What Is the Queer Retelling of The Great Gatsby?

A classic reimagined through a queer lens

So, I’ll be honest—I didn’t think The Great Gatsby needed a retelling. Like, we’ve all read it in high school, right? Glitz, green light, Gatsby pining for Daisy... the whole thing. But then I stumbled across Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore and suddenly the idea of a queer reimagining made total sense.

It’s not just a rehash with rainbow flags slapped on. It’s deeper, layered, and honestly—kinda brilliant. And if you’ve ever read Gatsby and felt like something queer was bubbling under the surface (Nick and Gatsby’s vibes, anyone?), you’re definitely not alone.

What is Self-Made Boys about?

A trans and Latinx take on Gatsby’s world

McLemore’s Self-Made Boys isn’t just a retelling—it’s a total reframe. Set in 1920s New York, yes, but here’s the twist: Nick Carraway is trans, newly arrived in NYC, and still navigating his identity. Gatsby? Also trans. And Latinx. And dazzling in his way, with all the mystery and magnetism we know from the original.

The plot echoes the familiar beats: lavish parties, impossible love, old money vs. new—but the emotional undercurrents hit different. Like, I actually teared up at scenes that felt like quiet victories. Moments of self-recognition. That stuff? It matters.

Why a queer Gatsby even makes sense

Reading between Fitzgerald’s lines

Okay, so here’s the thing—I always felt like there was something a little… off? In a good way? About Nick’s obsession with Gatsby. It’s never stated outright, but c’mon. The admiration, the longing, the way he talks about Gatsby’s smile… it’s intense.

I was just talking to my friend Ravi about this. He teaches lit, and he said, “Nick’s queerness has always been there—it just wasn’t safe to say it out loud when the book came out.” And when you think about it like that, this retelling isn’t some radical rewrite—it’s a restoration. A bringing-to-light of subtext that’s been there all along.

Queerness in the Roaring Twenties

And don’t forget—1920s New York wasn’t just champagne and jazz. There were queer spaces, drag balls, underground clubs. People were finding themselves, even if the world wasn’t ready. That’s what Self-Made Boys taps into so well. It shows that queer people didn’t just exist back then—they thrived, they dreamed, they built secret worlds of their own.

How it changes the emotional weight of the story

Identity becomes the core, not just the backdrop

In Fitzgerald’s Gatsby, so much is about reinvention, right? Gatsby creating himself, trying to fit in with the old-money crowd. In Self-Made Boys, that theme hits harder—because gender and race are part of that self-making.

Nick isn’t just watching Gatsby from afar anymore—he’s figuring himself out too. There’s this one scene (I won’t spoil it too much) where Nick really sees Gatsby for who he is, and it’s not about money or flash. It’s about shared survival. That’s powerful.

The love story shifts—thankfully

Honestly? I never liked Daisy much. In this retelling, the romantic dynamics are queerer, softer, more complex. And because the story centers trans characters written by a queer Latinx author, it doesn’t fall into tragedy porn or tokenism. There’s pain, sure—but also joy. Choice. Possibility.

Is it for everyone?

Well… I mean, not if you think Gatsby should stay a perfectly preserved white-straight-male relic forever. But if you’re open to seeing a beloved classic through a different, much-needed lens? Then yeah. Self-Made Boys is worth your time.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first. I’ve read some “remixes” that felt forced, you know? Like someone just CTRL-F’ed the gender and called it a day. But McLemore’s work is careful, poetic, and emotionally honest. I believed every page.

Final thoughts: it’s Gatsby, but queerer—and better for it

So if you’ve been wondering what the queer retelling of The Great Gatsby is—it’s Self-Made Boys. And it’s not just queer for the sake of it. It’s queer because Gatsby was always queer-coded. Because reinvention is queer. Because longing and identity and building something from nothing? Those are our stories too.

And honestly, it made me fall in love with Gatsby all over again—just not the version I thought I knew.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.