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.

finally !

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

A must listen!

Would you consider the audio edition of Raising My Rainbow to be better than the print version?

As a teacher, this topic really spoke to me. I wish all parents would read/listen to this book and come away with a better understanding of what we need to be doing to encourage student's freedom with gender roles and expression.

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!)

Every Child Matters

If you could sum up Raising My Rainbow in three words, what would they be?

A must read.

What did you like best about this story?

This is the reality of raising a child who has challenges you didn't expect to confront as a parent. The whole concept of "gender non-conforming children" is so new that even teachers, doctors and counselors who primarily work with children are left at a loss. As a community, people should care about how we are raising every single child. Children should be supported in who they are and professionals who work with them should recognize protecting children in their care and keeping them safe is a primary responsibility. This story also shows the limits of friendship and how crushing it can be to find out the people you believed would love you no matter what - don't.

Which character – as performed by Lori Duron – was your favorite?

Lori really makes her son CJ come alive. He is very real to me in her telling of how he sees and interacts with the world.

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

Yes, it was. It's a journey of discovery and I wanted to know how it would turn out for this family. I respect that Lori wanted to read her book herself because the stories of her children, husband, brother, parents and in-laws are so deeply personal. She may not be a professional narrator, but she did a great job and the authenticity comes through.

Any additional comments?

The bonus interview at the end of the book with Lori Duron was excellent. It made me glad I chose the audiobook instead of the hardcopy. I also appreciated knowing this was CJ's mother talking directly to me and this was all very very real.

A fascinating, tocuhing story.

I prefer non-fiction books. I don't have a child. That being said I really enjoyed this unique book and came away enlightened, educated, and entertained. CJ is very lucky to have such an open-minded family. Every child should have such a supportive group. I'm hoping this book will help other parents in similar situations. I'm pretty sure it will.

Must Read

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

Top 5

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Personal narrative which is powerful, educational and simply amazing

What about Lori Duron’s performance did you like?

Mothers voice is the voice of wisdom.

If you could give Raising My Rainbow a new subtitle, what would it be?

Little Miracles

Any additional comments?

Powerful and inspirational

Loving CJ

CJ's mom, Lori Duron, started a blog after many years of trying to understand her son, CJ. Lori needed information, so when she finally started the blog, Raising My Rainbow, numerous answers to her many queries were forthcoming.

CJ did not conform to being a boy as he was born or as a girl who he emulated, with clothes, toys and friends. CJ wore boy clothes when outside his home but loved to dress up in frilly dresses, high heeled shoes, polished finger nails and carrying a princess doll from the Disney series, one in each hand.

Lori and her husband had not criticized CJ because of him being different and tried to assimilate his wants and needs as best they could. Lori, who was told by another blogger that CJ would fit into a category known as, gender nonconforming. He wasn't all pink or blue.

Lori learned this on the blog that she had created on the internet, Raising My Rainbow. CJ is loved for who he is by his dad and brother, Chase, who is all boy.

The book was an eye-opener for me. I had never believed that men or women chose their sexuality but were born just the way they are. They are unable to change who they are just as I can't change who I am. The book contains some sobering moments but there are also some very funny parts.

The author, Lori Duron, did a great job narrating the book and gave depth to the character's development. CJ is still young and Lori and her husband will raise their rainbow son who is full of different colors, just for who he is. Lori continues to write on her blog, still having much participation from new and old people to the blog.