Homophobia is a deeply concerning and unjust attitude that exists in our society. It is truly disheartening to witness such a high level of homophobia.

People who are homophobic often display irrational fear, hatred, or prejudice towards individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. This kind of behavior not only causes harm and distress to the LGBTQ+ community but also undermines the principles of equality, acceptance, and respect for all.

We need to actively work towards eradicating homophobia and creating a more inclusive and understanding world. This requires education, awareness-raising, and challenging our own biases and assumptions. By promoting acceptance and celebrating diversity, we can help to build a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Let us all do our part to combat homophobia and make the world a better place for everyone.

This book presented a rather complex picture with both its good and bad aspects.

It had the effect of compelling me to formulate an opposing stance to that of the author. Her utilization of words effectively conveyed her sincere perspective on how she feels.

Regrettably, she was writing from a rather homophobic vantage point, and it seemed as if she desired the reader to embrace Christianity.

As a reader myself, I found her writing style to be overly pushy and quite derogatory towards lesbians and gays.

I believe the fundamental concept she was attempting to communicate to her readers was that Christianity is the sole path in life, and that if one adheres to it, they will fully comprehend her book.

If you are gay or lesbian, I suspect this book could potentially wound your feelings.

Even if you are not Christian, you might feel offended simply by the fact that her religion loomed so large as a dominant concept within the book.

I must admit that I definitely did not engage with the book as deeply as I might have wished, precisely because I am not Christian.

Moreover, I could mount a strong argument, as I firmly believe that homosexuals deserve just as much respect as heterosexuals.

Before this book, my reading year had been truly amazing. I had already devoured 42 books and had five strong contenders for the best book of 2024. As a lesbian with a belief in a higher power, I knew this book was likely to irk me, but I had no inkling of just how much it would enrage me. I never imagined that after reading it, I would wake up in the night with my shoulders tightly tense and grinding my teeth in fury. I had no idea it would dredge up memories of some truly awful times in my life.

I've read my fair share of bad books and have been angry at authors before. But this is on a whole different level. It's not just about bad writing or disagreeing with someone's worldview. This is deeply personal. It's about every friend I lost after coming out. It's about every person who told me that God still loves me, or that I just haven't met the right boy, or that I'm an abomination. It's about everyone who has ever asked me who the man is in my relationship. It's about every straight girl who looked at me with terrified animal eyes, assuming that I must be attracted to them just because I'm a lesbian. (Get over yourself, sweetheart.) It's about every night I spent in my closet at sixteen, praying, sobbing, and begging to be straight. This book is like a nightmare I lived through, and I absolutely loathe it.

The fact that it's almost explicitly stated that Jess is gay because she was assaulted by a female counselor at camp is extremely insulting. Can we please stop with this bullshit narrative that people are gay because they were abused? Nobody ever abused me as a child; nothing "turned" me gay. On the very last page, the main character (and by extension, the author) says that "the world would be a mess if we all decided to become homosexual". Notice the word "decided". As if being gay is a fucking choice. Yeah, I'm totally choosing to lose friends and family. How delusional do you have to be to think that I would voluntarily choose to like women? When did you, Melody Carlson, make the choice to be straight?

I also despised how every lesbian in this book was butch and tough, and every gay boy was overly into fashion and only seemed to exist to prop up the straight characters ("I like gay boys better than lesbians", our main character says after being showered with compliments). Newsflash: not every gay person fits into a stereotype. There are plenty of very masculine gay men, as well as plenty of very feminine gay women (like me). (Also, most of the butch women I've known have been incredibly sweet. Just because someone looks tough doesn't mean they're automatically argumentative.) There is a whole spectrum of queerness.

"Hate" doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about this book. It was a triggering, poorly-written, boring, homophobic waste of paper.

It has been an incredibly long time since I last read this book. However, for the most part, I still have a vivid memory of what took place within its pages. I was feeling rather bored, and so I thought to myself, "Why not give it another go?"

I picked up this particular book because I was curious to explore the perspective of a Christian teenager and her views on homosexuality. Well, I got what I was looking for, but it ended up really ticking me off.

I can't say that I was truly surprised by Ramie's behavior, but I still can't bring myself to swallow the hatred that she exhibited. When her friend Jess comes out, Ramie completely freaks out. She cries, she throws up, and she demands, "WHERE DID MY BEST FRIEND GO???" Um... hello? Jess is right there in front of her. She just shared a piece of information that Ramie wasn't previously aware of.

I wasn't very sympathetic towards Ramie because she showed no sympathy at all. Jess is a teenage girl who is struggling with both her sexuality and her religion. Her devoutly Christian parents are unaccepting, her classmates treat her with contempt, and her supposed best friend, Ramie, ignores her like she's garbage. Yet, Ramie acts as if she's the victim! I just... I have no clue where all this self-pity is coming from. I understand that Ramie is confused about how to react to Jess, but it seems like Ramie is the one who is being beaten down, not Jess. Ramie just hangs out with her completely accepting friends, dates a cute guy, and tries to figure out what to do with Jess while simultaneously treating her horribly.

Poor, poor Ramie.

Still, the book does get a little better, and that includes Ramie. She starts to remember that it's not very Christian to treat even sinners like garbage.

Speaking of which, I can't really recall if I thought the portrayal of homosexuals was fair or not. I remember that there was a group of gays who were very bitter and seemed like they were out to get all those dreadful heterosexuals. That wasn't so great, but I guess I'd be ignorant if I said that those types don't exist. Jess and that other guy were pretty laid-back, so I suppose that's diverse enough. After all, homosexuals are just like us heterosexuals - many are wonderful people, and many are just a bit crazy.

Anyway... I couldn't give this book more than two stars. It's really difficult to give a book a high rating when the protagonist is so unlikable. It really ruins the overall experience.

When I initially embarked on reading this book, I harbored a certain degree of skepticism.

I had perused Melody Carlson's works previously, and I had come across numerous unfavorable reviews regarding this particular book.

To be fair, the book was engaging up to a certain juncture. However, as I delved deeper, I began to sense that it almost seemed to offer nothing substantial.

But then, as I reached the conclusion, something unexpected occurred. My eyes were opened wider than I had anticipated.

Overall, I would say that the book was good. It had its flaws, but it also had its redeeming qualities.

It managed to keep me hooked until the very end, and in the end, it left me with some food for thought.

Despite the initial doubts and the moments of feeling let down, I'm glad I gave this book a chance.

It served as a reminder that sometimes, we should not judge a book solely based on the reviews we read.

We should give it a fair chance and let our own opinions form as we progress through the pages.

I read this book legitimately like 15+ years ago. However, last night, it randomly crossed my mind. So, I had to scoot on over to Goodreads to give it the 1 star it barely deserves.

As a people-pleasing gay Christian, this book did an unbelievable amount of damage to pre-teen me. It probably kept me in the closet for even longer than I was already stuck in there. Hahahahha.

Looking back, I realize how harmful some literature can be. This book's message, whether intended or not, had a negative impact on my self-acceptance and journey of coming to terms with my identity.

It's important to be critical of the media and literature we consume, especially when it comes to topics as sensitive as sexuality and religion. We should strive to find books and resources that are inclusive, understanding, and promote healthy self-esteem and acceptance.

Maybe one day, I'll be able to look back on this experience with more forgiveness and understanding. But for now, I'll continue to speak out against harmful literature and advocate for a more positive and accepting world.

This was an interesting book,

yet I hold the view that it addressed homosexuality in an unbalanced manner.

There is no issue with Jessica having endured sexual abuse in the past,

but why didn't the author demonstrate that a significant number of GLBT individuals were not abused?

There were minor gay characters in the book,

so why couldn't Carlson expand on one of them to present a gay teen with a happy childhood?

Moreover, Ramie is rather irritating and un-Christian for the majority of the book.

Jesus would not advocate cutting friends out of one's life simply because of their sexual orientation.

It seems that the author could have done a better job of presenting a more comprehensive and accurate portrayal of the GLBT community,

rather than focusing solely on the negative aspects or making one-sided judgments.

This would have made the book more engaging and thought-provoking for a wider range of readers.

Perhaps in future works, the author could consider a more inclusive and nuanced approach to this important topic.

Many of us do get confused at times. It's a common experience that often leaves us feeling a bit lost and disoriented. But this confusion is an inherent part of how the world and our emotions work.

The world is a complex and ever-changing place, filled with countless stimuli and information. Our emotions, on the other hand, are equally intricate, influenced by a multitude of factors such as our past experiences, current circumstances, and personal beliefs.

When we encounter new situations or challenges, our minds may struggle to make sense of it all. This can lead to confusion as we try to figure out the best way to respond. However, it's important to remember that confusion is not a negative thing. It can be a catalyst for growth and learning, pushing us to explore new perspectives and expand our understanding.

By embracing our confusion and being open to new possibilities, we can begin to navigate the complex world and our emotions more effectively. We can learn to trust our instincts and make decisions that are in line with our values and goals.

In conclusion, while confusion may be a part of our lives, it doesn't have to hold us back. Instead, we can use it as an opportunity to gain greater self-awareness and develop the skills we need to thrive in an ever-changing world.

I started off with an absolute hatred for this book. Ramie was truly the biggest witch. When she immediately judged and disowned Jess, I had this intense urge to reach right into the book and punch her in the face.

Thankfully, the story did get a bit better as it progressed. However, overall, it just left me feeling really sad. I'm truly not sure which stance Melody Carlson was attempting to take here.

At one point, it seemed as if the book was going to end with the message of "let people be who they are and love them anyway." But then, right at the very end, Ramie confesses that she still thinks she can "save" Jess. I completely disagree with that. It's about who a person is - you simply can't change it or be "saved" in that sense.

The Christians depicted in this book were truly appalling. It's individuals like them who give the impression to others that Christians are a bunch of bigoted a-holes.

Overall, this was most definitely the worst installment of the TrueColors series.

Holy fucking shit!

I was engaged in creating a “books that made me” Instagram post. All of a sudden, it dawned on me that I had completely suppressed this one for decades. But now, it has hit me like a brick, vividly reminding me of numerous hurtful aspects of my teen years and just how damaging the church could be.

To cut a long story short, this book is part of a series that purportedly “addresses” tough topics such as mental illness, sexuality, and substance use for teens, yet from an incredibly harmful Christian perspective. I was recommended this book by someone, but I can't recall who. Thank goodness I don't remember them right now. Oh well, jokes on them. I'm still gay and dealing with mental illness. LOL! Fuck this author and all her stupid shitty books!

This experience has really made me reflect on the lasting impact of such harmful literature and how it can shape our perspectives and experiences in ways we may not even realize at the time.

Ok, this is probably one of the hardest postings I have to make, since the topic in question is oh-so controversial.

I’ve always been a big fan of Melody Carlson, especially the first series I read – the True Color series. Now, Bright Purple, which I just bought for my sis and I, deals with the topic of homosexuality. For some reason, this book seemed to attract quite some negative reviews on goodreads.com (there weren’t enough ratings on librarything.com for me, small sample sizes are not very accurate).

But anyway, concerning the book: I loved it. Sure, Ramie starts off as more-than-slightly homophobic, but that’s because she needs to make the character transition. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a plot. Apart from that, her over-the-top reaction to her best friend coming out of the closet is to let others (presumably) understand how she feels.

The other issue that seems to come up is how homosexuals are unfairly demonized as militaristic and pushing an agenda. Now, speaking as someone outside the US, I think I can say with all fairness that that is probably true. It is true that they do have an agenda they are pushing. The net is a fairly terrible filter, so I end up reading all points of view and can form my own judgments. As far as I can see, they are not a purely victimized group.

The ending feels realistic too. It’s fairly unresolved except for one point – that no matter what, she needs to continue loving Jessica unconditionally while she encourages her to follow God’s will and pray for God to rescue her.

Now, on to the whole born-vs-choice issue. It’s been bugging me about whether people are really born this way so I did a bit of research. From what I read, it can all be summed up by what Byne’s says that ‘what evidence exists thus far of innate biological traits underlying homosexuality is flawed’[1]. In fact, social and physiological factors seem to play a larger role than any biological factors.

In short, you’re not born that way.

But needless to say, I think Bright Purple by Melody Carslon should be read by everyone. To my friends who are gay, well, I’m praying for you. You know what I think and you know that I have never judged you intentionally. But still, that doesn’t mean that I won’t tell you the truth, even though it may hurt.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Byne, W., 1994. The biological evidence challenged. Scientific American 270(5):26-31, p. 26.

One day, at the food court in the mall, Ramie's best friend Jess makes a shocking announcement.

"I'm a lesbian," Jess says. Ramie is completely taken aback. This is Jess, her teammate, the girl she has shared countless slumber parties with every night.

Now, Ramie is left wondering what will happen. She can't bring herself to even hang out with Jess because of this "dirty little secret." But the truth is, Jess needs Ramie's help during this strange change in her life.

Ramie, however, treats Jess like an enemy and refuses to talk to her. But what will Ramie do when the whole school finds out and bullies start to target Jess?

This novel by Melody Carlson offers a unique look into the lesbian world and teaches teens about acceptance, friendship, and the importance of being there for one another during difficult times.