Shampoo Unicorn

     Shampoo Unicorn 🦄 is one of the books in which the setting plays as large a role as the characters. We're talking small Southern town, the kind Trump would have swept with his MAGA talk. Sports, especially football, reign supreme. Varsity male athletes just about walk on water as far as fans are concerned. Patriotism is required. And religion is Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God meets Republican family values. There are some things that  royally piss off Angry God. Anything that deviates from CIS hetero seems to top the list.

     The three narrators unfortunately have to live there. Brian is one of the hosts of a podcast, Shampoo Unicorn, that deals with "the hell that is being a high school queer in small-town rural America". Greg is a gridiron 🏈 star with pretty big secrets. His bitter father is abusive to him and his nother. He's as gay as Brian. Leslie, who lives in a nearby town, is a she trapped in a he body who can only be herself online and must make up incentives to keep on getting up.

     But then:

     Greg is caught being intimate with another  boy. Both are expelled from school.

     Crossing a parking lot after a job interview Greg is nearly killed in what's either a hit and run or a hate crime. He languishes in a coma. 

     Brian starts using his real name in his podcast.

     Leslie comes out to her mother. 

     Shampoo Unicorn 🦄 is an ultimately uplifting narrative about creating community in the midst of prejudice and hatred. I recommend this fine book for public, high school, and college libraries. Many queer students in higher education face high parental pressure to stay in the closet. Imagine being 18 and being told that if you come out or transition your parents will either stop paying your tuition or not let you come home. 

On a purrrsonal note, I had a fabulous weekend. Saturday morning my friend Catherine and I made a Goodwill run. Among other finds I snagged the purrrfect chair for outside reading. Then Amber and Brian threw a wonderful family barbecue. All my kids and their significant others were there. It was for sure quality time. As always Brian was the chef extraordinaire. His veggie kebabs were out of this world 🌎. 

And now the answer to my riddle: today I got my first tattoo. I used the money from my drag show tips. It was a cat of course. I totally adore it. I'll post a picture tomorrow. 

Jules Hathaway 

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