Reviews tagging 'Lesbophobia'

Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

50 reviews

mstormodolge's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Honestly I wanna start this review with a statement: I don’t think my review for this book is the most important review for this book. I am not trans and as a cis woman it’s hard to understand and fathom some of the struggle that Pony goes through within this story. However, with that being said I did see a LOT of the struggle he faced being queer in a red state and his mental health issues as someone who has faced both of those. And with that being said:
I think this book was really beautiful. It was genuine and mature while also giving into that ‘teenage’ angst that isn’t always as serious as it feels. I love how quickly they fall in love and how deeply slight drama hit home- but I also appreciate the issues that were also faced that even many adults haven’t faced. Idk how to describe it lol but from what I’ve experienced, a lot of the pain Pony feels is realistic. To the point where his mental health stuff was not smart for me to be reading in the mindset I was in lmao but it was realistic. The ending was good and very teen vibes but the struggle to that ending point? Spoiler here: but the way that the asshole characters physically assault Pony at the prom is despicable. It’s disgusting and I know it’s realistic and I hate that. I was hoping to give this book to Jay as a ‘here’s a trans masc story woo!!’ But what pony goes through makes me hesitate bc I can’t imagine putting Jay through reading about that. I know something had to happen, but why that? Why so much detail? It hurt even me. 
Overall, I thought this book was interesting. I think the main two characters are really well made and I think the banter and interactions they have are well done. Sometimes this book felt more like mansplaining queer/trans troubles but honestly I’ll take it haha because the rest of it was really good. I enjoyed the internal battles both leads faced about how to show themselves and I liked their personal growth. I wish it just hadn’t come at the cost of this book being triggering imo

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Deadnaming and Lesbophobia

yikeslou's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

Pony is a sweet, hilarious, and relatable MC who is surrounded by a troop of assholes (mostly teens which is semi excusable, they're still finding themselves and learning etc etc, kids are inherently a little self centered, still frustrating to read). Everything wrapped up VERY quickly compared to the slow burning romance plot, but hey I love a happy ending so I can't complain too much

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, and Transphobia

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Deadnaming, Death, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

capriqueen's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

The main theme of this book is about how fitting in is about hiding your true self, and doing that is never worth it, esp when it’s to fit in with jerks. It accomplishes it fine enough

I don’t love the notes of misogyny in the beginning with Pony’s thoughts about Georgia being a cheerleader, and I especially don’t like Max. I found him to be a toxic friend with all his ultimatums and demands of performative activism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, and Outing

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Toxic friendship

There is a graphic hate crime assault

in a bathroom toward the end, with the attackers exposing the main character’s chest.

Deadnaming is alluded to throughout, and the deadname itself is named a few times at the very end.

kaywhiteley's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I’m all for characters learning and changing but this was just unrealistic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime and Transphobia

Moderate: Lesbophobia

bwithwings's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual harassment

khakipantsofsex's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Death and Suicidal thoughts

michaelion's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

My ex bought me this for our one month anniversary and I finally read it two years later hoping the book would be bad so I could give it away but it was so good! So cue so sweet. I shall be keeping it.

I was so sure that The Outsiders wasn't canon in this world and then she mentioned it! It's nitpicky but naming yourself after Ponyboy is much cooler than just naming yourself after an animal randomly. That boy got to senior year and didn't read The Outsiders?! It's so gay he would've loved it.

A great book for explaining what a trans person is to kids / teens. It has a perfect mixture of people familiar with the world and explaining to someone who knows nothing. Great writing. I laughed a plenty.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Deadnaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Infidelity and Abandonment

readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

use of f slur

grace_koalateareads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

“We can’t change those people’s minds. We just love louder and harder than they can hate.”

Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith was a difficult  yet important read. The story is split into Pony’s (a trans boy) and Georgia’s (a cis girl) point of view. Both are seniors at a Texas high school just outside of Dallas. For Pony it’s all about going “stealth” and just being a normal guy, for Georgia it’s about cheerleading and being the person people expect her to be. I loved both of them so much, they had great personalities and felt real and genuine. I loved the puns, the banter and the deep and meaningful conversations. 

“When the school treats trans students like they’re different, it gives the green light for the other kids to do the same, but kids are way meaner.”

The side characters were where my discomfort started, especially with Max, Pony’s “out and proud” best friend, who came across very “black and white” and wanting him to share things on social media that made him feel uncomfortable. I know the ending sort of cleared those things up, but it felt too rushed and too shiny (or gold, if you will) like it wasn’t real.  Being “out and proud” is great, it’s awesome, but not if it isn’t safe to do so. It also made me uncomfortable with the amount of trans and queer slurs, especially as they didn’t need to be written down to get the point across.

“Some days, I barely think about being trans. And other days, it’s an obstacle course.”

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the book, just not as much as I was expecting. A lot of really heavy topics were covered, such as transphobia, misgendering and forced outting - these weren’t the reason for my lower rating, but more how they were handled/written especially when a character was the one causing said topics. I was definitely hooked and finished the book in just over a day. It’s one that I think a lot of people, who don’t understand what being trans means, should read, however, overall it just made me feel drained.

“I raise my glass in toast and say (but not too loudly, “Here’s to being trans in Texas.””

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug use, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Alcohol

wrinnola's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Dysphoria

Minor: Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Toxic friendship