Taylor Swift's new song, "You Need To Calm Down" is hella awesome and a total anti-hate anthem- I love it! Also, her music video is perfectly dramatic and wonderful and GAY. So, here, watch it!
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Explicit; would rate R for sexual content. TW for homophobia. A graphic novel where, essentially, two stories are being told, simultaneously. Clementine comes to a house, in the first scene, to collect her ex-girlfriend’s old journals. Emma, the girl, recently passed (reason unknown) and wanted Clementine to read them. And read them she does. They cover the entire story of their relationship, and give insight into her thoughts at the time. The past told in narrative and the present that Clementine lives in, blend together in that way that time can do.
TW: abuse, child abuse, homophobia This book is tearing me apart. As soon as I “picked it up” (I read it as an ebook) I was hooked. I didn’t want to stop, but I kept having to because I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. It’s that intense. Somehow the wording feels simple, just readable, in a way, but the story is not. The weight of the book sat on my throat the entire time, barely letting me breathe. It’s amazing. Summary: (Here goes, this might suck, but I’m trying so hard to avoid spoilers.) Evan keeps his head down. He keeps his worlds separate. His family and house stay far away from school and his friends. 1. His family looks perfectly normal to the outside world. They are a quiet Greek family who go to church every Sunday. His mom hates him and isn’t quiet about it, only ever seeing him as a disappointment. His dad is always at work, and isn’t much help at home anyway. Dark secrets lie behind those doors. 2. School is okay, until things with his best friend change. That turns into something beautiful, but the hate they get is not. 3. He draws to keep himself sane. This is the best book I have read in a while. I picked it out randomly and was blown away. Angelo Surmelis writes from a place of truth in his own life, which makes it all the more devastating. He tells a painfully raw story that taught me a lot. Please read this if you can. I’m out of words. PS. You will cry. And 20 Other Myths and Misconceptions About Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming People DISCLAIMER: I haven't read the entire book yet, for it has been more of a skim, but am eager to start taking notes. My mom gave this to me to get an opinion of whether she should ask to get it for the school she works at or not. A mighty conservative school, mind you. I am saying yes, it is an important topic of conversation that shouldn’t be ignored because ignorance gets you nowhere. The book wasn’t presenting an opinion. I only saw facts backed up with solid references. It explored questions that shouldn’t be shameful to have, as long as you educate yourself. It doesn’t lecture you because only you can act on information given to you. As a trans* person, I felt the book was accurate and gave a warm view of the community. There are far too many articles and columns that are mad at you for being transphobic in ways you may not have realized you were. That anger gets us nowhere, while it is understandable, and the only thing is to read and read and move on. The prose was calm, howbeit, still giving a strong voice to the minority and exerting appropriate exigency. I felt that it has a range of information to offer from new eyes on the questions to people who see themselves well-versed. I will be delving in further and recommend you do as well. I am out of words to describe how intense this book was to me. So, this might get long. Jeff Garvin may have written out of my diary, if I kept one. I listened to the novel on audiobook, narrated by Tom Phelan and think he did a phenomenal job and fit the character completely. Riley is entering junior year at the local public school, partly a publicity stunt for their father's campaign as conservative congressman, and partly post-disaster. As in, hell at their old Catholic school, leading up to a suicide attempt and then hospitalization. So, yeah, there's a start. Riley is genderfluid, and gets harassed even without being out. They make two friends, but the real way they express them selves is through their anonymous blog. Where they reach thousands of people astonishingly fast because their words are so raw. I connected with this character on my levels. From mental health, a topic that is hard to find realistically and not in a damaging perspective, to gender identity and the conflicts that come with it. It is YA and, therefore, has it's share of drama that adults might find boring (maybe, I'm not sure), but I want to shout the messages and themes it shares from the rooftops. If you, yourself, or anyone you know is anywhere on the spectrum of genderfluidity, I highly recommend this book. Riley explains the nuances and struggles within it in an enjoyable way. This may be my new favorite book. Ever. I totally cried. And screamed. Multiple times. And laughed, and... do I have to go on? This should be your next read (or listen!) and make sure to drop the title to friends. Wow, that sounded really sponsored? It wasn't. Have a gay day! I would like to give out a few trigger warnings for mentions of suicide ideation, moments of panic attacks, and fairly graphic assault (don't worry there is a happy ending to it all). You may know the author from her first book, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Becky Albertalli Renamed when made in a recent movie dubbed: "Love, Simon." I've decided that I like her writing. She gives you characters with a wide range of personalities and relationships between them. Meet Molly, a girl who has had 26 crushes that never went anywhere, who has a twin sister that is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Cassie is no rookie to dating, but Mina throws her world. Molly's house is getting a bit thrown around, with same-sex marriage legalized, her moms are getting married. And growing up is wanting to push the twins apart. Busy much? It reminds you that young love is hard. And complicated. And messy. And really freaking beautiful. I was at a gay prom and there were too many references to this book. I just had to read it. So I did. And it was amazing. I could not put it down! It was so personal; uncensored and honest. You have to open your mind to read this- let go of judgements and enjoy the ride. Charlie writes letters to an anonymous person who only goes by the name "Dear friend." He learns from his two new friends: Sam and Patrick. He started smoking and got into drugs. He learned about sex. He learned all the wrong things in all the right ways. He got asked out by a girl named Mary Elizabeth and they went to a dance together. He didn't kiss her then, not later either. She talked a lot. It was alright, but Charlie got drunk and messed it all up. That seems to accurately describe most of his life. There isn't much of a plot. It is life. It shoves a character, someone you can relate to, flaws and all. They felt real and raw. My favorite was Charlie's older sister. She was a mess. She had an abusive boyfriend who she stayed with for too long. She was insecure and used to using a destructive offense as a way to protect herself. She was bitter and sad, and yet she put trust in her brother. She loved him so much. And that touched my heart. And in that moment, I swear we were infinite. This humorous, fast-paced, musical kept me on the edge of my seat. After reading it's companion novel: Will Grayson, Will Grayson*, it was the perfect dessert. Written like a script with songs that will get you laughing out loud! The director and main character is the only and only: Tiny Cooper. He is anything but small. Even his huge, football-player build can't contain his personality! He is big and gay and not afraid to show it- not that he could even if he wanted to! He uses this musical to explore all the past- failed- relationships. He shows off his parade of boyfriends #1 - 18. He writes side comments that put it all together. Levithan and Green take you on a journey of what love really means. Even his song titles hold your attention: The Ballad of the Lesbian Babysitter; OH! What a Big Gay Baby; The Size of the Package; Stating the Obvious. The character of Tiny is so strong, I want to reach into the pages and give him a big hug! This is a must-read break from all of those psychological thrillers! Even thought Tiny sees her as being effortless old, she's really just a sixteen-year-old girl dealing with everyone's shit, including her own. The time she spends with Tiny is her escape from the outside world, and she wants to teach him a few things about life before she inevitably leaves him for Oberlin. * Will Grayson, Will Grayson, was co-written by David Levithan and John Green and is the first book of these two. I recommend to read this first.
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