The Pink Marine - by Greg Cope White

About the Book

The Pink Marine is the story of a teenage boy who struggles with self-acceptance and doesn't fit the traditional definition of manliness finds acceptance and self-worth in the most unusual place. Can a gay teenager become a US Marine?

Book Synopsis

THE PINK MARINE is set in the Marine Corps in the 1980s. Our unlikely hero is a gay teen who joins the Corps with his straight best friend. And yes, it's insanely dangerous for both of them. But as fate would have it, turns out the Few and the Proud are a bunch of oddballs and eccentrics - and thus, a brotherhood is born. In a world where the landmines are both literal and metaphorical, this memoir takes a hard - and hilarious - look at masculinity and what it means to belong.

When Greg Cope White's best friend tells him he's spending his summer in Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, all Greg hears is 'summer' and 'camp'. Despite dire warnings from his friend Dale, Greg vows to join him in recruit training. He's eighteen, underweight, he's never run a mile-and he's gay. Greg's sheltered life hadn't prepared him for military service. He packed five suitcases, since he'd never been away from home for thirteen weeks. The U.S. Marines stripped him from all of that, shaved his head and put a rifle in his hands. At first he struggles to keep up, afraid his secret will be discovered. But midway through, the desire to survive and become a Marine trumps fear. He learns that everyone, just like in the real world, comes into the service feeling 'different'; possibly prejudged for the color of their skin, their weight, their poverty--some have even chosen boot camp over jail. Can a flighty, 112-pound, unmanly Texan transform into one of the few, the proud, the Marines? Will Greg even survive?

Review Quotes

"White recalls the grueling yet confidence-building three-month Marine Corps boot camp training he endured as a still-closeted teenager in 1979. "I learned that I had to respect myself if I wanted others to respect me." The author demonstrates that respect and delivers a heartening coming-of-age story... an inspiring memoir that displays a balanced, surprisingly reverent view of the Marine Corps and military service." Kirkus Reviews

"The Pink Marine is a beautifully detailed, passionately written and very necessary book - it's the fascinating and surprising story of a gay man in the military, told with respect, wit and insight." Paul Rudnick, Playwright, Screenwriter, Essayist, Novelist

"Hilarious...this gifted writer manages to find incredible humor in a remarkable chapter of his life." He Said Magazine

"This is the story of how, through pure gumption, a most unlikely Marine candidate rises to the occasion to show his true colors!" Jane Lynch, Actress (Glee, Hollywood Game Night, Angel From Hell)

"While I served in the military, the Air Force was a social club compared to the Marines. I've known Greg Cope White for some thirty years, and have admired him every minute throughout. That he could write as intriguing and honest a book as The Pink Marine is no surprise." Norman Lear, TV Legend

"Greg Cope White takes on the universal tragedy of human isolation and the fear of exposure with such humor and grace that it becomes a triumphant comedy." Dylan Brody, Author, Humorist

"A very funny story... also somewhat heart breaking.... insightful and beautiful look at struggle and commitment." Amos Lassen

"What's a gay man to do when a roomful of naked men is a minefield rather than the set-up for a hot fantasy? In this riotously funny peek into USMC boot camp Greg finds both the ultimate test of will and a camaraderie he'll never lose. The Pink Marine puts the "A" back in YA!" Susie Bright, Author, publisher, Editor-at-Large at Audible

"Engrossing...." Boy Culture