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Author Q&A
All Boys Aren't Blue is an intensely personal story. What inspired you to start writing this book?
Toni Morrison said "if there is a book you want to read and it hasn't been written yet, you must write it." I've always wished I had a book like this. One where I felt seen on the cover and in every word on the page. I knew there was a story like mine lacking in the world. For years I had been telling my story in bits and pieces throughout magazines in op-ed articles. I knew it was important that I started to put together a body of work that could affect the lives of young LGBTQ people, specifically Black kids who needed guidance and resources. In the telling of my story, I wanted to change the narrative of how people viewed Black families raising LGBTQ Black children. I felt I had a duty to push through my own traumas of my past in order to prevent future generations of LGBTQ kids from having that same experience. The young boy inside me was the inspiration for this book. He can now be free.
Was there any part of the writing process for All Boys Aren’t Blue that surprised you?
The most surprising part of the writing process was how many stories I remembered. Things that I had buried many years ago popped back up and I was like “oh this has to be in the book.” It was tough because I didn’t know how emotionally taxing it would be, but also very liberating at the same time. I had to constantly remind myself who this story was for, but I am better for getting through it.
If you could give one piece of advice to young LGBTQ people today, what would it be?
Be yourself unapologetically. Understand that the world has not been set up for people as strong in their truth and identity as LGBTQ people are. Trust what you feel to be right and not what others are telling you that you should be. Always make sure you are making decisions that keep you safe, because you BEING HERE is what is most important. But never let anyone break your spirit.
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Reviews with images
"...a moving portrait of one man's life..."
"American history is truly the greatest fable ever written."Representation matters. Hearing the voice of a person like you, seeing them live their life and truth, can truly inspire and encourage. For LGBTQ+ youth, this representation is paramount. When I was a young man coming to terms with my own sexuality, seeing other gay men represented in the media provided a beacon of hope that everything would be okay. Fortunately for me, I was growing up at a time where being a gay man was beginning to lose some of the stigmas that had plagued it before. But imagine for a moment that I'd never had this representation. For countless queer black men like author George M. Johnson, representation has been non-existent. In his book All Boys Aren't Blue, Johnson sets out to rectify that.For as long as he could remember, George felt different. He grew up surrounded by his large extended family. There was no shortage of cousins to play with and learn from. Still, George didn't quite see himself in any of his family members. It began at recess when each of the kids separated out into their prescribed groups. The boys all would play ball, but George had little interest. Instead, he would climb to the hill with a group of girls to jump rope. These were his friends, and this is what he liked to do. This was also the first time George began to question himself. The other boys couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to play with them. George was beginning to wonder too.All Boys Aren't Blue is a manifesto of sorts. George M. Johnson sets out to provide a history of his own story and guide others into accepting themselves. From his early days of recognizing himself as "other" to growing into a man much more confident in his sexuality, Johnson writes each anecdote with an honesty that serves to inspire and educate. His perspective from the intersection of both the queer and black communities helps to give a different insight into each of them. The book is geared toward a teenage audience, and I think it is really successful in answering some of the common questions about relationships, sex, and being a queer/black person. I could also see this being a helpful tool for parents who are trying to navigate their children's identities. All Boys Aren't Blue serves as a moving portrait of one man's life and a brilliant example of more diverse representation in books.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2020
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2021
"American history is truly the greatest fable ever written."
Representation matters. Hearing the voice of a person like you, seeing them live their life and truth, can truly inspire and encourage. For LGBTQ+ youth, this representation is paramount. When I was a young man coming to terms with my own sexuality, seeing other gay men represented in the media provided a beacon of hope that everything would be okay. Fortunately for me, I was growing up at a time where being a gay man was beginning to lose some of the stigmas that had plagued it before. But imagine for a moment that I'd never had this representation. For countless queer black men like author George M. Johnson, representation has been non-existent. In his book All Boys Aren't Blue, Johnson sets out to rectify that.
For as long as he could remember, George felt different. He grew up surrounded by his large extended family. There was no shortage of cousins to play with and learn from. Still, George didn't quite see himself in any of his family members. It began at recess when each of the kids separated out into their prescribed groups. The boys all would play ball, but George had little interest. Instead, he would climb to the hill with a group of girls to jump rope. These were his friends, and this is what he liked to do. This was also the first time George began to question himself. The other boys couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to play with them. George was beginning to wonder too.
All Boys Aren't Blue is a manifesto of sorts. George M. Johnson sets out to provide a history of his own story and guide others into accepting themselves. From his early days of recognizing himself as "other" to growing into a man much more confident in his sexuality, Johnson writes each anecdote with an honesty that serves to inspire and educate. His perspective from the intersection of both the queer and black communities helps to give a different insight into each of them. The book is geared toward a teenage audience, and I think it is really successful in answering some of the common questions about relationships, sex, and being a queer/black person. I could also see this being a helpful tool for parents who are trying to navigate their children's identities. All Boys Aren't Blue serves as a moving portrait of one man's life and a brilliant example of more diverse representation in books.
Representation matters. Hearing the voice of a person like you, seeing them live their life and truth, can truly inspire and encourage. For LGBTQ+ youth, this representation is paramount. When I was a young man coming to terms with my own sexuality, seeing other gay men represented in the media provided a beacon of hope that everything would be okay. Fortunately for me, I was growing up at a time where being a gay man was beginning to lose some of the stigmas that had plagued it before. But imagine for a moment that I'd never had this representation. For countless queer black men like author George M. Johnson, representation has been non-existent. In his book All Boys Aren't Blue, Johnson sets out to rectify that.
For as long as he could remember, George felt different. He grew up surrounded by his large extended family. There was no shortage of cousins to play with and learn from. Still, George didn't quite see himself in any of his family members. It began at recess when each of the kids separated out into their prescribed groups. The boys all would play ball, but George had little interest. Instead, he would climb to the hill with a group of girls to jump rope. These were his friends, and this is what he liked to do. This was also the first time George began to question himself. The other boys couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to play with them. George was beginning to wonder too.
All Boys Aren't Blue is a manifesto of sorts. George M. Johnson sets out to provide a history of his own story and guide others into accepting themselves. From his early days of recognizing himself as "other" to growing into a man much more confident in his sexuality, Johnson writes each anecdote with an honesty that serves to inspire and educate. His perspective from the intersection of both the queer and black communities helps to give a different insight into each of them. The book is geared toward a teenage audience, and I think it is really successful in answering some of the common questions about relationships, sex, and being a queer/black person. I could also see this being a helpful tool for parents who are trying to navigate their children's identities. All Boys Aren't Blue serves as a moving portrait of one man's life and a brilliant example of more diverse representation in books.
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Top reviews from other countries
J.th
Super !
Reviewed in France on September 21, 2020
J.th
Reviewed in France on September 21, 2020
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