Trans Teen Survival Guide

Trans Teen Survival Guide

YA/adult nonfiction
"Chances are that the reason you're starting to read this book
is because you're wondering if you're trans or not. Or that you've
already figured out that you're trans and you need some more
information. Or perhaps someone close to you might be trans. We're
glad you decided that this book might be of help to you and we really
help it will be. It contains valuable information that we wish we'd
had access to when growing up, and it's so amazing to be able to share
this with you."
I was thrilled to see Owl and Fox Fisher's Trans Teen Survival
Guide at Orono Public Library for several reasons. My brother, Harte,
was born my sister, Harriet. I have UMaine friends who are in various
stages of transitioning and see the beauty of their becoming their
true selves. Sadly other friends struggle to find some way of
affording the treatments they need and others have families whose love
and financial support are contingent on them presenting as their
assigned gender. To be oneself or be loved is a cruel choice to have
to make. I am also not the CIS girl my parents were promised when I
graduated to the air breathing world. I was thrilled to learn that
I'm gender fluid or two spirit, not weird or unwilling or unable to
grow up to be a June Cleaver wannabe.
Trans Teen Survival Guide is a gem of a read for a bunch of
reasons;
The book is written by authors who know what they're talking
about. They understand growing up trans from a "been there, done
that" perspective. As shown in the above paragraph, their voice is
direct and conversational. Research and personal narrative are nicely
balanced. And observations by other members of the trans community
are included.
There is information galore. The topics covered in depth include:
*coming out or not coming out;
*choosing a new name and pronoun;
*hormone therapies;
*surgeries;
*dating;
and *making legal changes.
There is an emphasis on there being no right or wrong way to be--
just what makes you comfortable and happy. Although coming out may be
liberating for some people, it can be downright dangerous for others.
Clothes and hair can be as idiosyncratic as you wish. Ditto with
professions and hobbies.
There is also an emphasis on self care which is vital. Being
anything but binary can be an exhausting challenge. There are
reminders that being trans is only part of one's identity. And there
are so many methods for chilling and relaxing.
Despite teen being in the title and a YA (middle/high school)
designation I would extend the demographics upward. The book is highly
relevant for the college crowd and current and future student affairs
professionals. Also many people currently discover their
nonbinaryness and need the basics quite a bit later in life.
On a personal note, I really appreciated the chapter on names and
pronouns. Even when I was little Julia never really fit. Especially
when I discovered that family name went far enough back to belong to
at least one slave owner. Eeew! I went through a series of
nicknames. When I was raising the kids I went by my middle name,
Emily. But when I started coming into my own Emily was like a
suffocating whale bone corset intended to return me to a pre
pregnancies waist size. Jules was my perfect identity fitting name.
When people call me Jules I feel validated. When people insist on
Julia or Emily it can feel like a micro (or not so micro) aggression.
And to people who say, "But Julia is such a pretty name.", it is--it
just isn't me.
A great big shout out goes out to all the people in my life who lift
my spirits by calling me Jules.
jules hathaway



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