Augusten “Christopher” Burroughs was born October 23, 1965 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is considered a Screenwriter, memoirist, and essayist. When Augusten was only in the sixth grade he dropped out of school. At the age of 17, he went and got his GED. Just like his father Augusten struggled with alcoholism. At that moment he began to write more and publish his personal memoirs. In addition to writing Scissors, he wrote a second memoir, which he named Dry. This talked about his experience during and after treatment for alcoholism. He also wrote Magical Thinking and Possible Side Effects. Growing up in the 21st century, Augusten still faced problems with his sexuality. He was not able to be as open as he wished with his boyfriend (gay marriage). He struggled with not being able to marry his lover. Augusten continues to write memoirs and is recognized as having one of the best top selling memoirs in the year 2002.

Augusten Burroughs

Son of Deirdre, a mentally unstable poet, and Norman, and abusive and alcoholic father. Augusten grew up wanting to become just like his mother. He never wanted to go to school. Him and his mom would always make up excuses for him to skip while they stayed home and had fun. Augusten never had a normal childhood. At a very young age his parents began to split and his father soon walked out on him. His mother who was depressed about her own problem hired a physicist. When his mother started to realized that she was not capable of raising her son, she sent Augusten to live with her physicist. While living in that house he tries to find his true identity. At the age of 13 he realizes that he is homosexual and begins relations with a 33 year old Neil. While struggling to find himself, he has to also look out for his unstable mother, crazy adopted new dad, and boyfriend who faces obsession issues.  Augusten struggles with the abandonment of his mother and father, issues with children at school, and compulsive tendencies.

One thing Augusten hated was going to school. He felt like he could never really fit in with the other kids. He liked things such as hair products. His dream was to attend a cosmetology school and own his own hair product business. With him struggling between having the choice of going to school or not, he never got the education he needed. His main focus was being there for his unstable mother, and now living in a house with people he didn’t know. Augusten began to get close with some of his “new siblings”. One in particular was Natalie. Natalie also struggled with abandonment issues. At a young age she was engaging in sexual activity with a man who was about 20 years older than her. Something her and Augusten shared in common.

As time went on, Augusten tried to find out who he really is. He began to write journals about the different stories in his life. Realizing that he could never truly run away from his past, him and Natalie ran away from all their problems. They both left the home and set out to New York. With no money and no education, Augusten planned on taking his writing with him.

The memoir, Running With Scissors, was published in the year 2002. During the 21st Century many Americans were beginning to be open about their sexuality. Gay pride weekend was a weekend created for a positive stance against discrimination and violence. Throughout the memoir, Augusten Burroughs struggles with finding his true sexual identity. At a young age he makes the decision that he is gay and gets his virginity taken by a 33 year old man at the age of 13. As a child, Augusten didn’t hide his sexuailty. He was picked on all throughout school because as he would say… “He doesn’t fit it.” He was judged and put down for being gay from individuals outside of his home.