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September 16, 2016 - Booked Solid by Terri Schlichenmeyer

Cover of My Son Wears Heels by Julie TarneyMy Son Wears Heels
by Julie Tarney
c.2016, University of Wisconsin Press; $24.95
213 pages

Hey Mom, Your Son Is a Girl

The first day your toddler said he could dress himself was a day you’ll never forget.

He tried, you have to hand it to him. When he was done, part of his outfit was out of season and the other part was out of style, the colors were painful together, and nothing matched except his bright eyes and proud grin. You figured he’d learn and, as in the new book My Son Wears Heels by Julie Tarney, so would you.

Though Julie Tarney had known since he was born that her son, Harry, was a unique little guy, she was still taken aback when he asked how she knew that he was a boy.

Harry was just two years old then, and Tarney thought it was a normal question for a child that age. But his next comment—that he was a girl “inside my head”—sent her to her parenting books.

Tarney had no real frame of reference, other than a well-used copy of Dr. Spock. She was the eldest of two girls, born in Wisconsin to a mother who was controlling and distant; even if she could have asked her late mother about parenting concerns, Tarney probably wouldn’t. Instinct told her that there was nothing to worry about, though she fretted that Harry was gay; she also worried that she’d somehow ruin him if she didn’t completely support his free-spiritedness.

As he grew up, Harry’s creativity grew, too; he loved to play dress-up and experiment through pretend. Wigs and shoes were his passion, but he also liked skirts—all of which Tarney successfully prevented him from wearing in public. Even so, by time he was ten years old, Harry had his own fashion sense and had gotten bullied for it. He knew he was different, but he was too young to articulate how.

At fourteen, Harry came out as gay.

Through the years, while Harry worked to understand more about himself, his mother went through a period of personal acceptance, too. She discovered that she could be a single mom, and survive. She learned that loving herself wasn’t a bad thing—and that she could never “screw up” her son by loving him.

At its very basic, My Son Wears Heels is a good book. It showcases how one mother encouraged her son to openly explore who he was, and how his journey allowed understanding within hers. And if that was all there was in this book, you’d probably be very happy; instead, there’s a lot of plumping-up in this tale.

Author Julie Tarney drops product names like she’s in a grocery store, sometimes right down to the ad tagline; that’s often followed by minute details that seem inconsequential, as though they’re merely filling conversational silence. Add recreated dialogue, quoted from more than 20 years ago, and, well, continuing can be a challenge.  

Again, great premise, good story, too much fluff, and if that bugs you, too, then take a pass. Unless you can overlook its padding, My Son Wears Heels is no shoe-in.

Email Terri Schlichenmeyer

‹ September 16, 2016 - Straight Talk by David Garrett up September 16, 2016 - StoryCorp - by Fay Jacobs ›

Past Issues

Issues Index

  • February 12, 2016 - Issue Index
  • March 11, 2016 - Issue Index
  • April 1, 2016 - Issue Index
  • May 6, 2016 - Issue Index
  • May 20, 2016 - Issue Index
  • June 3, 2016 - Issue Index
  • June 17, 2016 - Issue Index
  • July 1, 2016 - Issue Index
  • July 15, 2016 - Issue Index
  • July 29, 2016 - Issue Index
  • August 12, 2016 - Issue Index
  • August 26, 2016 - Issue Index
  • September 16, 2016 - Issue Index
    • September 16, 2016 - The Way I See It by Steve Elkins
    • September 16, 2016 - Speak Out - Letters to Letters
    • September 16, 2016 - In Brief
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMPmatters by Murray Archibald
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMP Out by Fay Jacobs
    • September 16, 2016 - Before the Beach by Libby Stiff
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMP Stories by Rich Barnett
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMP Sports by Fay Jacobs
    • September 16, 2016 - Straight Talk by David Garrett
    • September 16, 2016 - Booked Solid by Terri Schlichenmeyer
    • September 16, 2016 - StoryCorp - by Fay Jacobs
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMP Sights by Arnold Berke
    • September 16, 2016 - Bear Weekend by Glen Pruitt
    • September 16, 2016 - Volunteer Spotlight by Monica Parr
    • September 16, 2016 - Volunteer Thank You
    • September 16, 2016 - My Story by Peter Chakonas
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMPshots Gallery 1
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMPshots Gallery 2
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMPshots Gallery 3
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMPshots Gallery 4
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMPshots Gallery 5
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMP Arts by Doug Yetter
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMP Dates
    • September 16, 2016 - Amazon Trail by Lee Lynch
    • September 16, 2016 - CAMP Feature by Chris Azzopardi
    • September 16, 2016 - We Remember
    • September 16, 2016 - Ask the Doctor by Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D., LCSW
  • October 21, 2016 - Issue Index
  • November 18, 2016 - Issue Index

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