The Misfits

By James Howe

I will admit that it took me a while to get into this style of reading, but after things got going I really enjoyed reading this book. Additionally, I think the style is very suitable for young readers and is likely to entice students to keep reading. It felt a bit contrived to me at first but to be honest I can see a 12-year-old writing this way, especially with the "minutes" of the Gang of Five's meetings and Bobby's own thoughts about the people in his life.

Our discussion in class really got me thinking. It is funny how some people picked up on some sort of "gay agenda" while others (including the author) simply regard this book's message as anti-bullying and pro-respect. While I was reading this book I never even really thought about it as a "pro-gay" book: Joe is just another character in the book, and not even a main character at that! I guess that is why it bothered me when I realized what a big fuss some people have made out of this book. There is clearly more here beyond the message that "being gay is okay," and besides, what's wrong with a message like that in the first place?

The fact that grown adults protest this book and say that being gay isn't okay is exactly why a book like this needs to exist. When grown adults are still being bullies to specific groups of people, the kids that we teach desperately need to be told that it's okay to be who you are.  The message that adults send through these protests is that it's okay to be overweight like Bobby or super-nerdy and outspoken like Addy, but that it's not okay to be gay like Joe.  It's like saying "It's okay to be who you are, as long as you're not ____."  The not-so-hidden meaning behind this says that "You need to be how we want you to be."  And setting hypocritical standards like that sends very confusing and upsetting messages to kids.

The controversy behind this book is very real, and is something that is still important in our schools today.  Iowa had an anti-bullying law passed in 2007.  This law prevents children from bullying or discrimination based on "real or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status" (Iowa Department of Education).  But as recently as February of this year select state legislators have been pushing to remove sexual orientation and gender identity from the list, claiming that including them "pushes" homosexuality onto children.  And what I would like to know is how that sort of behavior in grown men can be justified as anything but "bullying" itself.

This is an issue that really hits close to the bone for me.  Statistics show that the majority of homosexual children and teens face harassment and bullying at school, and even with anti-bullying laws things have not improved as much as they should have.  It is only through exposing our students to such outstanding literature and having open and honest discussions that we can show our students that they really are in a safe place where they can learn, grow, and develop into wonderful the human beings that they truly are.