Straight Expectations: The Story of a Family in Transition by Peggy Cryden

Straight Expectations: The Story of a Family in Transition by Peggy Cryden

Review by Lauren

source: copy from Netgalley; all opinions are my own

Official Summary: Ever since they were young, Peggy Cryden noticed her children's gender expression did not correspond with society's expectations of their biological gender. In this moving and honest memoir, Peggy details the experiences and challenges of raising both a gay son and a gay, transgender son and shares her family's journey of adversity and growth, which has helped inform her work as a psychotherapist.

Review: I'm glad to have been given the chance to read this book. It was a very well done memoir. The writing style was easy to read and follow. It's almost conversational. In the beginning, it does focus a lot on Cryden's own life growing up, and while this was interesting, I still found myself more eager to hear about her sons. After all, that was the aspect of the book that made me most interested in reading Straight Expectations!

It was heartbreaking to hear about all that her two sons had to endure growing up, but it was also great to see how they grew and become wonderful young men. The book focuses on a transgender son, a gay son, a son with OCD and a eating disorder, and more. The author doesn't shy away from these topics. She's open and honest. This is a good book to read whether you know a lot about LGBT+ youth already or not.