Between the Pipes

Chase’s identity should be simple. He’s the goalie on his hockey team. He''s Kookum''s grandchild. He’s a boy. He should like girls. But it’s not that easy. With the help of an Elder and a Two-Spirit mentor, can Chase learn to be proud of who he is? This graphic novel explores toxic masculinity through the experiences of an Indigenous teen.

Thirteen-year-old Chase’s life and identity should be simple. He’s the goalie for his hockey team, the Eagles. He’s a friend to Kevin and Jade. He''s Kookum''s youngest grandchild. He’s a boy. He should like girls.

But it’s not that simple. Chase doesn’t like girls the way that the other boys do. It’s scary being so different from his peers. Scarier still is the feeling that his teammates can tell who he is—and that they hate him for it. If he pretends hard enough, maybe he can hide the truth.

Real strength and change can’t come from a place of shame. Chase’s dreams are troubled by visions of a bear spirit, and the more he tries to hide, the more everything falls apart. With the help of an Elder and a Two-Spirit mentor, can Chase find the strength to be proud of who he is?

Between the Pipes explores toxic masculinity in hockey through the experiences of an Indigenous teen.