Drinking Coffee Elsewhere Analysis

Come Out or Not Sexuality is a topic that is discussed in some young adult literature. As Sandra Hughes-Hassell discusses in her article “Multicultural Young Adult Literature as a Form of Counter-Storytelling,” there need to be more stories that illustrate the oppressed young people’s struggles with sexuality. In the stories “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,” by ZZ Packer and “The Alumni Interview”, by David Levithan, both protagonists are dealing with their sexuality, but in different ways. In these stories, both protagonists make choices based on their view of their sexuality that impacts their love life, their education, and the adults they are forced to associate with. In both narratives, the protagonists seem to sexually prefer the same

In “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere”, Dina is required to talk with a psychiatrist because of a comment she makes during a meet and greet session. The psychiatrist is trying to help her understand, accept, and love who she is. When he starts to question her sexuality, she pretends to be someone else and even makes up a lie about being kissed by a boy. Dina becomes very defensive when she feels he is asking if she is gay and Packer writes, “Pretending. I believe the professional name for it might be denial,” “I said.” “Are you calling me gay” (313)? If she can be open and admit she is gay, their conversation can take a different path and maybe help her accept her sexuality. Unlike Dina, Ian is required to speak with an alumnus to be accepted by the college he wishes to attend. He must pretend to be the type of person this interviewer think is suitable for the college. Since he already knows Thom’s father is against someone being gay, he is forced to pretend to be someone else. This causes stress for Ian because he accepts his sexuality and so does his parents, which is evident when Levithan writes Ian’s thoughts, “My father isn’t like you at all. So don’t tell me it’s normal parent behavior” (114). As the interview progresses and Mr. Wright, the interviewer starts to talk down to Ian, Thom comes into the room to defend Ian. Because of Thom, Ian is able to show his