George Takei: A Life of Courage, Resistance, and Truth
George Takei came out in 2005 at the age of 68, even though he knew he was gay by the time he was just 9 years old. “Society groomed me to be closeted,” he once said. For most of his life, he had to hide who he truly was. And that wasn’t the first time he was forced to suppress his identity.
At just four years old, Takei was imprisoned along with his family during World War II, placed in Japanese American internment camps by the U.S. government—his own country. Branded an “enemy” as a child, he lost years of his life to barbed wire and guard towers, and later to silence and shame in the closet.
Over the years, Takei has written multiple books exploring these painful and defining moments: an autobiography, a graphic memoir, and a children’s book called My Lost Freedom. Now, he returns with a powerful new full-color graphic memoir: It Rhymes With Takei.
The memoir begins with a scene from The View, where Takei confronts what he was truly “groomed” to be—straight, silent, and invisible. After a lifetime of being seen as an outsider, he vowed never to let it happen again. But even as he became an activist for numerous justice movements, he initially avoided the one that would reveal his true identity.
The book reveals raw and real moments from his life and LGBTQ+ history. It recounts how politicians used connections with the LGBTQ+ community for clout and then turned their backs on us when it mattered most. It shows how he and his husband, Brad, navigated those betrayals and continued to stand strong, together.
When then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to protect gay marriage in California after he said he would pre-election, and Takei witnessed young people fearlessly protesting in the streets, he realized he could no longer stay silent and decided to come out. “Why do we have to announce it?” people often ask. This book answers that question: because when we don’t, laws get passed to erase our existence.
The memoir also features his witty campaign against Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which aimed to ban teachers from even mentioning the word. Takei’s response? Say “Takei”—as in, it rhymes with gay. His voice became a rallying cry.
Most people know George Takei as an actor from film, TV, and Broadway—or as a speaker and writer with powerful essays and speeches. But this memoir is different. This is the moment where he says he finally feels whole.
Through vivid illustrations, public moments, and deeply personal memories, It Rhymes With Takei paints a portrait of a man shaped by trauma but defined by resilience. It captures the betrayal felt by Japanese-Americans, the loneliness that comes from suppression, and the strength it takes to break free.
This book is more than a memoir—it’s a testament to what it means to be denied the right to be yourself. It’s about the damage inflicted by racism, homophobia, sexism, and all the forces that try to shrink us. These forces live in our bodies, distort our minds, and make us grow up too fast.
And yet, we endure.
Some people may read this story with joy in their hearts—because they want us to suffer. But for those who are still scared to be themselves, know this: We’ve always existed. We always will.
You are not alone!
Release date: June 10, 2025
It Rhymes With Takei Book Trailer
About the Author:
George Hosato Takei is an American actor best known for his role in the TV series Star Trek, in which he played the helmsman Hikaru Sulu on the USS Enterprise. His baritone earned Takei recurring appearances as the announcer for The Howard Stern Show starting on January 9, 2006, after that show’s move to satellite radio.
June Book Launch Schedule
