Autoboyography

Title of Source: Autoboyography

Author: Christina Lauren

Source Type: Young Adult Novel

Publication: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2017

MLA Citation: Lauren, Christina. Autoboyography. Simon & Schuster, 2017.

Notes:

Tanner was born and raised in California, after his mother left the Church of Latter Day Saints when her parents disowned her lesbian sister. Three years ago Tanner’s mother was offered a new job that meant the family would have to move to Utah and Tanner would have to move back into the closet. It is now his senior year and Tanner has signed up for a class where he is tasked with writing a book. In walks Sebastian, son of the leader of the local church, who is advising the class after writing a novel that is soon to be published. Tanner decides to write about his life, being a closted bisexual in a highly Mormon, highly conservative area. When Sebastian is asked by the teacher to help Tanner, Tanner accidentally comes out to him, and much to Tanner’s surprise, learns that Sebastian is gay. The two begin spending more and more time together, and less and less of it working on Tanner’s book. Eventually, the two must decide what their future looks like, with each other and with the Church.

This novel is a clear example of queer literacy. Both Tanner and Sebastian work out their sexual identities through Tanner’s writing. Sebastian is unable to find his voice and open up to anyone until he reads Tanner’s writing and realizes that he is not alone. Sebastian uses the book to work through his experience of having to go back into the closet and his relationship with Sebastian. The writing also serves as a psychical object that could out Sebastian.

Text to Text:

• This book is similar to How to Be Remy Cameron, Pulp and Dear Rachel Maddow in that the plot revolves around a school assignment that takes on a larger meaning.
• The way that the book Tanner writes can be used to out Sebastian, is similar to the way in which Janet must hide her lesbian pulp novel in Pulp.