A Taste of the Rainbow

By Tyler C. (AKA, Skittles)

"Raising My Rainbow" is a non-fiction book written by Lori Duron about her and her family's adventures in raising a son who likes... girl things. A lot. He is often referred to as "gender-nonconforming"; through 250+ pages and 36 chapters, this book is filled with emotion, confusion, and change through the kindergarten year in the life of C.J Duron, tackling subjects that I have never really read too much about in other non-fiction.

Though what I am discussing is a book in every sense of the word, it first began as a blog, with the first post being on December 30, 2010 under the name "C.J's Mom". With Lori's fittingly-subtitled "adventures in raising a fabulous, gender creative son", it is clear why this blog was adapted as a book, with over 1 million readers on the blog alone according to the website. A gripping, funny, emotional story, it was very interesting to see how Lori and her family reacted to C.J as he grew, changed, and broke standards with his non-conforming gender.

Bursting with personality, Lori Duron's writing is quite amusing, boasting quips that are pleasing to read such as describing C.J's 4th birthday party as a "multi-themed pink and purple fiesta". The writing is, for lack of a better word, fabulous. This style of writing really compliments the overall theme of the story: C.J is just a little boy who wants to be fabulous, no matter what people say about it, and it really makes this book a unique read.


Though it is nice to have a "play-by-play" look at the events that happened throughout C.J's Kindergarten year, I feel that the story stretched on for a while too long, reinforcing themes that we had already seen before. We know that C.J doesn't really like Hot Wheels like his older brother, he likes Barbie dolls. I feel that a lot of these 250+ pages could be condensed for a shorter, more time-efficient read, as it only comes across as repetitive at points.

It is clear that this book was not meant to be a story exclusively, as it is also an educational resource about "gender nonconforming" people, which can be very nice. The story occasionally uses gender-related terms such as "LGBTQ", meaning "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning", which I didn't know of before. The book also features resources for people who want to know more about the topic of being gay, transgender, or being under an "unorthodox" gender if readers wish to know additional information about it. Furthermore, there are "tips for educators" in the book that give advice on teaching students that are LGBTQ, and getting their fellow students to accept their differences.

For people that are interested in the topic the book revolves around, I would recommend "Raising my Rainbow" to learn more about people with more "complicated" genders. Not only is it a look on the Kindergarten life of C.J Duron, a gender-troubled child, from the view of his mother, but it also could teach the reader a thing or two about alternative sexualities/genders. It has the courage to go in-depth on a touchy subject in our society today, something I can respect a lot. Its roots as a first-person blog make for an experience that feels genuine, though it may feel a little too in-depth at times.

Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son, by Lori Duron, Broadway Books, September 3, 2013, 277 pages