All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
OVERVIEW
In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.
Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren't Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson's emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults (Bookshop).
Publication Date: April 28, 2020
Audiobook? Yes
Languages? English
Age Range: 12+
Read Time: 5 hours, 20 minutes (at 250 WPM)
ISBN-13: 9780374312718
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
George M. Johnson is a writer and activist based in New York. They have written on race, gender, sex, and culture for Essence, the Advocate, BuzzFeed News, Teen Vogue, and more than forty other national publications. George has appeared on BuzzFeed's AM2DM as well as on MSNBC. All Boys Aren't Blue is their debut, and was an Amazon Best Book of the Year, an Indie Bestseller, a People Magazine Best Book of the Year, and optioned for television by Gabrielle Union. The New York Times called it an exuberant, unapologetic memoir infused with a deep but cleareyed love for its subjects. At the time of publication, George used he/him pronouns. Speak with them on Twitter: @IamGMJohnson. iamgmjohnson.com
Listen to an interview with George M. Johnson, led by Joel at fictionalfates (March 2021, fictionalfates)
Learn more about book bans and the silencing of Black queer voices in this Democracy Now! interview with George M. Johnson (February 2022, Democracy Now!)
IN THE NEWS
Human Rights Campaign Foundation Releases List of LGBTQ+ Affirming Books In the Wake of Discriminatory Book Bans Across the Country (HRC)
While some banned queer books see a sales bump, others quietly disappear (NBC News)
LGBTQ authors of banned books speak out on why their stories matter (LGBTQ Nation)
TAKE ACTION
PETITION: Prevent the ban of the books "Gender queer" and "All boys aren't blue" in the GVSD