A Homophobic Slur Derails the Lives of Two Boys

Dayton and Farshid could hardly be more different, at least at first glance. Dayton is loud, self-assured, and used to slipping away with a quip. When he publicly calls a guest author homophobic in front of the entire school, he triggers a backlash that derails him. His friends drift away, his parents are left stunned. After all, to him it was only a word—a ten-letter insult, a supposedly stupid joke.
Meanwhile Farshid grapples with his feelings and with what it means to be queer. Dayton’s insult lands on him hard and unexpectedly. It sharpens fears he’d barely named before, forcing him to confront his own identity. For him too, it’s about shame, vulnerability, and society’s expectations of how a young man should live.

What kind of men do they want to become?

As the two boys’ paths cross, they confront the same questions: What kind of men do they want to become? Do they have the courage to take responsibility and leave behind others’ expectations? Their experiences differ, but both must figure out what a self-directed life can look like.
Adib Khorram tells in “One Word, Ten Letters” (Amazon affiliate link) about responsibility, identity, and the consequences of language. The novel examines not only the moment of insult but also the silence, the reactions of classmates, and the uncertainty that lingers afterward. The novel is now available from Hamburg-based Carlsen Verlag in a German translation by Christel Kröning as a 240-page paperback for 15 euros, as well as an E-book for 11.99 euros.

Adib Khorram is a queer American author of Iranian descent. His debut novel “Darius the Great Is Not Okay” was praised by critics and received several awards. A German edition also published “Darius Deserves More.” Khorram lives in Kansas City. When he isn’t writing, he tries to break his swimming record. (dd/pm)