Log 3

I read Chapter 2, called “Bad Neighbours.” This chapter mainly describes the days that new neighbors moved next to Fugue's house. One day, Sam went to greet a boy named David, the same age as Sam. However, the conversation quickly turned hostile and ended on a sour note. Surprisingly, David said that Jason was transgender in front of the whole class, causing quite a stir. He was the first to reveal it to the world. This chapter also includes conflicts within Fugue's family. the mother, who worked in the Cabinet and faced social pressures, didn’t understand Jason’s coming out as transgender. She responded with strong denial and indifference. The father and Sam also didn’t understand why Jason believed he was a female, but the father sided with the mother, while Sam wanted to talk more with his elder brother and understand his thoughts

The most impressive part in this chapter was the mother, who wanted to protect the family, viewed this as something as serious as if Jason had committed murder, saying they must hide it forever. Jason asked, “Do you think being transgender is just as bad as being a murderer?” My heart tightened at that moment. I could feel how sad, disappointed, and angry Jason must have been hearing such words. It was as hurtful as when my mother once said to me, “I wish I had never given birth to you.” To hear such deeply wounding words from someone who was the closest to us, it felt like my heart was shattered, leaving me helpless. As for David revealing Jason’s transgender identity to the class, trying to humiliate Sam, David is depicted as a bully who maintained his status by exploiting others’ secrets to assert his superiority. This made it very relatable because everyone including me must have encountered someone like this during our school years.