Kate and Leisha were throughout the book—especially knowing how private they are in real life. Their willingness to share so much of themselves made the reading experience feel intimate, like hearing from two close friends.

Their friendship, humor, and deep connection shine through every page. Whether they were reflecting on their early days in the industry or offering behind-the-scenes stories from The L Word, everything felt genuine and raw in the best way. It’s not just a book for fans—it’s a celebration of queer friendship, chosen family, and living your truth.

Highly recommend this one. It stays with you long after the last page.

I purchased a physical book but loved that they had this audiobook.

Heartfelt

A heartfelt emotional offering of an extraordinary journey of lives and friendship and how perhaps sharing truths can help support other’s journeys.

Best reveal of gay icons

I really enjoyed listening to this book because it goes more into depth about what happened to the girls back in the day. It was really cool to see how they came to be where they are now and other things that happened in their lives.

Cannot put down!

Everything you’ve ever want to know about L word and beyond. So enjoyable. Finished it in one day.

Family isn't always DNA

This book made me realize that I am truly not alone. I have similar experience and trying to find myself just as Kate. It was not easy coming out and lost a lot of friends and family on the way but those that I am important too stayed. They are not all blood related but they are still family. Kate and Leisha gave me an in site of what challenges they encounter as they began their careers. The L word is something I am exploring now but definitely needed as a young adult. To all those that are still not being their authentic self it never to late to become who you want to be. Always choose love and happiness over all.- Rose

The Women who changed the world

The L Word’s premiere was one of those unforgettable moments in time. You all took a chance on a show that showed all of us that we are just as normal as our neighbors and could see bits of ourselves on our TV screens. When the reboot came out I was excited to see the “changing of the guard” so to speak lol. It should have been given more time/seasons to integrate all of the generations,
I saw the book on Amazon while buying new gay pride month merchandise. I saw the girls on the cover and ordered it immediately and brought the Audio as well. I wasn’t expecting to be up until 4:30 in the morning but I couldn’t stop until the end.
These two are proof that not all heroes have capes and that if they want to wear one it’s ok as well. The cast of this show literally changed the whole world similarly to how Queer as Folk did. QAF was more of a male centric show, the L Word showed me an example that I am a normal human being. This book is an outstanding read and I highly recommend it to anyone who watched the show back in the day and/or the new reboots. And even if you’ve haven’t heard of or ever watched it, listening to these 2 woman tell their stories with courage and humility in their voices will have you watching both incarnations the show ASAP. I know I’m about to dig through my streaming services and hard drives to watch it from the beginning again. If you want to be inspired, support DEI and watch a damn good tv show go watch it after buying and reading this book. If you do I promise it will give you a deeper understanding of the LGBTQ community as humans beings. I also brought the hardback book copy too.

Great Listen, very well written

First book I've listened to start to finish so quickly. Both authors retold their life stories in such detail and it transitioned from author to author perfectly. Awesome!!!

Consumed in 24 hours!!!!

I love it when the authors read the book to me. It feels very special and personal. It’s great to know that the L word brought so many people, joy and friendship. I miss it.