Monday, October 11, 2010

Chapter 3.4: National Coming Out Day

Today is National Coming Out Day. It's a day to support the lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual community, as well as those who are questioning their sexuality. It's a day of education about the LGBT community and a day to encourage tolerance and acceptance. Which I believe the world needs more than ever recently, in light of the recent suicides of young gay college students. Since I educate using books, I have two to recommend.

The first book I recommend is one I've mentioned recently in my video posts. It's Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. The book isn't forcibly about being gay and dealing with it; it happens to have a few gay characters who are dealing with life, love and friendship the same way any teen does. And you kind of have a spectrum. You have Tiny (who is very stereotypically gay), Depressed Will Grayson (who knows he is gay, but doesn't tell anyone), and Gideon (who is gay and out, but doesn't announce it like Tiny does). It's a great, fun book and deals with teen issues in a way that doesn't condescend to teens or try and say only one lifestyle is the right one.

The other book is The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson, a book I've loved for a while now. In it, there are three girls: Nina, Mel, and Avery. These girls have been best friends for years and it is now the summer before their senior year. While Nina is off at a pre-college program at Stanford, Mel and Avery begin a new kind of relationship. But while Mel has known for a while that she likes girls, Avery refuses to let herself be labeled. Can their relationship pull through or will Avery's fear of being seen as a lesbian break them apart? And what will it mean for the girls' friendship? This book is funny and sweet. And it's great at showing that sometimes, you don't know who you are. Sexuality is a confusing, frustrating subject that many shy away from taking about and really, sometimes you just don't know or just don't want to know. This book really captures that.

I have also looked on Amazon just now for books that sound interesting and fit with the two books I've recommended. I cannot personally vouch for them but here are some that looked interesting to me: Empress of the World by Sara Ryan, Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, Love Waits by Gerri Hill, and Keeping You A Secret by Julie Anne Peters.

So do you have any books that are great books and also have gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender characters? Or just happen to be about exploring your sexuality?

2 comments:

  1. hmmmmmmm I think maybe people are afraid to comment on this topic :)
    Bravo you for going out on a limb and posting your opinion.

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  2. Thanks. I know that a lot of people hate taking a stand because it labels them, but equality is important to me.

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