National Coming Out Day 2015

It's that time again! Sunday, October 11, is National Coming Out Day! A day when LGBTQIA folks celebrate the process of coming out.

Coming out is a very personal decision and there are a lot of factors to consider. Because of this, it's important to never out someone else, always let them come out on their own terms, in their own time.

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg takes an interesting spin on a coming out story. Rafe decides to "play straight" at his new school but things don't go how he thinks they will. I really like how this book shows that self acceptance and confidence don't develop steadily. Life is full of ups and downs.

None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio delves into a new letter of the rainbow, an identity with which many are still unfamiliar- intersex. I was very happy to see this identity represented, and I especially liked how it was made clear that there are many different conditions that fall under the umbrella term.

None of the Above is available in other formats.

Far From You by Tess Sharpe shows two girls who've held back their feelings for years. Sophie likes boys and girls, and Mina likes only girls. I like the way both girls identities are shown as valid and both come with their different struggles.

The process of transitioning is both intensely personal and heartbreakingly public. In Rethinking Normal by Katie Rain Hill we see into that process and get to know Katie as the brave girl she is.

Rethinking Normal is available in other formats.