Status
Available
Publication
Broadway Books (2013), Edition: 1, 288 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Family & Relationships. LGBTQIA+ (Nonfiction.) Nonfiction. HTML:Raising My Rainbow is Lori Duronâ??s frank, heartfelt, and brutally funny account of her and her family's adventures of distress and happiness raising a gender-creative son. Whereas her older son, Chase, is a Lego-loving, sports-playing boy's boy, Lori's younger son, C.J., would much rather twirl around in a pink sparkly tutu, with a Disney Princess in each hand while singing Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi." C.J. is gender variant or gender nonconforming, whichever you prefer. Whatever the term, Lori has a boy who likes girl stuffâ??really likes girl stuff. He floats on the gender-variation spectrum from super-macho-masculine on the left all the way to super-girly-feminine on the right. He's not all pink and not all blue. He's a muddled mess or a rainbow creation. Lori and her family choose to see the rainbow. Written in Lori's uniquely witty and warm voice and launched by her incredibly popular blog of the same name, Raising My… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member karieh
This book made me very uncomfortable in the some of the best possible ways. I consider gay rights/marriage equality one of my top hot button issues. I cried with joy the day the Supreme Court struck down DOMA. And yet, all of my “pat myself on the back for being so accepting” squishy
It’s one thing to say and think you are open minded on a subject. But to feel that way when you truly try to walk in someone else’s shoes – that’s something else entirely.
The author, Lori Duron, is very detailed in her description of life raising a “gender-nonconforming” child. The struggles she and her husband go through as they become aware of C.J.’s preferences for “girl stuff”, his desire to wear makeup and dresses, the day to day reality of having a son who causes people to stop and stare (and worse) really stopped me in my tracks. I pictured my son at 3, 4, 5 asking for and doing those things. He did play with a doll for a while, a boy doll, and I cringe as I remember feeling proud of myself for being so accepting. He only played with it for a few months, and then my son continued on the traditional “all boy” path. So as I read this, I pictured the reaction, the physical, visceral reaction my husband and I would have had if he’d been more like C.J. It would have been hard, really hard. I’d like to think I would have been as fiercely supportive and protective as Lori, but this book made me really think about that.
“Raising a gender-nonconforming child can be excruciatingly lonely, a tear-worthy existence that we walk through and try to shield our children from. Sometimes we feel like parents alone on a tightrope, surrounded by people who will watch and be entertained but who will not catch us if we fall.”
Lori is very clear that she does not equate their situation with that of parents with a chronically ill or dying child – but I realized that as horrific as that would be, parents of a sick child get sympathy and help. Parents of kids who are “different” – like C.J. get shunned.
Her loneliness and desperation for some facts, some sense that she’s doing the right things with C.J. and with her other son Chase come shining through as she researches gender-noncomformity.
“An expert on transgender kids who was a doctor with Kaiser? I set out to talk with her, and months later it happened. I had her on the phone and could ask her anything. I was a kid in a transgender, hormone-filled candy shop.”
Beyond my empathy for her situation, for what her family was going through, I also found her to be humorous with just the right amount of snark. “Finally it was the last week of school. The South Orange County Mommy Mafia was out in full force, giving each day a theme and a party and a sense of panic that had me constantly feeling as if I were forgetting some important detail. They scuttled about campus in their Lululemon yoga pants, clutching their stainless-steel commuter mugs filled with organic coffee they’d picked up at Trader Joe’s over the weekend while they were loading up on supplies for the class ice-cream social, board-game mixer, pizza party, beach-blanket barbeque, popcorn-and-movie midday madness, and bubble blowing farewell ceremony. I watched them all from the comfort of my dirty car, wearing my work pants that give me a severe muffin top and drinking yesterday’s coffee, which I had managed to burn when I’d reheated it in the microwave.”
This book made me really reconsider how open I am to people who don’t fit into the neatly constructed boxes I have in my mind. It was good for me to read this book, and I hope more than anything that Lori’s words and C.J.’s spirit stay with me forever.
“C.J. has taught me that what we want most from people is empathy. We know that most people do not fully understand the distinctions among gender, sex, and sexuality; we just ask that they have open hearts and open minds and imagine for a minute what our children and we have to deal with on a daily basis.”
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liberalness came into question as I was reading “Raising My Rainbow.”It’s one thing to say and think you are open minded on a subject. But to feel that way when you truly try to walk in someone else’s shoes – that’s something else entirely.
The author, Lori Duron, is very detailed in her description of life raising a “gender-nonconforming” child. The struggles she and her husband go through as they become aware of C.J.’s preferences for “girl stuff”, his desire to wear makeup and dresses, the day to day reality of having a son who causes people to stop and stare (and worse) really stopped me in my tracks. I pictured my son at 3, 4, 5 asking for and doing those things. He did play with a doll for a while, a boy doll, and I cringe as I remember feeling proud of myself for being so accepting. He only played with it for a few months, and then my son continued on the traditional “all boy” path. So as I read this, I pictured the reaction, the physical, visceral reaction my husband and I would have had if he’d been more like C.J. It would have been hard, really hard. I’d like to think I would have been as fiercely supportive and protective as Lori, but this book made me really think about that.
“Raising a gender-nonconforming child can be excruciatingly lonely, a tear-worthy existence that we walk through and try to shield our children from. Sometimes we feel like parents alone on a tightrope, surrounded by people who will watch and be entertained but who will not catch us if we fall.”
Lori is very clear that she does not equate their situation with that of parents with a chronically ill or dying child – but I realized that as horrific as that would be, parents of a sick child get sympathy and help. Parents of kids who are “different” – like C.J. get shunned.
Her loneliness and desperation for some facts, some sense that she’s doing the right things with C.J. and with her other son Chase come shining through as she researches gender-noncomformity.
“An expert on transgender kids who was a doctor with Kaiser? I set out to talk with her, and months later it happened. I had her on the phone and could ask her anything. I was a kid in a transgender, hormone-filled candy shop.”
Beyond my empathy for her situation, for what her family was going through, I also found her to be humorous with just the right amount of snark. “Finally it was the last week of school. The South Orange County Mommy Mafia was out in full force, giving each day a theme and a party and a sense of panic that had me constantly feeling as if I were forgetting some important detail. They scuttled about campus in their Lululemon yoga pants, clutching their stainless-steel commuter mugs filled with organic coffee they’d picked up at Trader Joe’s over the weekend while they were loading up on supplies for the class ice-cream social, board-game mixer, pizza party, beach-blanket barbeque, popcorn-and-movie midday madness, and bubble blowing farewell ceremony. I watched them all from the comfort of my dirty car, wearing my work pants that give me a severe muffin top and drinking yesterday’s coffee, which I had managed to burn when I’d reheated it in the microwave.”
This book made me really reconsider how open I am to people who don’t fit into the neatly constructed boxes I have in my mind. It was good for me to read this book, and I hope more than anything that Lori’s words and C.J.’s spirit stay with me forever.
“C.J. has taught me that what we want most from people is empathy. We know that most people do not fully understand the distinctions among gender, sex, and sexuality; we just ask that they have open hearts and open minds and imagine for a minute what our children and we have to deal with on a daily basis.”
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LibraryThing member herzogm
Raising My Rainbow is a groundbreaking book and should be read by everyone, especially parents and teachers. I particularly found the stories of schoolyard bullying to be upsetting. No parent should have to live in fear that their child will commit suicide some day because of what people say to or
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about them. Lori Duron raises vital questions about the way our current society pushes children into gender stereotypes so fiercely. It is life affirming to see how she and her whole family have grown in their understanding of their delightful son, who just happens to be gender non-conforming. Show Less
LibraryThing member JanesList
I was quite excited to get this book as an Early Reviewer for LibraryThing, and it lived up to my hopes. Written by the blogger of RaisingMyRainbow.com, this is the story of a typical American family that finds itself with a gender-nonconforming child. [I am going to use male pronouns for this
The child in question, C.J., their youngest, had not been interested in any of the toys the parents bought him, until he discovered Barbie and the pink aisle of the toy store. Is he gay? Is he transgender? Is he going to suddenly like the color blue? Is he going to grow up to be a new age sensitive man? No one knows, and the question is how to help C.J. grow up happy, well adjusted, and true to himself.
This book tells the story of the parents as they try to figure out how to support their child in being who he is, while dealing with their own internal concerns about a boy who wears pink and loves princesses, and how to deal with the outside world. The author is honest about decisions they made that in retrospect were bad ideas, and about the joys of finding support, sometimes from unexpected people. The book is sometimes a bit uneven, but it has a goodly amount of information and tells the story well, a story that needs to be more available to more people, and is especially valuable for other parents in similar situations.
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review because that is what the author has done.]The child in question, C.J., their youngest, had not been interested in any of the toys the parents bought him, until he discovered Barbie and the pink aisle of the toy store. Is he gay? Is he transgender? Is he going to suddenly like the color blue? Is he going to grow up to be a new age sensitive man? No one knows, and the question is how to help C.J. grow up happy, well adjusted, and true to himself.
This book tells the story of the parents as they try to figure out how to support their child in being who he is, while dealing with their own internal concerns about a boy who wears pink and loves princesses, and how to deal with the outside world. The author is honest about decisions they made that in retrospect were bad ideas, and about the joys of finding support, sometimes from unexpected people. The book is sometimes a bit uneven, but it has a goodly amount of information and tells the story well, a story that needs to be more available to more people, and is especially valuable for other parents in similar situations.
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LibraryThing member PhDinHorribleness
This is an amazing story of one family's struggles in raising a gender nonconforming son. From the moment CJ discovered his first Barbie, at the age of two and a half, everything in their lives changed. They entered the unfamiliar territory of raising a boy who likes girl things in a culture that
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doesn't always understand that. They have dealt with being teased, misunderstood, and even bullied. A particularly heartbreaking section of the book details the bullying that CJ's older brother was subject to. Throughout it all, Lori and her husband have done their best to learn the best way to parent their unique child. This a must read for anyone who is or wants to be a parent or a teacher. You never know when you might come across a child who doesn't fit into society's mold. Show Less
LibraryThing member dmcco01
A beautiful and inspiring book. Wonderful for anyone interested in issues of gender, sexuality and child development. My only gripe at all was her certainty that her son will be gay because of his gender presentation. Those two are not automatically tied together. And there's really no rush to
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declare him gay or straight at five years old anyway, is there? But really, a fantastic and heartwarming read! Show Less
LibraryThing member Micheller7
"We just want to know that we are not alone, find some comfort and camaraderie, and have someone tell us that we aren't failing." So states Lori Duron, the author of Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son. The book chronicles Lori's son C.J. from the time he is
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two and a half until the beginning of Kindergarten. C.J. likes girls' toys and wearing girls' clothing. Whenever children, or anyone for that matter, does not follow society's norms it is difficult for the person and those around him or her who love them. So this is an important book for anyone interested in this subject or who has a child like C.J. It does indeed provide support and encouragement and sound advice, where little else has been available. It is also an interesting book for all others, which will make you laugh, make you angry and make you want to know more about the life and times of C.J. There is also a part of the book that describes the bullying perpetrated upon the author's older son Chase because of his brother, and here as well there are important messages about what is an increasingly serious problem in school today. Show Less
LibraryThing member _debbie_
A book based on a blog isn’t typically my favorite format, but this author has a great tone and voice, and I think I would really like her as a person. Some people can just write like that – you get a sense of who they are, how they struggle, and how at the end of the day they just are doing
So couple that with the fact that I am for some reason drawn to stories of intersexed, transgendered, and “gender creative” individuals, and I guess I was bound to love this book.
Honestly, I stink at reviews, so all I can really do is tell you how I felt as I read it. I was encouraged that there are people out there letting their kids be who they are born to be. In this case, it seems like that’s a boy born to be a girl. But really the story is bigger than that. Lots of kids live in families that want them to be something other than what they are, and above all else, this is a story of how a parent slowly accepts and supports her children regardless of what she wants, her family wants, or others think about their decisions. It’s encouraging and hopeful and I wish the whole world would adopt this mindset.
I also felt a new appreciation for the struggles parents have trying to do the best job they can for their kids. There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all guidebook for parenting, and the author is honest about her struggles and mistakes. It’s refreshing and I would imagine takes the pressure off parents reading the book.
Will this book give you information you didn’t know before? Absolutely. Is it just about a gender creative boy as he cries for dolls and pink pajamas? No. It’s much more than that. It’s a lesson for all of us on appreciating others and even appreciating ourselves for the unique differences we bring to the world.
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the best they can to be a good person.So couple that with the fact that I am for some reason drawn to stories of intersexed, transgendered, and “gender creative” individuals, and I guess I was bound to love this book.
Honestly, I stink at reviews, so all I can really do is tell you how I felt as I read it. I was encouraged that there are people out there letting their kids be who they are born to be. In this case, it seems like that’s a boy born to be a girl. But really the story is bigger than that. Lots of kids live in families that want them to be something other than what they are, and above all else, this is a story of how a parent slowly accepts and supports her children regardless of what she wants, her family wants, or others think about their decisions. It’s encouraging and hopeful and I wish the whole world would adopt this mindset.
I also felt a new appreciation for the struggles parents have trying to do the best job they can for their kids. There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all guidebook for parenting, and the author is honest about her struggles and mistakes. It’s refreshing and I would imagine takes the pressure off parents reading the book.
Will this book give you information you didn’t know before? Absolutely. Is it just about a gender creative boy as he cries for dolls and pink pajamas? No. It’s much more than that. It’s a lesson for all of us on appreciating others and even appreciating ourselves for the unique differences we bring to the world.
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LibraryThing member silentq
I started this book in the evening, thinking I'd just read for a while then go to bed. Luckily for me it's pretty short, so when I turned the last page I was able to go to sleep at 1:30am. :-) At first it seemed a bit meandering and structureless, but as the milestones in C.J.'s life passed and I
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got more and more sucked in, I found that it flowed well. It's based on a blog and covers the first time C.J. sees a Barbie doll and begins a love affair with the colour pink and all things girly. Duron grew up with a gay brother and tries really hard to support her gender non conforming son, learning a lot about gender and sexuality. Her other son ends up getting bullied fairly badly and she has to go to bat for him against a dismissive school. C.J. is cheerily oblivous from ages 3 to 5, I think I'll check out the blog to see how the family weathers his transistion to kindergarden. Show Less
LibraryThing member simchaboston
Witty, warm and honest through and through. Duron is amazingly open about the struggles her family encounters as they come to terms and then fully embrace having a son who is, in her words, "gender creative". This is based on a blog, but it thankfully doesn't just reproduce posts but tells a much
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smoother narrative (even though there is a little bit of repetition). Highly recommended for anyone raising a child who's gay, lesbian, transgender or gender creative -- and for anyone who, like me, was that child. Show Less
LibraryThing member KCleavely
I received an Advance Reader Copy of Raising My Rainbow by Lori Duron. It arrived via UPS this morning. 8 hours later, I have finished the book.
What an amazing story. And Ms. Duron is truly a gifted writer - I definitely had moments of 'laughter through tears' while reading this book. Regardless of
I was left at the end feeling that I would want to know how life turns out for CJ. I hope that his Mom and family will continue to advocate for him and allow the rest of us a few more glimpses of what life holds in store for him.
What an amazing story. And Ms. Duron is truly a gifted writer - I definitely had moments of 'laughter through tears' while reading this book. Regardless of
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what reason your child may have for being 'different', this book is highly relatable. The underlying message, the current that runs through the entire book, is to support your child and love them, no matter what. Let them show you where they need to go, and follow them, watching their back.I was left at the end feeling that I would want to know how life turns out for CJ. I hope that his Mom and family will continue to advocate for him and allow the rest of us a few more glimpses of what life holds in store for him.
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LibraryThing member ValerieOzgenc
I read another great memoir this week. Hooray for memoirists! Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son by Lori Duron is sweet, and nurturing, and real. It's honest, and ... well ... I'd want to be her friend if I knew her in real life.
When her son, at age three,
It was life-affirming to read about her advocacy, the friends they surrounded their little family with, and the joy that beamed out from little C.J.'s face when he was dancing in an all girls ballet/tap class with a sparkly tutu on.
It's a story about love, first and foremost. It's a story about the minutia of decisions parents need to make when the challenges arise, as they always do. It's a story about acceptance, and providing the best for your child.
I recommend this book to all.
Five stars.
When her son, at age three,
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found a Barbie, Lori and Matt Duron's life changed forever. As well as their two sons'. What follows are years of self-doubt, unconditional love, and the angst of whether or not he can bring his "girl" toys with him when he leaves the house.It was life-affirming to read about her advocacy, the friends they surrounded their little family with, and the joy that beamed out from little C.J.'s face when he was dancing in an all girls ballet/tap class with a sparkly tutu on.
It's a story about love, first and foremost. It's a story about the minutia of decisions parents need to make when the challenges arise, as they always do. It's a story about acceptance, and providing the best for your child.
I recommend this book to all.
Five stars.
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LibraryThing member lpmejia
A beautiful book that should be required reading for everyone entering the teaching profession. Above all else, children should grow up feeling safe, protected, and comfortable in their own skin. Bravo to Lori Duhon and her family, who not only provided that acceptance for their son, but also wrote
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this amazing book chronicling their journey. Duhon reminds us that children should be allowed to develop their own, unique selves in an environment that is loving and respectful. Highly recommended for anyone. A wonderful story. Show Less
LibraryThing member Debra_Armbruster
I was very excited when I received this book for review. As an educator who has worked with LGBTQ, transgender and gender non-conforming adolescents, I was looking for insight into the family perspective.
CJ sounds like a wonderful kid. True, he comes with issues which present parenting challenges,
The pieces of this book that I truly did appreciate are Ms. Duron's effort to reach out to those working with her sons (sharing the learning experience with teachers and coaches is a phenomenal way to bring everyone together) and the portion that dealt with bullying, how the Duron's handled it, and how Chase's school experience was bettered. Chase is an amazing kid (Lori, I wholeheartedly agree with you that he is an outstanding big brother!) and shows an astounding level of poise and compassion. Kids with differences (or unique siblings) are often targeted, and the combating of bullying is finally getting the attention that it warrants.
CJ sounds like a wonderful kid. True, he comes with issues which present parenting challenges,
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but basically, he was not what Ms. Duron had expected. What disturbed me was her tendency to catastrophize or to mentally jump into CJ's future. Lest I be labeled a "hater", let me explain: Uncertainty is scary. Folks who behave opposite of what we anticipate can be scary. But it made my head spin reading through Ms. Duron's near constant fear-spirals. Enjoy your son as he is today, and live in that moment rather than ponder who he will fall in love with someday or who he will identify as. Enjoy today. The pieces of this book that I truly did appreciate are Ms. Duron's effort to reach out to those working with her sons (sharing the learning experience with teachers and coaches is a phenomenal way to bring everyone together) and the portion that dealt with bullying, how the Duron's handled it, and how Chase's school experience was bettered. Chase is an amazing kid (Lori, I wholeheartedly agree with you that he is an outstanding big brother!) and shows an astounding level of poise and compassion. Kids with differences (or unique siblings) are often targeted, and the combating of bullying is finally getting the attention that it warrants.
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LibraryThing member rainbowdarling
This book offers an interesting perspective on raising a child who may not adhere to gender stereotypes. She does seem to get a little bit hysterical about the reactions of others, but I found it interesting to read nevertheless. It provides some food for thought if I should end up with a child who
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isn't interested in gender conformity at a young age. Show Less
LibraryThing member mcelhra
Lori Doron is the blogger behind raisingmyrainbow.com. It’s a blog about parenting her son C.J. and that’s what this book is about too. C.J. is considered gender nonconforming because he prefers to play with toys typically for girls and wear feminine clothing. Not surprisingly, most of his
I was impressed with how Lori’s incredible honesty. She’s not afraid to admit the mistakes she’s made along the way and not afraid to confess how difficult it can be raising C.J. She cops to the fear and insecurity she sometimes feels. At the same time, she describes the joy it is to parent C.J. He sounds like a really neat kid.
She also discusses C.J.’s older brother Chase and how C.J. being gender nonconforming affects his life. Chase’s life at school is definitely different and harder than it would be if C.J. was gender conforming but Lori and her husband are helping him through it wonderfully.
This book was informative and fun to read. Lori seems like a friendly and funny person and her story is one that everyone should read.
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friends are girls.I was impressed with how Lori’s incredible honesty. She’s not afraid to admit the mistakes she’s made along the way and not afraid to confess how difficult it can be raising C.J. She cops to the fear and insecurity she sometimes feels. At the same time, she describes the joy it is to parent C.J. He sounds like a really neat kid.
She also discusses C.J.’s older brother Chase and how C.J. being gender nonconforming affects his life. Chase’s life at school is definitely different and harder than it would be if C.J. was gender conforming but Lori and her husband are helping him through it wonderfully.
This book was informative and fun to read. Lori seems like a friendly and funny person and her story is one that everyone should read.
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LibraryThing member DabOfDarkness
Lori Duron and her family have a gender-nonconforming son, C.J. and this book is their story. If you have followed Duron’s blog, then this book is a good accompaniment. In simple terms, C.J. likes to play with girl toys and wear girl clothes and the family catches flack for that.
I enjoyed this
Duron also delves into the what few scientific studies have been done in this area. There wasn’t much to draw on and I think better science and understanding will come about as the stigma towards homosexuality is lifted in our society. I especially like that she explains the spectrum of sexuality. However, I do have one quibble and it is about relying too heavily on the few scientific studies. She cites one study that says that a young boy that prefers girl clothes and girl toys will most likely grow up to be gay. But what about girls who prefer to wear jeans and play with block and robots and fire trucks? Does that mean they will grow up to be lesbian? That wasn’t really addresses and my point is that our society has been way more supportive of females wearing pants (male clothes) and playing with boy toys for decades than the opposite. So, I think we need time and a larger number of kids being allowed to dress as they like and play with the toys they like before we can say such a definitive thing. I didn’t like that the author didn’t question this theory as I think it is an interesting question to explore.
The book doesn’t shy away from addressing peoples’ ideas of normal and outright biases. Even family members had to do some internal questioning and decide if they were going to be supportive or not. I really liked that the author did not gloss over what people said and did, both good and bad. This book is an excellent resource for folks who have a gender-nonconforming kid in the family and can be an eye opener for folks in general.
The Narration: Lori Duron did a good job of narrating. After all, this is her life and family and I am glad the publisher went with her voice. The emotions come through clearly without being overbearing.
I enjoyed this
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book for Duron’s blunt, and often humorous, telling of how life is when you love and support a gender-nonconforming child. I enjoy her blog a little bit more but that simply is because it is an ongoing work and there is more detail. She shares the good and the bad, showing how family, friends, neighbors, and strangers react to not only her son C.J. but also to the entire family.Duron also delves into the what few scientific studies have been done in this area. There wasn’t much to draw on and I think better science and understanding will come about as the stigma towards homosexuality is lifted in our society. I especially like that she explains the spectrum of sexuality. However, I do have one quibble and it is about relying too heavily on the few scientific studies. She cites one study that says that a young boy that prefers girl clothes and girl toys will most likely grow up to be gay. But what about girls who prefer to wear jeans and play with block and robots and fire trucks? Does that mean they will grow up to be lesbian? That wasn’t really addresses and my point is that our society has been way more supportive of females wearing pants (male clothes) and playing with boy toys for decades than the opposite. So, I think we need time and a larger number of kids being allowed to dress as they like and play with the toys they like before we can say such a definitive thing. I didn’t like that the author didn’t question this theory as I think it is an interesting question to explore.
The book doesn’t shy away from addressing peoples’ ideas of normal and outright biases. Even family members had to do some internal questioning and decide if they were going to be supportive or not. I really liked that the author did not gloss over what people said and did, both good and bad. This book is an excellent resource for folks who have a gender-nonconforming kid in the family and can be an eye opener for folks in general.
The Narration: Lori Duron did a good job of narrating. After all, this is her life and family and I am glad the publisher went with her voice. The emotions come through clearly without being overbearing.
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LibraryThing member twp77
This was a very enjoyable read. It is not only about the challenges of raising a gender nonconforming son but also parenthood itself. Duron's honesty, introspection and humor shine through brilliantly in the narrative.
I read the book straight through in one sitting and was unable to put it down. It
Disclaimer - I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from the publisher through Goodreads First Reads.
I read the book straight through in one sitting and was unable to put it down. It
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is a very useful contribution to the discussion of gender in society which, for a change, does not come from an academic background. This accessibility opens the discussion in a way that can contribute a great deal to the understanding of gender among broader sections of parents and the population as a whole.Disclaimer - I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from the publisher through Goodreads First Reads.
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LibraryThing member ChrisWeir
I received this as an advanced copy for review. Was an interesting read. I wanted to read it as I am an adult gay man and the proud Uncle of two three year old boys, the same age as CJ the gender non-conforming boy in the book.
I did really enjoy the book. I wished for more anecdotal stories in it.
Is a good read for parents who are raising young children. Whether they be gender conforming or non. Gender non-conforming by the way is a young person who prefers toys or the opposite gender a boy who likes dolls or a girl who prefers trucks. Was interesting for me as my brother in law did not like when my sister bought a play kitchen for her boys. While my nephews are into their dinosaurs and trucks as well as their kitchen, the boy in this book likes exclusively up to this point girl toys (dolls) and things that are pink and purple.
I did really enjoy the book. I wished for more anecdotal stories in it.
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where she's telling stories about her life with CJ and her other boys boy, Chase. But all in all did enjoy the book. She tells us how she is overcoming obstacles in her everyday life with both of her children and her husband. How she started her blog online as she could find no information on gender non-conforming anywhere on the net. Is a good read for parents who are raising young children. Whether they be gender conforming or non. Gender non-conforming by the way is a young person who prefers toys or the opposite gender a boy who likes dolls or a girl who prefers trucks. Was interesting for me as my brother in law did not like when my sister bought a play kitchen for her boys. While my nephews are into their dinosaurs and trucks as well as their kitchen, the boy in this book likes exclusively up to this point girl toys (dolls) and things that are pink and purple.
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LibraryThing member bookwormteri
What do you do when your three year old prefers barbies and tiaras to trucks and football? This family struggles to find out, but figures it out. Beautifully written and handled.
Awards
Publishing Triangle Awards (Finalist — Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction — 2014)
Stonewall Book Award (Winner — 2014)
Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year (Lifestyle — 2013)
ALA Over the Rainbow Book List (Selection — 2014)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
288 p.; 5.19 inches
ISBN
9780770437725