I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU―FOR YOUNG ADULTS

The husband of the first out gay presidential candidate to win a statewide election during the presidential nomination process describes the difficulties he faced growing up as a gay kid in conservative Northern Michigan.

Born in 1989 and raised near Traverse City with no gay role models except the ones he saw on TV, Buttigieg was steeped in a rural, Christian, predominantly White Republican culture in which being gay was considered evil and disgusting. Although his teachers called him “eccentric” and “unique,” it wasn’t until middle school that Buttigieg began to realize he was gay. As a teen, he endured bullying—name-calling and physical assault—despite trying hard to meet the standards of acceptable masculinity in his community. It wasn’t until a life-changing year in Germany as an exchange student that he began to learn self-acceptance. Buttigieg’s voice is clear and honest as he recounts the shame he internalized, his struggle to claim a proud, gay identity, and the challenges he faced while completing his college degree. In this adaptation of his 2020 memoir for adult readers, Buttigieg focuses mostly on his youth and not on his adult life with Mayor Pete. Scenes of both trauma and happiness come to life through his descriptive prose. Throughout, Buttigieg offers advice, such as how to resist comparisons that make us feel inadequate, think about supporting others by being an ally, and choose a post–high school path.

A hopeful memoir for teens struggling to fit in and feel safe.