George M. Johnson (writer)

Last updated
George M. Johnson
BornGeorge Matthew Johnson
1985 (age 38–39)
OccupationWriter
LanguageEnglish
Education Virginia Union University (BA) Bowie State University (MD)
Notable works All Boys Aren't Blue
Website
www.iamgmjohnson.com

George Matthew Johnson (born 1985), [1] more commonly known as George M. Johnson, is an American author, journalist, and activist. A queer African American, they are best known as the author of the memoir-manifesto All Boys Aren't Blue (2020).

Contents

Early life and education

Johnson spent their early childhood in New Jersey and later, Virginia. [1] They described their family as loving and affirming of Johnson prior to them officially coming out at age 25. [2] [3] Johnson attended the HBCU Virginia Union University, where they became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. [4] [5] They attended graduate school at Bowie State University. [6]

Career

Johnson's writing has appeared in Teen Vogue , Entertainment Tonight , NBC, The Root , BuzzFeed, Essence , Ebony , them , and TheGrio. [4]

They gained wider prominence for their memoir-manifesto All Boys Aren't Blue (2020). [2] The book is a collection of coming-of-age essays describing Johnson's memories of growing up with particular focus on their Black, queer identity. The essays center pivotal experiences, including affirming relationships with family members, their understanding of masculinity, sexual encounters, and experiences of sexual abuse. [1] The book was selected for YALSA's Teens' Top 10 and the ALA Rainbow Book List, and received a starred review from Kirkus . [7] The Root included Johnson on their list "100 Most Influential African Americans in 2020." [8]

As of November 2021, All Boys Aren't Blue was one of the most frequent targets of book bans and challenges amid an "unprecedented" period of book banning according to ALA. [9] It was removed from libraries in eight states due to claims of "sexual obscenity" for its descriptions of queer sex and masturbation. [9] In response to the claims, Johnson stressed the sexual education value of the book and context for those descriptions, saying in a Time interview, "I am using my story to teach kids about the mistakes that I made the first time that I was having sex, so they don’t make those same mistakes. I am teaching kids about not feeling guilty when sexual abuse happens, and how to recognize sexual abuse...And how to fight back against those traumas that you can hold on to for so very long. So they’re leaving very, very important context out, intentionally of course, to try and say my book is pornographic." [9]

In 2021, they released a second memoir, We Are Not Broken, focused on Black boyhood and their grandmother, Nanny. [10] The book was named a secondary honoree for the Carter G. Woodson Book Award. [11]

Personal life

Johnson is queer and non-binary. [4] [5]

Works

Awards and honors

YearWorkAwardResultRef.
2019“When Racism Anchors your Health" in Vice National Association of Black Journalists' Salute to Excellence AwardWinner [18]
All Boys Aren't Blue Outstanding Books for the College Bound: Literature and Language ArtsSelection [19]
2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir & AutobiographyNominee [20]
2021 ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 [21]
YALSA's Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Selection [22]
YALSA's Teens' Top 10Selection [23]

Related Research Articles

Queer studies, sexual diversity studies, or LGBTQ studies is the study of topics relating to sexual orientation and gender identity usually focusing on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender dysphoric, asexual, aromantic, queer, questioning, and intersex people and cultures.

LGBTQ slang, LGBTQ speak, queer slang, or gay slang is a set of English slang lexicon used predominantly among LGBTQ+ people. It has been used in various languages since the early 20th century as a means by which members of the LGBTQ+ community identify themselves and speak in code with brevity and speed to others.

Cyberfeminism is a feminist approach which foregrounds the relationship between cyberspace, the Internet, and technology. It can be used to refer to a philosophy, art practices, methodologies or community. The term was coined in the early 1990s to describe the work of feminists interested in theorizing, critiquing, exploring and re-making the Internet, cyberspace and new-media technologies in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Myracle</span> American young adult novelist

Lauren Myracle is an American writer of young adult fiction. She has written many novels, including the three best-selling "IM" books, ttyl, ttfn and l8r, g8r. Her book Thirteen Plus One was released May 4, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charly "Carlos" Palmer</span> American fine artist and illustrator

Charly "Carlos" Palmer is an American fine artist. Palmer's subjects have included landscapes and portraits. Primarily an acrylic painter, Palmer also works in a variety of media.

Transgender studies, also called trans studies or trans* studies, is an interdisciplinary field of academic research dedicated to the study of gender identity, gender expression, and gender embodiment, as well as to the study of various issues of relevance to transgender and gender variant populations. Interdisciplinary subfields of transgender studies include applied transgender studies, transgender history, transgender literature, transgender media studies, transgender anthropology and archaeology, transgender psychology, and transgender health. The research theories within transgender studies focus on cultural presentations, political movements, social organizations and the lived experience of various forms of gender nonconformity. The discipline emerged in the early 1990s in close connection to queer theory. Non-transgender-identified peoples are often also included under the "trans" umbrella for transgender studies, such as intersex people, crossdressers, drag artists, third gender individuals, and genderqueer people.

Julie Berry is an American author of children's and young adults books and winner of several national book awards.

<i>You Should See Me in a Crown</i> (novel) 2020 young adult novel

You Should See Me in a Crown is a debut young adult novel by Leah Johnson, published by Scholastic in June 2020. The book was given a Stonewall Book honor, and TIME magazine named it one of the best 100 young adult books of all time.

<i>Legendborn</i> 2020 fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn is a 2020 debut young adult fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn. Called "a modern day twist on Arthurian legend", it follows a black teenage girl who discovers a secret and historically white magic society. The book is the first in the Legendborn series. It was released on September 15, 2020, and it was published under Simon & Schuster/McElderry. Legendborn received the Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award for New Talent as well as a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maia Kobabe</span> American cartoonist and author

Maia Kobabe is an American cartoonist and author who wrote the memoir Gender Queer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ericka Hart</span> American sex educator, model, and professor

Ericka Hart is an American academic, sex educator, and model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leah Johnson (writer)</span> American writer

Leah Johnson is an American writer. Her debut novel You Should See Me in a Crown (2020) received critical acclaim, including a Stonewall Book Award Honor. She is the author of Rise to the Sun (2021) and Ellie Engle Saves Herself! (2023).

<i>All Boys Arent Blue</i> 2020 memoir by George M. Johnson

All Boys Aren't Blue is a young adult non-fiction "memoir-manifesto" by journalist and activist George M. Johnson, published April 28, 2020, by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

J Mase III is a Black trans, queer American poet and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Petocz</span> American student activist (born 2004)

Jack Petocz is an American student activist. He is the founder of Recall FCSB and a political strategist with the nonprofit organization Gen-Z for Change. He identifies as gay and speaks about his experiences as an LGBTQ+ person.

<i>Gender Queer</i> 2019 graphic memoir

Gender Queer: A Memoir is a 2019 graphic memoir written and illustrated by Maia Kobabe. It recounts Kobabe's journey from adolescence to adulthood and the author's exploration of gender identity and sexuality, ultimately identifying as being outside of the gender binary.

Shaun David Hutchinson is an American author of young adult texts. His novels often "combine speculative elements with LGBT characters and themes."

<i>Kiss Number 8</i> Graphic novel by Colleen A. F. Venable

Kiss Number 8 is a 2019 graphic novel written by Colleen A. F. Venable, illustrated by Ellen T. Crenshaw, and published by First Second Books. In 2019, the novel was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The following year, it was a finalist for an Eisner Award and Prism Award.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mayer, Petra (2020-05-02). "'Give Them The Damn Information': Questions For George M. Johnson". NPR. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  2. 1 2 "George M Johnson: 'Queer characters tend to die at the end of books'". the Guardian. 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  3. ↑ Legal, Lambda. "George M. Johnson on Why Book Banning Erases Black Queer Lives". Lambda Legal. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  4. 1 2 3 "GMJ Media Kit". GMJ. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  5. 1 2 Johnson, George M. (2020). All boys aren't blue : a memoir-manifesto (First ed.). New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. ISBN   978-0-374-31271-8. OCLC   1098231312.
  6. ↑ Glover, Sarah (15 July 2020). "George M Johnson on National Unrest: 'That Point of No Return'". NECN. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  7. ↑ ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE | Kirkus Reviews.
  8. ↑ "The Root 100 - The Most Influential African Americans In 2020". The Root. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  9. 1 2 3 Carlisle, Madeleine. "'I Was Writing the Book I Wish I Got To Have When I Was a Youth'". Time. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  10. ↑ "Meet the writers on OUT's list of the most influential LGBTQ+ people of 2021". Literary Hub. 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  11. ↑ "Carter G Woodson". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  12. ↑ McDougle, Jonathan (November 18, 2021). "George M. Johnson isn't surprised their book is being banned: "America has always had an issue with anything that tells the truth"". CNS News. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  13. ↑ "Children's Book Review: We Are Not Broken by George M. Johnson. Little, Brown, $17.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-7595-5460-3". Publishers Weekly. August 12, 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  14. ↑ "We Are Not Broken". School Library Journal. September 1, 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  15. 1 2 Caplan, Walker (2021-11-01). "Meet the writers on OUT's list of the most influential LGBTQ+ people of 2021". Literary Hub. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  16. ↑ Destito, Deanna (2019-08-23). "George M. Johnson to pen STONEWALL graphic novel for Tu Books". The Beat. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  17. ↑ https://www.queerty.com/george-m-johnsons-flamboyants-uncovers-the-heroes-of-black-queer-history-20240924
  18. ↑ devano (2019-09-21). "Celebrating Excellence: The Winners of NABJ's Salute to Excellence & Their Work". National Association of Black Journalists. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  19. ↑ "2019 OBCB Literature and Language Arts". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  20. ↑ "All Boys Aren't Blue". Goodreads. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  21. ↑ "The 2021 Rainbow Book List". Rainbow Book List. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  22. ↑ "2021 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  23. ↑ Serbekian, Michael (2021-11-04). "2021 YALSA Teens' Top Ten titles announced". American Library Association News and Press Center. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.