“MAN, ARE YOU GAY?” I hope this book will become your go-to guide when stuff goes wrong, when stuff goes right, or when stuff leaves you confused. You can read it cover to cover or pick out certain sections, but most of all, have fun with it. Rip out pages, scribble on it, take pictures of bits, and, most importantly, share it. This book is designed for everyone and that includes friends, families, teachers, and even bullies. Even if you’re not a gay boy, I believe the stories within these pages will help you support, understand, and love your gay brother/friend/cousin/classmate in the way he needs it most. That’s why I’ve asked my parents to write a section specifically for your family to read. Their journey to understanding and supporting you is just as important as yours, so please hand this to them too. ADVICE TO THEIR YOUNGER SELVES STEPHEN’S ADVICE TO HIS YOUNGER SELF Stephen Fry is a writer, actor, comedian, presenter, and activist. He’s written novels, nonfiction books, screenplays, musicals, and comedy sketches. With Hugh Laurie, he’s half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie. And he’s the voice of the Harry Potter audio books! Stephen, it’s going to be fine. The world will change for the better. It will be achingly slow but the light will break through the clouds, I promise. Live an honest, open life and people won’t despise you for it, or if they do, they won’t be worth knowing: only insecure and unhappy people snigger and sneer. One day—you won’t believe this now—but one day you’ll even be able to marry another man, and it will seem the easiest and most natural thing in the world. The only story will be that there is no story. Just wait, the tide will turn. CLARK’S ADVICE TO HIS YOUNGER SELF Clark Moore has been acting since he was seven years old. His big break came when he won the part of Ethan in the movie Love, Simon. Relax! Take a deep breath. The things that feel very big right now won’t matter very soon. Your relationship with your identity will evolve faster if you stop associating your identity with your worth. Trust your instincts, don’t allow yourself to be made to believe things that you know to be untrue, and don’t take anything personally. RANJ’S ADVICE TO HIS YOUNGER SELF Dr. Ranj Singh is a doctor specializing in children’s health, as well as a writer and presenter. Alongside his work as an NHS doctor, he presented the CBeebies show Get Well Soon, appears as the resident doctor on This Morning and writes columns for Attitude magazine and Netdoctor. No one is expecting you to be perfect. Just be the best version of yourself. These are the words I’ve learned to tell myself time and time again. Sometimes it can feel like everyone around you is expecting you to be a certain way because they think that’s what will make you happy. They don’t mean any harm—they just want what’s best for you. It’s important to hear them, but at the end of the day, you know and create your own happiness. Let yourself be the amazing person you are inside. Let your voice be heard. Reach for your star, grab it, and show the world what you can do. Be yourself and be the very best you can be. Because in my eyes, you are perfect. BULLIES & HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM “Things will get easier, people’s minds will change, and you should be alive to see it.” —Ellen DeGeneres Bullies come in all shapes and sizes, with varying levels of aggression and different motivations for being awful to you or others. The one thing that’s true for almost all bullies is that they have some underlying insecurity that they’re desperately trying to hide, deflect attention from, or ignore. Understanding that not all bullies are inherently bad people is difficult. I mean, why would you smile at someone screaming “faggot” in your face? Why would you speak positively about a person who hit you for wearing a pink T-shirt? But if you take time to see the human emotions behind a bully’s actions, you’ll allow yourself to disconnect from the awful words and actions coming your way. Bullying feels personal, it feels malicious, it feels humiliating, but it’s not about you, and it’s not your fault. It’s about the bully. TALK TO YOUR BULLY Tell them how they are making you feel, ask them why they are doing it, and that you’d like them to stop. Remember, your bully is probably going through some difficult stuff in their life, too. If your bully is likely to be violent, then avoid being alone with them. ASK FOR HELP The people who care about you most will want to protect you, but they can’t do anything unless they know something is wrong. Find a teacher, family member, or friend who you trust and tell them how the bullying is affecting you and that you need some help. Why do people bully others? Internalized homophobia (they’re scared of queer people because they’re scared they might be queer) As an outlet for trauma or anger in another part of their life Family problems Issues with anger management Sheep behavior (they’re bullying because everyone else is doing it) They think it’s funny and that you’re in on the joke (they don’t realize they’re bullying you) They are scared of people who are different from them. They’re bored How to be a good ally Become aware of the daily microaggressions faced by the LGBT+ community—people saying things like “That’s so gay!” or laughing at gay love scenes in movies for instance—and call it out when you see it happeningSpeak to your LGBT+ friends, family members, and work colleagues about what bothers them most and what you could do to make things easier for themGet involved in protests for equal rightsAttend pride marches with LGBT+ friends and socialize with them outside Pride seasonTry to educate older members of your family about the LGBT+ community and why it’s important to support themDo the same with the young people you know, including your children. They are the next generation of allies and LGBT+ people. Teaching them to accept and love all people, no matter who they are or who they love, is an invaluable a life lesson.• Support LGBT+ charities and organizations by volunteering, campaigning, or fundraising.
✔ Author(s): Riyadh Khalaf,Melissa McFeeters
✔ Title: Yay! You're Gay! Now What?: A Gay Boy's Guide to Life
✔ Rating : 4.6 out of 5 base on (284 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 1786033658
✔ ISBN-13: 9781786033659
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about Yay! You're Gay! Now What? by Riyadh Khalaf
Katherine Stevenson
The author's ability to evoke a wide range of emotions through their words is truly remarkable. I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the entire book.
Daphne Garner
I'm already planning to reread this book. It's one of those stories that you can revisit again and again, discovering new layers of meaning each time.
Aileen Menzie
The plot was so well-paced that I lost track of time while reading. I was completely immersed in the story, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the next twist.
