By James Dawson. $15.99; Sourcebooks Fire; 272 pages
I came out many, many, many moons ago—in fact, so many moons ago that the moon was physically smaller than it is today. Sure, we had sex ed in school. It was the most awkward sex ed that anyone has ever taken. I went to Catholic school, and being taught about vaginas and penises while Sister Mary Francis was sitting in the room with you was just beyond humiliating. I can assure you of this: We did not talk about gay people or gay sex. We did, oddly, talk about condoms and birth control … in a Catholic school. I digress. James Dawson saw a void for young LGBT folks whose sexual education was much like mine; heterocentered.
This Book Is Gay originally came out in the United Kingdom in September in 2014 to much positive press. Dawson is what we would call a "health teacher" here in the States. He has no fancy letters after his name. He is not a doctor. He is not a psychologist. Since I'm an American, this makes me immediately skeptical and question, "Well, then how the heck can he write a book on being LGBT and the mechanics of LGBT sex if he never studied it?"
Well, Dawson is a self-proclaimed "sexpert." I would ask how one gets this title but I think we all can figure that one out. However, having read this book, I do believe that Dawson covers the basics rather eloquently and without too much inelegance. My only criticism is his humor. The book was touted in Britain as "funny." I will say that the book is not meant for adults, so perhaps this would be funny to a 13- or 14-year-old gay kid.
My biggest issue with the book has nothing to do with Dawson's style or humor. Frankly, for his audience, those are probably just fine. The biggest failure is the translation of the book from British to American. That sounds funny.
Here is what I mean by that: When you give statistics and numbers of individuals, or slang terms used to describe sex acts or people and those numbers and names differ in Britain and the United States, it would behoove the publisher the week's worth of research to make sure that the facts and slang is updated for a U.S. audience. It actually made it hard to read the book. While it's great that "Rory from Brighton, UK" is now comfortable with his gender identity, what about Matt from Pennsylvania?
I also think another problem with the lingo is the way that people from the two countries express sexuality. In this country, people say "sexual orientation" while our friends on the other side of the pond use "sexual preference." I believe that this term can invite attacks on LGBT individuals, particularly from Republican presidential hopefuls. If you say that it is a "sexual preference," you are implying that the guy prefers sex with other men, just like I prefer chocolate ice cream over butter pecan. If it's that easy to choose, then why not be heterosexual?
This Book Is Gay does succeed where other books of its kind fail miserably. This little book succinctly and clearly discusses gender identity and what it means to be transgender in a way that even I learned something new. Dawson's sensitivity of the emerging struggle from transgender equality and even the basic understanding of what this all means should be applauded. There is still so much transphobia, even in the gay community. Dawson takes a great deal of time explaining in very clear English what it means to be transgender and even what gender identity is. This is so very important in today's world, where violence against transgender youth is increasing and suicide rates of transgender folk are alarmingly high. Dawson seeks to shed some light on the recesses of ignorance, and does it well.
Some have criticized the book as being focused too heavily on gay men and gay male issues. I believe that it is a fair criticism but I also believe there is a fair explanation for it: Dawson is not an expert in the field of biology, reproductive health or genetics. He is not a medical doctor or a psychologist. He is a health teacher who has taken a keen interest in writing a book that fills a peculiar niche that no one else has. If he falls short on writing extensively on lesbian sex or what makes a bisexual tick, I do not think that fault can lie entirely with him. Dawson is a gay man whose life experiences are not transgender or bisexual or lesbian. They are gay. He does an excellent job of translating his own experiences with his sexuality and coming-out process into what it might be like for those who are not gay men.
I admit, This Book Is Gay is not for adults. The book is very clearly written for young adults and tweens who are curious or coming out themselves. But the book is very well-written for that audience. Aside from my criticisms regarding the lingo and the absence of distinctly American statistics and experiences, I believe Dawson's book still represents a superb resource for both educators and youth alike who need basic information on LGBT life.
