This Book is Gay

Adolescence is often a difficult experience, even without being part of the LGBTQ+ community. Juno Dawson emphasizes that no matter who one is or their identity, self-acceptance is the most important part of growing up. Self-acceptance is the act of acknowledging one’s identity without fear, shame, or internalized stigma. This theme is present in every chapter of the book because the reader’s self-acceptance is Dawson’s goal. In Chapter 1, she directly addresses the reader in the second person with the assumption that the reader is an LGBTQ+ adolescent. She writes, “You’re not isolated; you’re part of something bigger now. Something great,” linking self-acceptance to a pride in one’s identity (6).

Dawson presents pride as a natural next step from self-acceptance. She wants to instill pride in her young readers because self-acceptance is an incredibly difficult task. At the end of Chapter 2, she writes, “This first step, our self-acceptance, is by far the hardest step of the journey,” making self-acceptance the foundation of LGBTQ+ identity (34). The “Name Game” of Chapter 2, in which the reader can find which identities fit them, relies on self-knowledge. As such, self-acceptance leads to cultivating one’s identity. This can lead to finding a community, which helps develop pride in oneself and one’s community.