In-Class Writing: BMB and Luna

I think that Boy Meets Boy and Luna are more obviously different in the way they portray coming out stories. In the utopian novel, Boy Meets Boy, the reader is taken on the journey that is Paul and Noah, two gay teenage boys who experience your “typical” relationship problems. From the beginning of the novel, it is made clear that Paul has a firm grasp on his own true identity and has no problem expressing it or being accepted by family and friends around him. Paul and Noah endure bumps in the road, like when Paul kisses his ex-boyfriend, but through romantic determination, end up happily together. Since both boys are secure with their sexual identity and don’t face major discrimination from those around them, this relationship is not much different than any other heterosexual one. Every relationship, no matter the sexuality, experiences ups and downs, and Paul and Noah are examples of just that. Contrary, from what can be seen so far in Luna, it is clear it is not a utopian novel, but rather a complex coming out story filled with uncertainty and confusion for transgender Luna. Liam knows that she is meant to be a girl, but is surrounded by parents and siblings who are in denial of who Liam really wants to be. It is evident that these stories tell two very different stories of coming out narratives: one filled with internal struggles while another is filled with love and romance.

Although both stories have several differences, both fail to incorporate a certain level of intersectionality. In both Boy Meets Boy and Luna, the characters come from what can be assumed to be middle-class white backgrounds. Coming out stories are unique to each individuals and their given backgrounds in no way delegitimizes their experiences, but both narratives fail to address another possible story. In many cases, individuals not only face oppression from their sexuality, but also from race, class, and other identities. By incorporating additional identities, the reader can further learn how intersectionality plays a major role in coming out narratives.

Despite each telling a different kind of coming out story, both novels contribute an important message. When thinking of a coming out narrative, most think of a tragic story filled with heartbreak and isolation, but Boy Meets Boy disproves that and portrays another image that a coming out narrative doesn’t have to be some horrible life ending experience, but rather, can be filled with love and happiness. It would be unrealistic to only tell the utopian story of Boy Meets Boy, so Luna shows the unfortunate, but true, battles individuals of the LGBTQ+ community endure in order to be who they truly are.