Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

38 reviews

katiehasanxiety's review

challenging emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

5.0

This was probably one of the most difficult books for me to read. It was amazing, but god. What a devastating read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Incest, Violence, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, and Racism

ktmomma's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

4.0

I read this as part of a reading challenge, and I’m so glad. I don’t know I would have picked it up on my own, and I would have missed out on an inspiring story of self and family and black culture and queerness. I feel honored to have been allowed to hear Johnson’s story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence

blaisef's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Deadnaming

Minor: Grief

deadeye's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Deadnaming, Grief, Racial slurs, Transphobia, Hate crime, Incest, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, and Homophobia

Moderate: Dysphoria

Minor: Police brutality, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Outing, Alcohol, Drug use, and Medical content

firewordsparkler's review against another edition

hopeful informative fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Incest, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death

Minor: Homophobia

The sexual violence is limited to one skippable chapter

monalyisha's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

All Boys Aren’t Blue is both a memoir and a manifesto, intended for a young adult audience. Its tone is both academic and intensely personal. It’s a lot of things all at once — which makes total sense, given the subject matter (and the nature of humanity)! Specifically, it’s about growing up queer and black in America  — as an upper-middle-class person with a loving and supportive family (not a narrative we hear often enough). 

Though it feels crummy to say, I didn’t think I was going to like the book at first. The writing, when it’s not erudite in tone, is conversational and it needs sharper editing (the word “though” is vastly overused, for instance). Johnson’s vocal performance is also a bit stumbling. I settled in, however, and I think their goal is accomplished: providing a (sometimes embarrassing) warm, honest, and candid account of life for people who are often ignored. Johnson’s goal is to be a mirror and they shine.

The chapter “Losing My Virginity Twice,” which includes an impassioned call for better — and inclusive!!!— sexual education in America, is vital. Johnson carefully highlights the very real damage that can be (and IS) done by leaving kids ignorant and concurrently teaching them shame. They provide concrete examples from their own life. It’s sometimes difficult to hear but it’s also nigh-impossible to ignore. There’s so much hurt (physical and mental) that doesn’t need to happen, and Johnson leaves us feeling that we can all do better - and that it’s reasonable to work for change, and to hope.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Terminal illness

melaniewiggins's review

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

This was an incredible memoir and I have no doubts that this book has made its way into the hands of so many black queer boys that need it. Every middle and high school library should have a copy. Raw, funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking, the author so seamleslly connected his personal experiences to larger political messages. It was a touching memoir, a powerful manifesto. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

matheo's review

emotional informative reflective

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Pedophilia, Sexism, and Transphobia

arlangrey17's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cancer, Deadnaming, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Medical trauma, Outing, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Transphobia, and Violence

danadays's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

This was a beautiful book that could be life changing for people in certain times in their life. There were so many powerful vignettes of George M. Johnson's life and there are so many wonderful humans that have allowed him to eventually be comfortable with who he is - in whatever expression. 
While this was written very beautifully, the style did not particularly appeal to me. There wasn't much nuance, it was a very "tell-not-show" analysis of the author's history. There was some amazing reflection and thought, it just was not the most engaging.
Still, it was a fantastic, powerful book about the intersectional experience of George M. Johnson and how he has become comfortable in his skin.
I loved the end of the book when he says that he felt weird writing a memoir at age 33 (ish?), but then considered that this story is not for him. It's for other people out there feeling similar things and to give them this as a gift, as an encouragement to come to your identity.
I also adored Nanny's boundless love and I wish to be her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence