Dear readers, meet my slump-busting book! This memoir was so compelling and beautifully written that it snatched my heart from page one! Plus, who can resist a book with a foreword by Neil Patrick Harris?! Read on for my thoughts as well as a fabulous giveaway!
Laura‘s Review
This is a really important book, you guys. I know, I know, when someone says a book is “important” that doesn’t usually make you want to rush out and read it. It might conjure up memories of assigned reading from high school or falling asleep trying to read a moldy classic. But this book is a different kind of important—its message is relevant for everyone right freaking now. It also happens to be extremely well written and engaging.
Raising My Rainbow is the story of Lori Duron and her family. From the age of 2, C.J., her youngest son, shows a strong preference for “girl” things. He wants to play with Barbies and wear skirts and he is obsessed with Disney princesses. At first, Lori and her husband Matt aren’t quite sure what to make of this. Should they encourage C.J.’s behavior and let him play with and wear the things that make him happy? Should they ban “girl” toys and force him to play with “boy” toys, hoping that this is just a phase?
The best part of this book for me was how honest Ms. Duron is. She takes us through the evolution of her feelings about C.J. and his gender creativity. During the process, she admits to not always feeling positive about C.J.’s preferences. (Note that I said C.J.’s PREFERENCES, not C.J. It is abundantly clear that she is 100% positive about C.J.) I think it is brave for her to admit that they initially didn’t know what to do. Early on, they attempted to dissuade him from his feminine tendencies by buying him only gender-neutral toys. Then they allowed him to have the toys and clothes he wanted, but only at home. Finally, with the help of a fantastic support system, they decided to let C.J. be C.J. That meant having a birthday party where his friends were told it was OK to get him “girl” toys. That meant letting him wear his Little Mermaid pajamas to school on pajama day and trick-or-treat as Frankie Stein from Monster High.
I have to commend Lori Duron for all that she has done in writing her blog and this book. She started her blog because she couldn’t find any information on the Internet about what to do when C.J. started asking for “girl” toys. She didn’t find any resources—so she became the resource. That’s an incredibly brave thing to do. Yes, she has exposed her family to some publicity and possibly ridicule, but there’s a reason Parents magazine named her a finalist in their category “Most Likely to Inspire You to Change the World.”
Duron frankly discusses issues of sex, gender, and sexuality (all three are different things, by the way). She comes to terms with the fact that C.J. being C.J. may be hardest on her and Matt (people have left extremely mean comments on her blog) and Chase, C.J.’s older brother, who often gets bullied because of C.J.
One of the most interesting parts of the book is when Duron contrasts the reactions of adults and kids to C.J. Adults often make snide comments or laugh behind their hands. Kids often say things like, “Hey, that boy is playing with girl toys!” If the adult they are with says something like, “There aren’t girl toys and boy toys, toys are for everyone,” the kid will usually blink, think about it for about four seconds, and then continue playing. What does this mean? Kids recognize differences, yes, but they have to be TAUGHT that different equals “bad.”
As she says repeatedly during the book, this isn’t about teaching kids about gender or sex. It’s about unconditional love, kindness, and empathy. Maybe you don’t agree with Duron’s views about how she is raising her son. But I hope you can agree that all human beings deserve to be treated with respect and kindness—that is the most important lesson to be teaching our kids.
Bottom LineThis book should be required reading for all parents. Wait, scratch that. This book should be required reading for anyone who interacts with other human beings on a regular basis. This book taught me a lot and I loved Duron’s warm voice and sometimes self-deprecating humor. You should read it.
Rating: A-
Wine/Beverage Pairing: In honor of C.J., whose favorite color is pink, I’m going to have to go with everyone’s favorite pink cocktail, the Cosmopolitan!
Buy Digital: Kindle | Nook Buy Print: Amazon | B&N
Raising My Rainbow Giveaway
Broadway Books is generously giving away a signed copy of Raising My Rainbow to ONE lucky Kindles & Wine commenter (U.S. residents only).
To enter for your chance to win, you must:
- Be a follower of our blog (click HERE to subscribe), AND…
- Since the indomitable C.J. loves all things Disney princess, hit the comments and tell me: What’s your favorite Disney movie, and why?
Please note: All entrants must review and adhere to our official giveaway policy. This contest will close on Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 11:59 PM (CST) and the winner will be notified via email on Monday, December 16.