Raising My Rainbow

Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son

By: Lori Duron

Narrated by: Lori Duron

Raising My Rainbow is Lori Duron’s frank, heartfelt, and brutally funny account of her and her family's adventures of distress and happiness raising a gender-creative son. Whereas her older son, Chase, is a Lego-loving, sports-playing boy's boy, her younger son, C.J., would much rather twirl around in a pink sparkly tutu, with a Disney Princess in each hand while singing Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi".

C.J. is gender variant or gender nonconforming, whichever you prefer. Whatever the term, Lori has a boy who likes girl stuff - really likes girl stuff. He floats on the gender-variation spectrum from super-macho-masculine on the left all the way to super-girly-feminine on the right. He's not all pink and not all blue. He's a muddled mess or a rainbow creation. Lori and her family choose to see the rainbow.

Written in Lori's uniquely witty and warm voice and launched by her incredibly popular blog of the same name, Raising My Rainbow is the unforgettable story of her wonderful family as they navigate the often challenging but never dull privilege of raising a slightly effeminate, possibly gay, totally fabulous son.

©2013 Lori Duron (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

I sure learned...I was so ignorant before this.

Where does Raising My Rainbow rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Way up on top.

What other book might you compare Raising My Rainbow to and why?

None, thus far.

What about Lori Duron’s performance did you like?

There was so much education in it for me, as well as learning how to love and accept what is. Without control, life just is. And that's okay. It's that simple.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! I listen while I drive to and fro and I sure did sit in a lot of parking lots and work destinations acting like I was 'doing something' so as not to be interrupted.

Any additional comments?

This is a must-listen to...for anyone wanting to learn-and for parents who didn't want to have to learn (it'll help you right out of denial and into the less stressful acceptance of what is) and for people like me who didn't even know she wanted or needed to learn.

Acceptance

This book is amazing! They need to make this a must have for churches to listen too, to expose people to fabulous people like CJ. Seriously, if adults who filled your life with hate read this book with an open mind, they would realize their assumptions were wrong.

Recommend

I have little to add to the myriad positive reviews (see Amazon) except to say that, unlike several books I have listened to recently, this one was particularly well edited (with the exception of a couple of obvious glitches). The book flowed quickly – the author provides ample detail yet never lingers too long to make a point, a delicate balance that I especially appreciate in audiobooks. I never found myself wishing to fast-forward or take a break. In fact, I listened to this book almost non-stop.

Who Doesn't Love a Rainbow?

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is a love story written by a parent. The author's child does not conform to the world's gender stereotypes. As this family learns to change their expectations and love the child they have been given - they grow and ask the world to grow, too.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Raising My Rainbow?

This book challenges you, - are you brave enough, to love the child you have been given, or will you try to hide, coerce, bend, and possibly break the child to fit the expectations you have for him/her? Could you help your four year old preschool son risk the hurt feelings and teasing he might receive for wearing Little Mermaid pajamas to school on pajama day - or would you just put your foot down and insist he wear sex appropriate pajamas and stop being "silly?" Is it his childhood - or yours? Who owns his sexuality - at 18? - at 15? at 12? at 3? Are you protecting him? or yourself? and what from? Public opinion? Bullying, a life of sin? Condemnation? If you haven't had to answer these questions - count your lucky stars, many of us have had to. Try to develop some compassion - and pray for all of us, parents and children who face these issues. The world can be a scary place. You can try to legislate behavior but you can't legislate kindness.

What about Lori Duron’s performance did you like?

You could hear Lori's feelings in her reading. When she was stunned by how someone reacted - it was there, in her voice. When she was hurt or saddened - you knew. Her love for her children is evident. She did an excellent job, better than many professional narrators.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

Gender and sex are not the same. You live them from a young age - but you might not understand them in yourself or others. I wish the world were a kinder place. I still see children and teens who are unforgivingly cruel toward people who do not meet their gender and sex stereotypes.

Any additional comments?

This book might help people become a bit more understanding and accepting. But - it is still scary, even to write a review about a book like this that people who know me might read (and I am old and shouldn't care what people think by now!)

finally !

a lot of questions answered. I wish be recommending this to friends and family.