April 30, 2012
Three years ago, John Schwartz, a national correspondent at The New York Times, got the call that every parent hopes never to receive: his thirteen-year-old son, Joe, was in the hospital following a failed suicide attempt. After finally mustering the courage to come out to his classmates, Joe’s disclosure — delivered in a tirade about sexist and homophobic attitudes — was greeted with dismay and confusion by his fellow students. Hours later, he took an overdose of pills.
John and his wife, Jeanne, found that their son’s school was unable to address his needs. Angry and frustrated, they launched their own search for services and groups to help Joe understand that he wasn’t alone. John and Jeanne reached out to friends they came to think of as the League of Gay Uncles, including their rabbi, who helped guide them toward a happier Joe.
Schwartz follows Joseph through childhood to the present day, interweaving the narrative with common questions, including: Are effeminate boys and tomboy girls necessarily gay? Is there a relationship between being gay and suicide or mental illness? Oddly Normal has crucial lessons about helping gay kids –and any kid who is different — learn how to cope in a potentially hostile world.
John and his wife, Jeanne, found that their son’s school was unable to address his needs. Angry and frustrated, they launched their own search for services and groups to help Joe understand that he wasn’t alone. John and Jeanne reached out to friends they came to think of as the League of Gay Uncles, including their rabbi, who helped guide them toward a happier Joe.
Schwartz follows Joseph through childhood to the present day, interweaving the narrative with common questions, including: Are effeminate boys and tomboy girls necessarily gay? Is there a relationship between being gay and suicide or mental illness? Oddly Normal has crucial lessons about helping gay kids –and any kid who is different — learn how to cope in a potentially hostile world.
