John Schwartz, a national correspondent with the New York Times, discusses his memoir, Oddly Normal. Three years ago, Schwartz’s 13-year-old son, came out to his classmates and despite the support of his parents, he attempted suicide. Schwartz’s writes of his family’s own struggles within a culture that is changing fast, but not fast enough to help gay kids like Joe.
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John Schwartz
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Comments [6]
Without being judgmental, why would you leave Joe in a class with a teacher bullying him?
I have a child with Asperger's and has terrific accomodations made for her in public school in New Jersey. Listeners shouldn't be afraid of acknowledging that their child may need special services. The stigma associated with a "label" shouldn't matter. The label (autistic, gay, whatever) doesn't change who someone IS.
I wonder if a teenager/child can fully appreciate the possible fallout from this level of exposure.
Well, even if a teacher is "more flexible", the world often isn't. Doesn't seem that the parents' approach was adequately preparing Joe...
Processing one's gayness is very very challenging, with ripple effects that still aren't fully appreciated. But there's more going on here.
"Why were you so open to having him being labeled gay so early in life?"
exactly the question I wanted to hear.
I was the second, quieter, son in a family and strongly preferred not getting the label myself.
Assuming the suicide was thwarted, what effect will this publication have upon the child when he is an adult?
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