Author: George M Johnson
Year published: 2020
Category: YA nonfiction (LGBTQ)
Pages: 320 pages
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Location: (my 2025 Google Reading map): USA (VA, SC, CA, NJ)
Summary: From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.
Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren't Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson's emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults. (Johnson used he/him pronouns at the time of publication.)
Review: It's Banned Books Week. I can't believe we need a week to honor these books and bring attention to the issue. But, this year more than ever, it is important. I've meant to read this book for a long time, so I am glad that I did this week.
The author goes back to age 5 when he was aware that he was "different" and his difference was commented on by others (mostly boys his own age). The pain inflicted upon him, both physical and mental, began at age 5. How are we such a cruel species?! He writes that being gay and black meant he had an extra difficult time growing up. However, he used sports to help shield himself from some abuse.
What made me most sad for the author is that he had to constantly make choices to avoid even more attacks, and these choices weren't what he wanted, but what he felt would keep him safest. As he got older, through the teenage years and college (where this memoir ends), he continued to deal with harassment and abuse. This memoir doesn't shy away from the awkward, uncomfortable, or the ugly. But it is in its honesty that Johnson makes his point. His story is not unique, he doesn't play the victim (though he is one), he tells his story in a way that reaches into the reader's heart. We see what he was thinking, how he felt, and how he sees his perpetrators.
Through it all, his family is there. They are an incredible group of people who love hard and will defend each other even if they don't understand. How I wish everyone had that support system.
Challenges for which this counts:
- Diversity--African American and LGBTQ
- Literary Escapes--New Jersey and South Carolina
- Nonfiction
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