Review: Two Henrys

Two Henrys by Kevin Allison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Two Henrys” is a compelling short story—one of four that comprise the collection of Amazon Original Stories entitled This Can’t Be Happening. Author Kevin Allison peels back layers of thick skin he developed as a child and relates his own experience at discovering he was gay and then coming out to his best friend, Ben. The story itself is riddled with facts that I found difficult to swallow, such as a three year old with a vague understanding of the fact that his emerging sexual identity is something that disturbs his mother. In the end, however, one must take Allison at his word that the events transpired as he remembers them.

As the parent of a lesbian teen, I found myself in tears reading about Allison’s periods of self-doubt as he attempted to conform to what he believed were societal norms. The cruelty of youth is something that is as disturbing as it is disheartening . As this story takes place in the 70s, one would like to think that we have come far enough in our evolutionary development that those who identify as LGBTQ are simply accepted. The truth of the matter is that the bias and hatred is still there, simmering just beneath the surface and stoked by our current political climate. What Allison experienced is still relevant today—and that is perhaps the most heartbreaking realization of all.

This is a read that isn’t necessarily masterfully written, or one that is full of great insight. What it is, however, is a story that will resonate with anyone who has struggled with the issue of identity—and all of the angst that accompanies it.

View all my reviews