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I love this book.

May 21, 2009
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I have to get up at an early hour tomorrow morning to get on the road to Michigan for a family wedding, so I really should be getting to bed rather than reading, but I had to finish this book:

Debbie Harry Sings in French

Meagan Brothers

This is one of the most unique books I've ever found in the young adult section. Now, I've read gay literature, straight literature, transgender literature, and just about everything in between and on either side, but this is the first book I've found about a straight guy who just happens to enjoy dressing in drag.

Basically, the premise is, the narrator is a misunderstood high school guy who is a recovring alcoholic and a music addict. He also idolizes, and obsesses over, Debbie Harry (the lead singer of Blondie, for those who don't know). After an accidental overdose at a club, his monther sends him to live with his uncle in another state, where he meets Maria, a kindred spirit and all-around cool girl. Eventually, they start dating, and after hearing quite a bit about his Debbie obsession, Maria buys a thrift-store dress similar to one that Debbie wears on an album cover. Only it turns out, she bought the dress not for herself, but for Johnny (the narrator).

To make a long story short, after being easily coerced into trying on the dress, Johnny progresses to a drag competition, in which he makes friends and wins a prize. He gets through his family issues, which are only somewhat relevant to the main plotline, and begins to get a real handle on his life.

I like this book because it touches on an aspect of GLBT culture that isn't very widely discussed - the heterosexual cross-dresser. to some extent, I can identify with this guy; I mean, I'm not a cross-dresser, but I've been known to do drag shows and I certainly enjoy them, plus I feel absolutely fabulous when I'm dressed as a man at Rocky Horror. People in the audience automatically assume that anyone who does drag must be gay; Debbie Harry Sings In French contradicts that stereotype.