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_askthebookbug 's review for:
All Boys Aren't Blue
by George M. Johnson
• r e v i e w •
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"When people ask me how I got into activism, I often say, “The first person you are ever an activist for is yourself.” If I wasn’t gonna fight for me, who else was?". - George M. Johnson.
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All Boys Aren't Blue is a brilliant memoir written by George to help black queer boys survive in this harsh world. George's take on how the world sees queer men, especially black ones is written in its crudest form. I finished this in two days and I was left content because it was perfect in every sense. This memoir is warm and offers support to young boys who are looking for validation or just acceptance. Coincidentally, I ended up reading two books revolving around sexuality at the same time, one of it being All Boys Aren't Blue. I loved one and I liked the other. Little did I expect to fall in love with George's writing, unflinchingly honest yet deeply comforting. Just pick this one up if you haven't already and you won't be disappointed.
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George begins with his childhood, about how he was always considered different. Being an effeminate child, he was often teased at school for preferring to play sports with girls rather than indulging in football. But he quickly clears the notion that queer boys aren't necessarily bad at masculine sports. George himself ran track and later played football just to seek validation from the guys. A particular incident in his childhood leaves him scarred for many years, bringing up his insecurities ever so often. Studying in school with more black students and then swapping to the one with plenty of white faces, he struggles to find a middle ground. As he lists down his experiences in school and college, it's clear that he faced a primal fear of coming out of the closet. While it was evident to his friends that he was queer, he denied it when questioned because he wanted it to happen on his own terms. But the support of his family gave him the freedom to display his sexuality without fear.
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I particularly loved his grandmother whom he fondly calls Nanny. Her support and acceptance of her grandson's sexuality played an important role in moulding George. His parents and brother too played a pivotal role in encouraging him in their own little ways. There's a lot of intimacy in this memoir, be it about his cousin who was a transgender, the death of his friend and the sexual abuse he faced from someone he trusted. His life has not been easy but he didn't expect it to be that way either. Being black has its own set of limitations and it's abundantly clear in the manner in which his parents taught him from an early age about how to speak politely to the cops in case he ever had to face them. But being black and queer amps up their fear more. Although this memoir states facts and circumstances of pain, it also manages to ooze warmth. George's letters to his mother, grandmother and brother are endearing to read. This memoir is not just for black boys but for everyone to comprehend how sexuality works. At times, we forget the concept of humanity while our judgemental side takes the front seat and this memoir serves as a reminder that everyone is allowed to live freely irrespective of their gender, sexuality and race. This will remain one of my favourites, something blue to think of on a rough day. Now you know which one of the two books I ended up loving.
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Rating : 5/5
.
"When people ask me how I got into activism, I often say, “The first person you are ever an activist for is yourself.” If I wasn’t gonna fight for me, who else was?". - George M. Johnson.
.
All Boys Aren't Blue is a brilliant memoir written by George to help black queer boys survive in this harsh world. George's take on how the world sees queer men, especially black ones is written in its crudest form. I finished this in two days and I was left content because it was perfect in every sense. This memoir is warm and offers support to young boys who are looking for validation or just acceptance. Coincidentally, I ended up reading two books revolving around sexuality at the same time, one of it being All Boys Aren't Blue. I loved one and I liked the other. Little did I expect to fall in love with George's writing, unflinchingly honest yet deeply comforting. Just pick this one up if you haven't already and you won't be disappointed.
.
George begins with his childhood, about how he was always considered different. Being an effeminate child, he was often teased at school for preferring to play sports with girls rather than indulging in football. But he quickly clears the notion that queer boys aren't necessarily bad at masculine sports. George himself ran track and later played football just to seek validation from the guys. A particular incident in his childhood leaves him scarred for many years, bringing up his insecurities ever so often. Studying in school with more black students and then swapping to the one with plenty of white faces, he struggles to find a middle ground. As he lists down his experiences in school and college, it's clear that he faced a primal fear of coming out of the closet. While it was evident to his friends that he was queer, he denied it when questioned because he wanted it to happen on his own terms. But the support of his family gave him the freedom to display his sexuality without fear.
.
I particularly loved his grandmother whom he fondly calls Nanny. Her support and acceptance of her grandson's sexuality played an important role in moulding George. His parents and brother too played a pivotal role in encouraging him in their own little ways. There's a lot of intimacy in this memoir, be it about his cousin who was a transgender, the death of his friend and the sexual abuse he faced from someone he trusted. His life has not been easy but he didn't expect it to be that way either. Being black has its own set of limitations and it's abundantly clear in the manner in which his parents taught him from an early age about how to speak politely to the cops in case he ever had to face them. But being black and queer amps up their fear more. Although this memoir states facts and circumstances of pain, it also manages to ooze warmth. George's letters to his mother, grandmother and brother are endearing to read. This memoir is not just for black boys but for everyone to comprehend how sexuality works. At times, we forget the concept of humanity while our judgemental side takes the front seat and this memoir serves as a reminder that everyone is allowed to live freely irrespective of their gender, sexuality and race. This will remain one of my favourites, something blue to think of on a rough day. Now you know which one of the two books I ended up loving.
.
Rating : 5/5