Books › Times I Knew I Was Gay
Times I Knew I Was Gay
320 pages
A gentle, funny, and deeply relatable exploration of the messy, non-linear journey to figuring out you're queer.
What it feels like
Reading this graphic memoir feels like sitting down with a close friend as they flip through an old, slightly embarrassing scrapbook. The pace is brisk and episodic, carried by minimalist, expressive line art and a narrative voice that is wonderfully self-deprecating and earnest. It perfectly captures the specific, nostalgic awkwardness of growing up in the late nineties and early two-thousands, using pop culture obsessions as a lens for unexamined feelings. The mood is cozy yet tinged with the quiet anxiety of not quite fitting in, slowly giving way to a warm, hopeful glow. It is an absolute delight for queer millennials, late bloomers, and anyone who appreciates a gentle, humorous look at the messy, repetitive, and ultimately joyful process of coming out to yourself.
- Mood
- nostalgic
- awkward
- cozy
- hopeful
- Tone
- wry
- self-deprecating
- earnest
- gentle
- humorous
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- late-bloomer queer identity · compulsory heterosexuality · the awkwardness of adolescence · pop culture as a mirror · self-acceptance
- The writing
- The narrative voice is conversational and intimate, pairing perfectly with minimalist, expressive line drawings that capture the humor of everyday awkwardness.
- The arc
- The journey shifts from the confusing, anxious fog of trying to fit a mold into the bright, relieving clarity of finally understanding oneself.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love gentle, funny graphic memoirs and anyone who took a little longer to figure out exactly who they are.
Content notes
- internalized homophobia
- anxiety
- compulsory heterosexuality
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