If you want to find out more about the author, then check out her website: Juno Dawson These days, James is Juno, and identifies as female, after undergoing a gender transition from male to female. It is important to note that when this book was published (2014), the author identified as a gay cis male, and was called James Dawson. I was with my mum at the time, and although I’ve never told her directly that I’m bisexual I’ve realised it doesn’t matter, and where once I would have avoided going anywhere near this book with her around, I picked it up, carried it around the shop and then bought it.

Funnily enough, I only bought this book a few weeks ago, because I found it cheap. But you never know, before you even open it, just picking it up and making a subtle comment about it might springboard you just that bit closer to coming out. However, if you’re deep in the closest and with a parent when you find this book, it might be a little more difficult to show an interest in wanting it, or just wanting a look inside. If you’re a young adult, or even an adult adult, you’ll be drawn to this book, especially if you identify as LGBT*, or are curious about your sexuality or still figuring it all out.

I’m bisexual, but that’s beside the point. I was with a friend at the time, and commented on how much I wanted the book, and that the colourful, gay cover was ‘literally my life’. From a YA perspective, this cover alone could be a prompt, or even a way of coming out to a friend.Ī couple of years ago I saw this book in Waterstones and I picked it up. Of course, this book is much more than that, but the cover does the job of getting the attention of anyone who is interested in reading about sexuality. When you see this book, it immediately connotes gay pride, not least from the eye-catching rainbow cover design, than from the capitalised title which proclaims quite proudly: THIS BOOK IS GAY. Spike Gerrell’s hilarious illustrations combined with funny and factual text make this a must-have read. Including testimonials from people ‘across the spectrum’, this inclusive book explores everything anyone who ever dared to wonder wants to know – from sex to politics, how to pull, stereotypes, how to come-out and more. “This Book is Gay is a collection of facts, my ideas and my stories but also the testimonies of more than three hundred amazing LGBT* people who shared their stories.”įormer PSHCE teacher and acclaimed YA author James Dawson gives an uncensored look at what it’s like to grow up as LGBT.

This book is gay review