#I Think Our Son Is Gay

[snalsupremacy]

12 MANGA BY LGBT+ CREATORS

Happy pride month!! My time has come. Years of seeking lgbt manga lead me some great finds, and here's all the ones written by openly LGBT mangaka!

1- Our Dreams At Dusk by Yuhki Kamitani, an asexual x-gender creator!

A classic in the lgbt manga niche. Literally google "lgbt manga" and you'll find this one in the top results. It's popular for a reason! Starting Tasuku, a gay teen, the manga deals with members of the queer community from all walks of life living in a small town, and how being queer impact their lives. Yuhki Kamitani's poetic and abstract story telling abilities enhances a simple story line into one of the best emotional roller-coasters you'll ever ride on. TW: Attempt suicide, mentions of said attempt, groping of a minor, lots of homophobia

2- I Think Our Son is Gay by Okura, a gay creator!

An ADORABLE story about a progressive mom trying to learn more about how to support her closeted gay son without making it obvious that she knows. Super sweet and adorable, and the author's notes were so touching! queer joy all around

TW: Discussions and verbal displays of homophobia

3- Boys Run The Riot by Keito Gaku, a transmasc creator!

Another classic in this niche. The story follows a trans boy named Ryo who bonds with the trouble student Jin over men's fashion, and together they decide to start a fashion brand. It's refreshing to see the struggles of a trans boy portrayed so genuine and authentically.

TW: Gender dysphoria, outing

4- My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Kabi Nagata, a lesbian creator!

Kabi Nagata is an biographical essayist that publishes all her work in manga form. In one of her most popular works, My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness, Kabi tells the series of the events that led her to sleeping with a lesbian sex worker. Bold and authentic, Kabi has no fear to portray the ugly and fucked up parts of mental illness, in turn crafting an intimate and touching story.

TW: Self-harm, eating disorder, lots of discussions of mental illness, sexuality, and gender.

5- The Bride was a Boy by Chii, a transfem creator!

The biographical tale of the author, Chii, from realizing she's trans to meeting her husband, all told through 4-koma stories! The adorable chibi art-style and light-heartedness of this manga is sure to warm anyone's hearts! It's great to see the story of a trans woman told in such an optimistic and happy way. Details like the pop-ups of information about LGBT and Trans issues to the game-board illustrating her transition journey really show how proud Chii is of her identity, as she should!

TW: None that I remember

6- My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame, a gay creator!

The #1 non-sexual Bara, made by the #1 bara author. Tagame may be more known for his NSFW works, but his first SFW serialization shows the experience he's gained through the decades working on manga, even winning multiple awards (-) . After single father Yaichi's estranged brother passed away, Yaichi gets visited by his Canadian husband, Mike. A beautiful and sweet story of dealing with loss and overcoming homophobia, ft the cutest little child character and a very healthy divorced couple!

TW: Nudity (Technically non-sexual, but Tagame is a bear and it shows), Grief and loss of a loved one

7- To Strip The Flesh by Oto Toda, a transmasc creator!

An anthology book of various stories by Toda. The first of which, To Strip the Flesh (Where the manga gets its namesake) is inspired by the author's experience with dysphoria and coming out as a trans men. Toda was the assistant of Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Men) during the serialization of Fire Punch.

TWs: Gender Dysphoria, gore, mutilation (no blood shown), house invasion, nudity, hunting and skinning of animals, gunshot wound, mysoginy

8-Gay Fuuzoku no Mochigi-san - Sexuality Is Life - by Mochigi, a gay creator!

Originally published on Twitter, Mochigi tells of his experience running away from home and coming to work in the bustling Shinjuku Ni-Chome, Tokyo's gay neighborhood. Through his sex work and work in gay bars, Mochigi tells an authentic story of the ups and downs of the gay culture in Tokyo.

TWs: Though not visually graphic, it goes into a lot of details about gay sex work

9- Vassalord by Nanae Chrono, a transmasc creator!

Y'all aren't ready for the synopsis... ok so this cyborg vampire who works for the Vatican is frenemies with this fuckboy vampire. They fight then make up then kiss and break-up (YOU!). Together they go on missions set by the church. Extremely emo and edgy vampires, actually really great action, and all the charm of early 2000's BL, now with extra blood! Nanae Chromo came out on twitter as trans only recently, and many news sources including Anime List still lists him as Female unfortunately.

TW: Bloody fights, enough homoeroticism to make your teeth rot

10- X-Gender by Asuka Miyazaki, a X-gender creator!

Miyazaki (AFAB) realizes at age 33 that they not only are X-gender, but like woman as well! The relatable and awkward biographical story of the author's experiences and new discoveries about their identity and the community. The manga also takes the time to explain all the terms used in the LGBT community, making it very accessible to those out of the loop! Also, the art-style is very cute.

TW: Lots of talks about sex and gender, possibly other things as I have not read it yet

11- Why I Adopted my Husband by Yuta Yagi, a gay creator!

The cute auto biography of Yuta and Kyota, a gay couple who have been dating for almost 20 years. The manga talks about not only their relationship, but also what it's like to live as a gay couple in Japan, and the draws and benefits of adoption as a way to seek the same legal rights of straight couples.

TWs: None

• Final Word •

I made this list to celebrate all the brave people who are open about their identities, but I also wanna point out that there are incredible LGBT manga out there written by anonymous or even straight creators!

Happy pride month to everyone but specially all the people living in places where it's not safe to be openly LGBT, everyday that you breathe is an act of rebellion, and we should be proud of that!

Here's a quickie of some other LGBT manga that didn't make the list for some reason or another- hmu if u want more details on them or just wanna talk about lgbt manga in general!

[skribbled]

Got the last volume!

Ok so I just go the last volume and.

THEY ACTUALYY CONFIRMED IT!!?!. I guess it was pretty obvious, but given how manga usually is, I was sure I would have to just leave it as a headcannon ><

Im honestly pretty glad they explicitly showed this because i feel the approach this manga takes a lot of the time with just showing Tomoko’s perspective and leaving what exactly the boys are feeling and going through somewhat ambiguous doesn’t feel as great when its applied to an orientation so often erased and ignored like asexuality.

[chiyopom]

I think our son is gay

.

Happy pride month!!

.

I love this story so much!!! I'm sad it's over :(((

[franticvampirereads]

This was so sweet. Like, sweeter than I was expecting. I loved that Hiroki wasn’t really subtle about being gay, but he also wasn’t ready to tell his parents. I also loved that Tomoko, the mom, knew or at least had an idea that her son was gay, and was ready to jump in with love and support the second her son was ready to tell her. She was so enthusiastic and encouraging and was also ready to throw hands if someone hurt her son. This was so fun and it had me giggling to myself the whole time I was reading. This is getting five out of five stars.

[sol-em-gemeos]

[immoren]

[cosmic-zer0]

Finished reading The Summer Hikaru Died vol 4 and I Think Our Son Is Gay vol 5 today 🥹 TSHD gave me all kinds of emotions and ITOSIG healed my heartbreak. I really wish I owned more GL but it’s hard to find GL with butch/masc characters or just girls I feel like I can relate to… and I really want GL/GL-coded horror (like Jennifer’s Body or like TSHD/HGSN but with girls) but it’s also hard to find that. At least I haven’t found any so far :/

Anyway, I can’t wait for TSHD/HGSN vol 5. And I need another manga/graphic novel/etc to read while I wait. Idk what genre to read though. Maybe I’ll continue with BL-adjacent books like Banana Fish, or Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation or Cherry Magic! But I kinda want to pick from a different genre. Maybe continue Soul Eater or start reading the physical copies of Noblesse?

[mazojo]

Shoutout to Tomoko for being the most mom ever

[queer-and-dear-books]

Title: I Think Our Son Is Gay

Author: Okura

Genre: Comics | Family | Friendship | LGBTQ+

Content Warnings: Slight Homophobia

Overall Rating: 10/10

Personal Opinion: A wholesome story about acceptance, unconditional love, and unrelenting support. Told from the perspective of a mother who thinks her teenage son is gay (and he definitely is), you will absolutely fall in love with how she learns about the best ways to support her son and unlearn certain behaviors and thoughts. I truly wish and hope that every queer kid has a parent like this mom.

Do I Own These Books? Yes! I own the first four volumes!

Spoilers Below For My Likes & Dislikes:

Likes:

- First of all, I think these comics are incredibly relatable. Personally, for me, Hiroki represents my queer experience growing up. I don’t care for male idols much but I adore female idols. I fall for more masculine-presenting people. And I have definitely looked up “muscle men” on the internet when I was thirteen. Not everything about Hiroki is relatable. Some things are exaggerated for comedic effect obviously, like when he gets super-focused on attractive masculine men. But even then, I feel like he’s representing my inner thoughts and I appreciate that.

- Obviously the best part of the manga is the mother’s undying love and support for her son. She wasn’t thrilled when she first found out he might be gay but she realized, if he wasn’t hurt or hurting others, then there’s nothing wrong with him being gay. She makes mistakes, she slips up, but above all else, her love for her son will prevail in the end and she will respect him and any choices that he may or may not make. That’s the ideal kind of parent to me. 

- But the other best part is Yuri, the little brother. I adore him so much. Because he knows (or suspects) that Hiroki is gay as well and doesn’t care. But when someone tries to pry into Hiroki’s life, Yuri is there to defend him. There’s a scene where Hiroki’s dad is grilling him about something and Yuri gives Hiroki an out by saying Hiroki isn’t obligated to tell the dad anything. He’s such a smart and kind boy and I love that he and Hiroki have such a healthy relationship as siblings. I think that further shows that their mother did a great job raising the two of them.

- Hiroki’s obvious crush on Daigo is adorable. He sees Daigo as this cool and dependable person that is capable of doing anything he sets his mind to. But he doesn’t treat Daigo like a machine that will do anything for them like their classmates do. To him, Daigo is a friend first and foremost and he treats Daigo as such and it’s so wholesome. I love how he treasures gifts, photos, and words from Daigo because I would be the same.

- However, that being said, I love how Hiroki took a step back when Daigo got a girlfriend. He didn’t panic or cry or get angry about it. Throughout the series, he’s depicted as a very emotional person but he’s also very emotionally mature. He wants Daigo to hang out with his girlfriend and he wants Daigo to be happy even if that means not being together romantically. I find that so sweet.

- Toono-san! An actual, confirmed, explicitly stated gay man exists in this manga. He has a partner and he’s open about that if he’s asked about it. He has his past and his problems but he’s happy and that’s all I could want for a queer character. For them to be thriving. Best of all, he’s Hiroki’s mom’s co-worker and I find it so adorable how she comes to him when she needs advice about raising her son or a queer perspective on her son’s experiences. But she also learns through him that gay men aren’t a monolith, not all of them are going to act or react the same way in a situation as another. And I just love that.

- This manga series is so education for queers and non-queers alike and I think just about everyone should read it.

Dislikes:

- The older lady co-worker who said, “What a waste that he’s gay” about Tonoo-san. I hate those words. She also stereotyped him later on when she learned he was gay. But you know what, this story isn’t about her. It’s about what we can learn not to do from microaggressions like her’s.

- I’m not sure I’m a fan of Hiroki’s dad. I just have to hope that his love for his sons will overcome any judgment and prejudice he may hold against queer people. I also hope that his wife calls him out on his bullshit more. Overall, I do appreciate his character’s presence and what it adds to the narrative.

[hatsumishinogu]

Uchi no Musuko wa Tabun Gay Vol.5 (end)

[franticvampirereads]

March has been such a good reading month! I think I’ve found several contenders for my favorite book of the year and maybe even a favorite series for the year. So here’s what I read this month:

Headcase 5⭐️ {review}

Headcase bonus epilogue 4⭐️

Like Real People Do 5⭐️ {review}

I Hear The Sunspot vol 2 4⭐️ {review}

Like You’ve Nothing Left To Prove 5⭐️ {review}

Strawberry Kisses 4⭐️ {review}

System Collapse 4⭐️ {review}

The Deep & Dark Blue 5⭐️ {review}

I Think Our Son Is Gay vol 1 5⭐️ {review}

Power Plays & Straight A’s - currently reading

My favorite books this month were Like Real People Do and The Deep & Dark Blue! Both were amazing. 😊

[gayanimebitches]

THE SAME PICTURE

[fungusbollocks]

just read the manga “I Think Our Son is Gay”

it was pretty heart warming

about a supportive mother doing her best to look out for her son who’s in the closet (made out of the thinnest glass possible)

its a pretty good read with short chapters, i enjoyed reading it

[carriagelamp]

This month I managed to read a few Classic Children's Novels that I've been meaning to get around to for years, so it was very satisfying to finally have them checked off my list!

Early Man: Junior Novelization

This is a novelization of the Aardman film, in which you learn about the secret neolithic origins of football/soccer, in which a timid, bumbling clan of Stone Age cavemen find themselves being overwhelmed by an all powerful Bronze Age empire… a Bronze Age empire that loves football. The only way to save their valley will be for the cavemen to somehow learn this strange new sport and beat the Bronze Age champions.

I really enjoy this movie and I often enjoy a novelization, so I thought I’d see how this one was. And it was… fine. It pretty well expresses the movie in simple language, with no shocks and surprises — though it was Americanized which always gets my goat. If something is written in British English just leave the damn thing in British English, especially if one of the key concepts is football/soccer, it just becomes jarring to “soccer” when the whole movie refers to it as “football” smh

Elmer and the Dragon // The Dragons of Blueland

I read the first book of this trilogy — My Father’s Dragon — a couple months ago because of the Netflix film and quite enjoyed it. These next two books were… fine. The first felt quite fresh and interesting and charming, in which a young boy called Elmer ventures to Wild Island to try to save a baby dragon that’s been imprisoned by the animals there. These next two are a direct continuation of that adventure, but honestly just feel more like additional chapters more than anything, they don’t really stand on their own. In Elmer and the Dragon, Elmer and the baby dragon escape Wild Island and end up having a little adventure with some birds who have a strange mystery on their island. In The Dragons of Blueland, Elmer is called back by the baby dragon to help save his family who are being hunted and are trapped in a cave. 

Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation 3

I adore this series, and I’ve talked about it at length before. I can’t believe that this book almost entirely took place in the past and never resolved the cliffhanger from the end of book two, but it just as me desperate to get my hands on the fourth book. The way all the different layers of the past are gradually being woven together to not only give answers but to actually raise more questions is really well done and makes it really satisfying to track how all these different characters connect to each other, and who knows what, and what events happened before and after other events…

I Think Our Son Is Gay

Just a very cute little manga about a housewife who suspects that her son may be gay. The son hasn’t come out yet, and is doing his best to try to cover it up, though he is sweet and very easy to read and not a terribly good liar. This is just the cutest slice of life — the mother accepts her son completely and is supporting him from the background until he’s ready to come out himself.

Julián Is A Mermaid

A lovely and loving picture book about a little boy who is completely enthralled by mermaids. He does his best to get dressed up as one, making a horrible mess in the process. However, when his abuela finds him and the mess, rather than being upset, she helps him perfect his costume and encourages him to do the things that make him feel happy and excited. All about self-love and passions and how children might express themselves in different ways.

I find some books like this can occasionally feel less like fun stories a child would enjoy and more like a lecture directed at adults who are already familiar with the topic, but this one is a perfect balance. It has a message to share, but the art is wonderful and dynamic, and the story is one a child could enjoy and relate to.

My Dress-Up Darling v1

I’ve had a hard month, so my brother bought me the first book of this as a happy day present because he thought it was funny. It definitely was and I think I’ll pick up the next book, it made me giggle out loud.

This story is about a boy who is learning the art of making traditional hina dolls from his dollmaker grandfather. While he loves the work, and is excited to be ready to work on more than just the clothing, he feels like a misfit for this unusual passion. Things change though when he finds his sewing skills suddenly being called for by a classmate who has her own odd passion -- a video game character that she desperately wants to cosplay. It's very cute, very silly, and is absolutely chock full of fanservice if you enjoy some gratuitous, silly sexiness along with romcom.

Nick and Charlie

Like many people I’ve been enjoying the Heartstopper graphic novel series, and finally picked up this little novella that Oseman had written years ago about a snapshot into Nick and Charlie’s relationship. This novella takes place in the lead up to Nick going off to university — Nick’s excited and Charlie’s anxiety over being left behind or forgotten is at an all time high. It was a very sweet and very quick read, I enjoyed settling down with it.

The Secret of Platform 13

I’ve often heard this book called a clear inspiration behind Harry Potter and have always meant to read it — well, now I finally have! I really enjoyed The Secret of Platform 13 and would highly recommend it to anyone that wants a book that reads like good, old-school, children’s low fantasy. I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a fantasy novel that gave me quite this feeling in a long time.

There is a magical world kept hidden safely away from the mundane world, where humans and magical beings are able to live together in safe and happy harmony. Every few years though, a door between the worlds open for a few days, giving a chance for people to crossover. During one of these moments, the newly born prince is brought over… and kidnapped, disappearing into the mundane world and unable to be rescued before the closing of the door. The magical kingdom waits many anxious years for the door to open once more, so that an intrepid rescue party can be sent out to save the lost, kidnapped prince…

Shaun the Sheep: The Flock Factor // The Beast of Soggy Moor

I really love these little Shaun the Sheep novels, between the art and the silly, cute writing style they really capture all the great things about the show. I had read a few of them a couple years back, and decided to finish off the series.

These books are all about Shaun, the de facto leader of the farm’s sheep flock, who is always coming up with schemes and plots and pranks. Along with him is the rather bumbling sheep flock, always ready for some mischief, Bitzer the overworked sheepdog who is just trying to keep order, and the completely clueless Farmer who manages to get into just as much trouble as his flock.

Stuart Little // The Trumpet of the Swan

I got onto an E. B White kick at the end of the winter holidays, because I have read Charlotte’s Web a hundred times, but haven’t read his other two children’s novels. I will say, I can see why it’s Charlotte’s Web that has really stood the test of time while the other two have become a bit more of a footnote. Both were enjoyable reads, but I wouldn’t bother recommending either unless someone really wanted a classic children’s novel to read.

The Trumpet of the Swan is about a trumpeter swan who is born without a voice. Determined to find ways to communicate, Louis goes through a variety of adventures, in which he befriends a human boy, learns how to print, is gifted a trumpet, gets employed at a summer camp, and even saves his love from a zoo. There’s some bits I really like, but then there’s other bits that don’t quite sit right, especially towards the end. It’s a mixed bag in my opinion.

Stuart Little I found particularly disappointing, especially because I assumed it would be like the film that came out in the aughts. Instead, Stuart Little is more episodic than possessing an overarching story, in which the mouse Stuart, born to a human family, goes through a series of odd misadventures that a mouse can get into. Once again, I found the ending weird… E. B. White just has a kind of weird fixation about love and I don’t love how it’s expressed in these children’s books. It feels out of place and frankly uninteresting. Honestly, I’d rather just rewatch the movie.

[itspeanutlove]

I just finished reading the last chapter of I Think Our Son Is Gay by Okura, and... I love it. I think it's possibly one of the best lgbt-focused series I've ever consumed because this almost brought me to tears. The only reason I didn't start crying from happiness was because I was petting my dog and I didn't want him to worry!

My favourite character aside from the mom has to be the little brother, purely because I relate to him! Asexuality isn't talked about much in media, least of all by characters who aren't villains (like Alastor from Hazbin Hotel, though he's still a cool character). So seeing an asexual character who is actually a good person is pretty cool!

Anyway, loved this manga, highly recommend!

[rottentuperware]

Same picture.