So Gay For You: Friendship, Found Family, and the Show That Started It All

by Kate Moennig, Leisha Hailey

Overview

A intimate, hilarious memoir of art, friendship, queerness, and found family by Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey, stars of The L Word—including never-before-shared stories and photos from behind the scenes of the show and their personal lives.

"The point is we're all connected, see? Through love, through loneliness, through one tiny, lamentable lapse in judgment. All of us, in our isolation, we reach out from the darkness, from the alienation of modern life, to form these connections." — Alice Pieszecki, Season 1, Episode 2, The L Word

In the early aughts, Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey—both young artists trying to figure it all out—met at auditions for what they thought was just an unknown little TV show. Given that it was a show about lesbians living in LA, 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.

What they didn't foresee was just how huge The L Word would become. One million people watched the premiere, and the show quickly turned into a groundbreaking phenomenon. Its influence on pop culture, in the political arena, and in the lives of queer—and straight—viewers has been lasting, impactful, even life-saving. But in addition to changing the course of television history, The L Word also 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 podcast, PANTS, born during the pandemic and now downloaded over 20 million times.

So Gay for You is a love letter to a life-defining friendship over the decades, and following Kate and Leisha's unlikely and extremely entertaining journey stumbling from closeted queer kids to LGBTQ+ activists to successful actresses, 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 status as queer icons, So Gay for You is, at its heart, a book about a deep meaningful connection with your ride or die and the gift of finding your chosen family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250361363
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/03/2025
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	14,984
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

KATE MOENNIG is a critically acclaimed actress and executive producer whose work spans film, television, and theater. She most recently reprised her iconic role as “Shane McCutcheon” in the The L Word: Generation Q on Showtime. Moennig has also starred in Showtime’s Ray Donovan and in Freeform’s Grown-ish.

LEISHA HAILEY is an actor, director, executive producer, musician, and podcaster. Hailey is best known for her beloved breakout character, “Alice Pieszecki,” in the groundbreaking Showtime series The L Word and the reboot, The L Word: Generation Q. Leisha also co-founded the band THE MURMURS in the 1990’s and the indie pop band UH HUH HER in 2007.

Together, they co-host the podcast “PANTS with Kate and Leisha.”

Editorial Reviews

"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

"Such a fun read. It’s like hanging out with your two best friends who also happen to be hilarious, insightful, full on lesbian icons." —Liz Feldman

From the Publisher