Coming Of Age
In his compilation of essays titled Out Proud, Douglas Gosse synthesizes the stories of many LGBT people into a single literary encapsulation of courage and personal growth. Although dogmatic detractors may hold the belief that the people in these essays are abnormal, the authors discredit such outdated ideology by telling vulnerable tales of ‘coming of age’ and self acceptance. Whilst the overall notion of these essays revolves around pride in oneself, there are several literary tools employed that add depth and meaning to the anthology. The first tool presented in Out Proud is the utilization of emotional language that enables the reader to connect to the stories on a personal level. Another tool is the specific highlighting of motivational conclusions that leave the reader wanting to be proactive. The final tool is broad idea of “lessons.” Through each essay in this compendium of development, the respective author expounds a different lesson that teaches the reader something about life, society, and growth.
While reading this novel, I couldn’t help but feel as if I knew its many authors personally. The way they spoke and the revealing honestly they detailed draws the readers in and allows for a connection between one's own experiences and those of the author. In Courage, My Love by Nicole Doucette, she states, “Life for a queer individual can be hard and unfair. Of course we’ve all heard that you’ll be stronger when you make it through, but not everybody does...Every person is capable of courage because we are all born with the ability to love.” Doucette reveals the hard hitting truth about the unfortunate endings of many LGBT people, she speaks about her own experiences with love and loss, then leaves the reader with a thoughtfully optimistic conclusion. This passage helped me to look through the eyes of the author and exercise my empathetic capability. Overall, Doucette delivered a thought provoking piece that helped me to recognize the many privileges I have whilst contrasting them to the struggles of those similarly in the LGBT community.
There is a specific feeling that accompanies closing a book and suddenly feeling as though every aspect of your life is different. It seems as though reading stories of other people's struggles, perseverance, and accomplishments is motivating. One story that struck me as inspirational is titled On Becoming Alex by Alex P. Whey. “A little over 35 years ago, my wonderful mother gave birth to a beautiful bouncing baby boy. She named her Angela. That beautiful bouncing boy was only a boy on the inside. Outside he had the body of a girl, and he would spend over 35 years coming to terms and struggling with mental turmoil and exhaustion of having a body that didn’t match his brain.” This story is about a boy named Alex coming to terms with his gender identity, and his childhood struggle to be happy despite crippling dysphoria. In his conclusion, he talks about his “female self” dying, and him moving forward as the man he was always meant to be. He speaks of the pride he has for being a transman, and how grateful he is that despite all his struggles, he learned and grew and prospered in his life. After reading this story, I felt strong and empowered. Reading about other people’s struggles and how they overcame them with success always makes me feel like I can take on the world no matter what, and this story provided just this kind of motivation.
The final tool that is utilized to help add to the importance of this novel is by presenting lessons that the reader can learn from. Throughout each essay, small lessons about standing up for one's beliefs, learning from one’s mistakes, and accepting one’s self punctuate the paragraphs. In Small A Activism by Jenna Mackay, Mackay states, “There is no single way to make a difference. Creating change takes many forms and takes place at multiple levels. Change can happen within our selves, families, friends, and communities.” In her essay, Mackay talks about how you can make your voice louder, how you can be heard. She speaks of starting LGBTQ resources, helping people in abusive situations, and helping people come to terms with their sexuality/ gender identity. The lesson this story taught was about doing your part and how everyone is capable of helping someone else, even in the smallest ways. This has motivated me personality to be more active in my own school’s GSA, and I will continue to be an active participant in defending and helping the LGBTQ community.
The summation of these essays can be described simply as “change.” We all change, whether for better or for worse. Out Proud has taught me that I can change for the better, it is my duty to change for the better, and I am capable of creating real change. I recommend this book both to members of the LGBTQ community, and (especially) cis heterosexuals, it’s message knows no label. Out Proud is a beautiful compilation of touching and motivating stories that has motivated me to grow, it has helped me to accept my identity, and it has helped me come of age.
In his compilation of essays titled Out Proud, Douglas Gosse synthesizes the stories of many LGBT people into a single literary encapsulation of courage and personal growth. Although dogmatic detractors may hold the belief that the people in these essays are abnormal, the authors discredit such outdated ideology by telling vulnerable tales of ‘coming of age’ and self acceptance. Whilst the overall notion of these essays revolves around pride in oneself, there are several literary tools employed that add depth and meaning to the anthology. The first tool presented in Out Proud is the utilization of emotional language that enables the reader to connect to the stories on a personal level. Another tool is the specific highlighting of motivational conclusions that leave the reader wanting to be proactive. The final tool is broad idea of “lessons.” Through each essay in this compendium of development, the respective author expounds a different lesson that teaches the reader something about life, society, and growth.
While reading this novel, I couldn’t help but feel as if I knew its many authors personally. The way they spoke and the revealing honestly they detailed draws the readers in and allows for a connection between one's own experiences and those of the author. In Courage, My Love by Nicole Doucette, she states, “Life for a queer individual can be hard and unfair. Of course we’ve all heard that you’ll be stronger when you make it through, but not everybody does...Every person is capable of courage because we are all born with the ability to love.” Doucette reveals the hard hitting truth about the unfortunate endings of many LGBT people, she speaks about her own experiences with love and loss, then leaves the reader with a thoughtfully optimistic conclusion. This passage helped me to look through the eyes of the author and exercise my empathetic capability. Overall, Doucette delivered a thought provoking piece that helped me to recognize the many privileges I have whilst contrasting them to the struggles of those similarly in the LGBT community.
There is a specific feeling that accompanies closing a book and suddenly feeling as though every aspect of your life is different. It seems as though reading stories of other people's struggles, perseverance, and accomplishments is motivating. One story that struck me as inspirational is titled On Becoming Alex by Alex P. Whey. “A little over 35 years ago, my wonderful mother gave birth to a beautiful bouncing baby boy. She named her Angela. That beautiful bouncing boy was only a boy on the inside. Outside he had the body of a girl, and he would spend over 35 years coming to terms and struggling with mental turmoil and exhaustion of having a body that didn’t match his brain.” This story is about a boy named Alex coming to terms with his gender identity, and his childhood struggle to be happy despite crippling dysphoria. In his conclusion, he talks about his “female self” dying, and him moving forward as the man he was always meant to be. He speaks of the pride he has for being a transman, and how grateful he is that despite all his struggles, he learned and grew and prospered in his life. After reading this story, I felt strong and empowered. Reading about other people’s struggles and how they overcame them with success always makes me feel like I can take on the world no matter what, and this story provided just this kind of motivation.
The final tool that is utilized to help add to the importance of this novel is by presenting lessons that the reader can learn from. Throughout each essay, small lessons about standing up for one's beliefs, learning from one’s mistakes, and accepting one’s self punctuate the paragraphs. In Small A Activism by Jenna Mackay, Mackay states, “There is no single way to make a difference. Creating change takes many forms and takes place at multiple levels. Change can happen within our selves, families, friends, and communities.” In her essay, Mackay talks about how you can make your voice louder, how you can be heard. She speaks of starting LGBTQ resources, helping people in abusive situations, and helping people come to terms with their sexuality/ gender identity. The lesson this story taught was about doing your part and how everyone is capable of helping someone else, even in the smallest ways. This has motivated me personality to be more active in my own school’s GSA, and I will continue to be an active participant in defending and helping the LGBTQ community.
The summation of these essays can be described simply as “change.” We all change, whether for better or for worse. Out Proud has taught me that I can change for the better, it is my duty to change for the better, and I am capable of creating real change. I recommend this book both to members of the LGBTQ community, and (especially) cis heterosexuals, it’s message knows no label. Out Proud is a beautiful compilation of touching and motivating stories that has motivated me to grow, it has helped me to accept my identity, and it has helped me come of age.