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Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out
A 2015 Stonewall Honor Book A groundbreaking work of LGBT literature takes an honest look at the life, love, and struggles of transgender teens. Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves.
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First published February 11, 2014
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July 10, 2016
A timely and poignant exploration of the lives of transgender teens — each chapter a narrative constructed from interviews with those teens who have, with varying degrees of success, come to terms with their gender identity and overcome prejudice and misunderstanding at home, at school, and in the workplace. The best way to understand someone’s struggle and to develop compassion is to listen to them tell their stories. You would have to be very hard-hearted indeed to get through this book without developing a great deal of empathy for these teens and what they have to deal with just to be accepted as themselves. It’s a fast, engaging read, highly recommended.
December 26, 2014
The idea of this book is fantastic: allowing young trans people from many different backgrounds to tell their own stories, which would then be collected and published, allowing the wider world to read about a variety of trans possibilities and experiences. The actuality of the book was incredibly disappointing.
The most positive thing about Beyond Magenta is that it does strive to include the diversity of the trans community as reflected in the identities of the interviewees. There is an equal representation of two trans feminine people, two trans masculine people, and two nonbinary people. Likewise, at least half of the interviewees are people of color, and all six come from different socioeconomic and familial backgrounds.
This initial diversity is stiffed by the narrow intent of the author. It is clear that this book was written about trans teens, but it was absolutely not written for trans teens. This has more to do with the author than it does with the young people interviewed.
As Kuklin states in the Author's Note, she began writing thinking that "The book was going to be about boys who realized they are girls and girls who realized they are boys. As you can see, this vision changed as I learned more." She did not learn enough to realize that she was framing her book in the way that many cis (for those who don't know, cis, or cisgender is a term that denotes a person who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth.) people frame transness: as a before and after curiosity that is most intensely focused on transition and coming out.
It is clear that the author asked questions about transitioning, coming out, acceptance by peers, etc. All those hot button curiosities that turn trans narratives into soap operas about fixing our bodies and overcoming tragedy. I am not surprised that the people giving this book 5 star ratings exclaim that they "Learned so much!" and it "opened their minds!" This book is written by a cis author, and appeals to a cis audience. It focuses on bodies, hormones, and battles for acceptance rather than the emotional growth of coming to terms with your trans identity, or the other facets of the lives of the interviewees.
Overall, I feel that Kuklin simultaneously was too present in guiding the content included in the book and too absent in the process of supplementing the stories included with perspectives that would broaden the ideas of gender presented. The very back of the book includes an interview with a healthcare professional about very basic ideas of transness, and I feel the inclusion of more brief interviews with trans adults and trans activist leaders could have given Beyond Magenta some much needed political perspective.
If this is the first book on trans issues you are reading, it may serve as a very basic trans and gender 101. The trans people interviewed deserved a better platform for telling their stories than this author provided.
The most positive thing about Beyond Magenta is that it does strive to include the diversity of the trans community as reflected in the identities of the interviewees. There is an equal representation of two trans feminine people, two trans masculine people, and two nonbinary people. Likewise, at least half of the interviewees are people of color, and all six come from different socioeconomic and familial backgrounds.
This initial diversity is stiffed by the narrow intent of the author. It is clear that this book was written about trans teens, but it was absolutely not written for trans teens. This has more to do with the author than it does with the young people interviewed.
As Kuklin states in the Author's Note, she began writing thinking that "The book was going to be about boys who realized they are girls and girls who realized they are boys. As you can see, this vision changed as I learned more." She did not learn enough to realize that she was framing her book in the way that many cis (for those who don't know, cis, or cisgender is a term that denotes a person who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth.) people frame transness: as a before and after curiosity that is most intensely focused on transition and coming out.
It is clear that the author asked questions about transitioning, coming out, acceptance by peers, etc. All those hot button curiosities that turn trans narratives into soap operas about fixing our bodies and overcoming tragedy. I am not surprised that the people giving this book 5 star ratings exclaim that they "Learned so much!" and it "opened their minds!" This book is written by a cis author, and appeals to a cis audience. It focuses on bodies, hormones, and battles for acceptance rather than the emotional growth of coming to terms with your trans identity, or the other facets of the lives of the interviewees.
Overall, I feel that Kuklin simultaneously was too present in guiding the content included in the book and too absent in the process of supplementing the stories included with perspectives that would broaden the ideas of gender presented. The very back of the book includes an interview with a healthcare professional about very basic ideas of transness, and I feel the inclusion of more brief interviews with trans adults and trans activist leaders could have given Beyond Magenta some much needed political perspective.
If this is the first book on trans issues you are reading, it may serve as a very basic trans and gender 101. The trans people interviewed deserved a better platform for telling their stories than this author provided.
March 8, 2014
I'm leaning more towards 3.5 on this one. Yes, transgender issues need to be talked about more. Awareness and understanding need to be fostered. Yes, it's great to have a book that shows exactly the struggles transgender teens face in day-to-day life.
However.
The scope of this book is extremely narrow. Out of six narratives, five of them are from NYC and the surrounding areas - the last teen, Luke, lives in Madison, WI. I almost stopped reading after the first two narratives because Jessy would say stuff like he knew he was a boy because he liked sports, and Christina would say she knew she was a girl because she liked wearing pretty things. I have absolutely no doubt that that is truly how they feel and felt, but this speaks to a gender division that I can't understand. I wonder why Kuklin chose to start the narratives with these two. For me, they were off-putting. Would the general public find them to be so, or would they find them more comforting because they speak to society's views of what is male and what is female?
Nat's and especially Cameron's stories spoke to me on a deeper level and assuaged my fears that Beyond Magenta was just going to adhere to terrifying gender stereotypes. Both Nat and Cameron identify as intersex or nonbinary, and prefer gender neutral "they/them/theirs" pronouns. Where Cameron's identity fluctuates on a daily basis - some days they are more feminine while other days they are more masculine - Nat prefers to present as neither gender.
I would like to stress that my rating is based mostly on the poor formatting of the book, not on these teens' narratives themselves. Only interviewing six people, most of whom live in one fairly diverse city, and grouping the narratives in a strange way made for bad editing choices. I could find more diverse stories and gender identities browsing Tumblr for half an hour than I found in this 192-page book.
However.
The scope of this book is extremely narrow. Out of six narratives, five of them are from NYC and the surrounding areas - the last teen, Luke, lives in Madison, WI. I almost stopped reading after the first two narratives because Jessy would say stuff like he knew he was a boy because he liked sports, and Christina would say she knew she was a girl because she liked wearing pretty things. I have absolutely no doubt that that is truly how they feel and felt, but this speaks to a gender division that I can't understand. I wonder why Kuklin chose to start the narratives with these two. For me, they were off-putting. Would the general public find them to be so, or would they find them more comforting because they speak to society's views of what is male and what is female?
Nat's and especially Cameron's stories spoke to me on a deeper level and assuaged my fears that Beyond Magenta was just going to adhere to terrifying gender stereotypes. Both Nat and Cameron identify as intersex or nonbinary, and prefer gender neutral "they/them/theirs" pronouns. Where Cameron's identity fluctuates on a daily basis - some days they are more feminine while other days they are more masculine - Nat prefers to present as neither gender.
I would like to stress that my rating is based mostly on the poor formatting of the book, not on these teens' narratives themselves. Only interviewing six people, most of whom live in one fairly diverse city, and grouping the narratives in a strange way made for bad editing choices. I could find more diverse stories and gender identities browsing Tumblr for half an hour than I found in this 192-page book.
May 9, 2019
Dnfed it 24 pages in, because COME ON SERIOUSLY ?!
Let me explain a bit more:
I’m having a real problem with Jessy. The guy knows what it’s like to be a girl, but he’s being really macho “Now that I’m masculine enough I can say ‘back off’ to other men when they talk to my girlfriend, I can take as much space as I want when I sit down in the subway, I take on the male social role now” …. REALLY ?
He also reinforced gender stereotypes : “Girls are so superficial and complicated” ; “I’ve always thought I was better than any other girl” ; “Girls don’t have enough strength” blablabla…………
Oh and my favourite ? He asked out his girlfriend at the gym, and when she turned him off the first time, he went back, because APPARENTLY HE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THAT NO MEANS NO AND THAT SHE’S NOT AT THE GYM TO BE ASKED OUT. And then he went to her office and asked her out not once, but twice, and she said NO.
But you know what's really fucking horrible ? HIS GIRLFRIEND DOESN’T EVEN USE THE PRONOUN ‘HE’ BUT ‘SHE’ LIKE WHAT ?! And of course she wants him not to take testosterone because she doesn't like it, like she has something to say about HIS body.
Oh and the guy thinks that, if you're being bullied, it's YOUR fault because you're not making people around you comfortable enough.....................
I'm incredibly mad at this book. Because maybe the other stories are amazing, maybe, but I will never know because it looks like the author thought it was okay to put this first story in it.
So no no no no NO FUCK NO.
Let me explain a bit more:
I’m having a real problem with Jessy. The guy knows what it’s like to be a girl, but he’s being really macho “Now that I’m masculine enough I can say ‘back off’ to other men when they talk to my girlfriend, I can take as much space as I want when I sit down in the subway, I take on the male social role now” …. REALLY ?
He also reinforced gender stereotypes : “Girls are so superficial and complicated” ; “I’ve always thought I was better than any other girl” ; “Girls don’t have enough strength” blablabla…………
Oh and my favourite ? He asked out his girlfriend at the gym, and when she turned him off the first time, he went back, because APPARENTLY HE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THAT NO MEANS NO AND THAT SHE’S NOT AT THE GYM TO BE ASKED OUT. And then he went to her office and asked her out not once, but twice, and she said NO.
But you know what's really fucking horrible ? HIS GIRLFRIEND DOESN’T EVEN USE THE PRONOUN ‘HE’ BUT ‘SHE’ LIKE WHAT ?! And of course she wants him not to take testosterone because she doesn't like it, like she has something to say about HIS body.
Oh and the guy thinks that, if you're being bullied, it's YOUR fault because you're not making people around you comfortable enough.....................
I'm incredibly mad at this book. Because maybe the other stories are amazing, maybe, but I will never know because it looks like the author thought it was okay to put this first story in it.
So no no no no NO FUCK NO.
July 12, 2015
I appreciate the fact that the author of this book, Kuklin, allows the teenagers' stories and photos to mostly speak for themselves with seemingly little intervention. It would have been nice to see what kinds of questions teens were responding to, in order to have a sense of how Kuklin may have shaped the information given.
The stories teens told were interesting and sad and funny, they spoke about how they view gender, what their childhoods were like, etc That said, this collection feels like a Dick and Jane version of a book like Gender Outlaws, mainly because of Kulin's limited scope and oversimplification of ideas. There are only 6 subjects interviewed, all living in a relatively small geographical area and given how young they are there isn't much perspective on their own stories since they're still immersed in them. In her afterword, Kuklin explains that she initially planned to write a book on 'boys who realize that they are girls and girls who realize that they are boys', but realized this was an oversimplification after much research. Despite her apparent enlightenment, Kuklin doesn't show a broad understanding of what it means to be transgender. The fact that some teens expressed derision towards certain normative gender traits rankled me at first, until I thought about how young they are and how they're still figuring out who they are while stuck in the mire of social pressure. I don't expect an 18 year old to have it all figured out, but this book would have been so much improved by an author with a more complex understanding of gender and sexuality.
The stories teens told were interesting and sad and funny, they spoke about how they view gender, what their childhoods were like, etc That said, this collection feels like a Dick and Jane version of a book like Gender Outlaws, mainly because of Kulin's limited scope and oversimplification of ideas. There are only 6 subjects interviewed, all living in a relatively small geographical area and given how young they are there isn't much perspective on their own stories since they're still immersed in them. In her afterword, Kuklin explains that she initially planned to write a book on 'boys who realize that they are girls and girls who realize that they are boys', but realized this was an oversimplification after much research. Despite her apparent enlightenment, Kuklin doesn't show a broad understanding of what it means to be transgender. The fact that some teens expressed derision towards certain normative gender traits rankled me at first, until I thought about how young they are and how they're still figuring out who they are while stuck in the mire of social pressure. I don't expect an 18 year old to have it all figured out, but this book would have been so much improved by an author with a more complex understanding of gender and sexuality.
November 5, 2015
I just...ugh. I was so disappointed by this. Yet another book about trans people but not for us. And I get that the whole point is teens telling their own stories but the way most of them talk about gender is so troubling, especially considering the clearly cis anticipated audience. Trans is not the next step down the (nonexistent) line from gay. And the glossary in the back was so bare bones and very off base in a lot of cases. I can't recommend this to anyone honestly. None of the voices resonated with me as a trans person and it would be so misinformative to anyone with little or no knowledge of trans experiences.
May 22, 2017
changing my review bc when I first read it I was still a baby trans person and didn't see the issues. a book featuring a cis author speaking on behalf of trans teens is really not what we need. what we need is #ownvoices
August 27, 2021
From the very first story (Jessy's), the reveal of the teens' birth names, the focus on (before and after) photography, and the way Susan Kuklin guides the story while purporting not to guide, I knew this was yet another book about transgender people made by a cisgender person for a voyeuristic cisgender gaze.
The book is small, covering only 6 young people living in a very small geographical area (none of whom happen to be black). Despite its slim size, the text is riddled with typos. Not only that, it's also gender essentialist, relying in some pretty gross gender stereotypes. (I hesitate to criticize since cisgender people are allowed to conceptualize their gendered selves in this way without issues so trans people should too but I think the book would be better served by removing or limiting these elements.) Besides that you can also find unchecked fatphobia, slutshaming, sexism, ableism, misgendering (not only the expected societal and familial abuse but also by romantic partners: Jessy's girlfriend won't use he/him pronouns despite him being a man because she identifies as a lesbian). No authorial comment or correction is made after any of these instances.
Overall, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out was a good concept with a disappointing execution. I'm glad not to have read it while I was a young teen just entering the road of understanding myself. If you're a transgender person, I'd recommend another book. And if you're cis? Don't let this be the only book you read: get to know transgender people in your community!
The book is small, covering only 6 young people living in a very small geographical area (none of whom happen to be black). Despite its slim size, the text is riddled with typos. Not only that, it's also gender essentialist, relying in some pretty gross gender stereotypes. (I hesitate to criticize since cisgender people are allowed to conceptualize their gendered selves in this way without issues so trans people should too but I think the book would be better served by removing or limiting these elements.) Besides that you can also find unchecked fatphobia, slutshaming, sexism, ableism, misgendering (not only the expected societal and familial abuse but also by romantic partners: Jessy's girlfriend won't use he/him pronouns despite him being a man because she identifies as a lesbian). No authorial comment or correction is made after any of these instances.
Overall, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out was a good concept with a disappointing execution. I'm glad not to have read it while I was a young teen just entering the road of understanding myself. If you're a transgender person, I'd recommend another book. And if you're cis? Don't let this be the only book you read: get to know transgender people in your community!
October 16, 2014
I was eagerly awaiting this book, but I was seriously disappointed. I went out on the day of the release, purchased it, and then returned it all in the same day because I found it so appalling. This is a subject that truly needs to be illuminated and deserves much more attention than it is currently receiving. However, this book only further served to put more false information into circulation and bolstered up some of the negative stereotypes that the transgender community has worked so hard to eradicate. Furthermore the stories in the book were poorly edited with typos and grammatical errors aplenty. And that's in addition to the perpetuation of terrible gender stereotypes (which you would imagine would be the exact opposite of the editor's intention!). Readers interested in this topic would be far better served by reading something by Julia Serano, S. Bear Bergman, Kate Bornstein, or T. Cooper. Even though they aren't specifically teenagers themselves, they actually convey accurate information and are far more educational and less offensive than this book.
October 5, 2016
I read this as one of my selections for Banned Books Week, from the list provided by ALA of "frequently banned diverse books." Alongside it I read Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence, a short story collection from 1994, geared to the same age group. I think the grouping put this book into more perspective. No, these six profiles of transgender, genderneutral, genderfluid, and intersex teens can't possibly capture every possible experience in the trans community, but I appreciated the attempt to start. In the same way Am I Blue only really grazes the surface, allowing the possibility of acceptable difference, this seems to be the heart of the message of these narratives and accompanying photos. (Actually the one essay lacking photos made the biggest statement to me!) It is a bit didactic but it is geared toward a younger audience, one that may need to be introduced to some of the terms and definitions that will not be familiar to everyone. (I know many adults who could benefit from reading this book, honestly.)
I did love how it showed the journeys, how where a person thought they'd end up was not necessarily where they started. It showed the havoc in personal relationships and the perpetual intentional misunderstanding of the transgender community by people who should know better - teachers, principals, counselors. But it also showed that acceptance is possible, not just with the people surrounding an individual, but within that individual too. And for most of the teens in this book, that became the most important part (also early access to hormones. Thank you.)
As far as the banned books debate, I am just constantly frustrated by the idea that telling a person's story is some kind of agenda. A struggling teen may find comfort in this book! Why remove it from your collection?
I did love how it showed the journeys, how where a person thought they'd end up was not necessarily where they started. It showed the havoc in personal relationships and the perpetual intentional misunderstanding of the transgender community by people who should know better - teachers, principals, counselors. But it also showed that acceptance is possible, not just with the people surrounding an individual, but within that individual too. And for most of the teens in this book, that became the most important part (also early access to hormones. Thank you.)
As far as the banned books debate, I am just constantly frustrated by the idea that telling a person's story is some kind of agenda. A struggling teen may find comfort in this book! Why remove it from your collection?
January 19, 2015
This was really disappointing and a great example of why books about a specific group of people should be written by a member of that group. Most of this book was dedicated to the tragic stories of transfolks and/or reinforcing the gender binary, and much of the language used around transness was really out of date. The author also inserts herself into the story in ways that feel inappropriate. This whole thing is clearly transness through the cis-gaze.
also trigger warnings: reinforcement of gender stereotypes, rape & sexual abuse, intentional misgendering by intimate partners, respectability politics, fat shaming, inaccurate information about genetics wrt sex characteristics, slut shaming, reinforcement of the idea that transfolks should aspire to "passing" in order to gain acceptance.
also trigger warnings: reinforcement of gender stereotypes, rape & sexual abuse, intentional misgendering by intimate partners, respectability politics, fat shaming, inaccurate information about genetics wrt sex characteristics, slut shaming, reinforcement of the idea that transfolks should aspire to "passing" in order to gain acceptance.
November 13, 2016
Beyond Magenta is the very first non-fiction book reviewed here in the five years of The Nocturnal Library’s existence, and I couldn’t have picked a better one for the honor. It consists of six stories about six transgender, genderqueer or gender nonconforming teens, accompanied by gorgeous, honest photographs and several comments by the author. The stories are told in first person by the teens themselves, interspersed here and there by the author’s brief comments and observations.
The first thing that will strike any reader is a complete absence of idealization. The teens are portrayed as they are, nothing is hidden, nothing embellished. They are people with convictions, fears, and sometimes inappropriate reactions, with lives a lot more challenging than those of cisgendered people. Kuklin did her very best to cover as much of the spectrum as she possibly could by including six very different shades of the gender spectrum. The kids categorize themselves, if they want to be categorized at all, and they tell their stories with such painful honesty and openness.
Beyond Magenta is essentially a book “about sex and alienation, two universal themes that have interacted in life, literature and art since for ever.” (Kuklin 2016: 164) As the author herself explains, initially she meant to write about teens whose true gender isn’t what they were born with, i.e. girls who are really boys, and boys who are really girls. As her research progressed, however, she discovered so many different possibilities and made certain to represent them fairly.
Some of these stories are light, as some of the teens live in encouraging, empowering environments. Others face more challenges, internal and external both. Each of the stories ends on a hopeful note, though, making sure that we have something to hold on to, even as we contemplate realities and challenges so very different from ours.
I can only imagine what this book will mean to other transgender and genderqueer teens all around the world. Sometimes it’s enough to know that you’re not alone, that other people feel exactly like you. Beyond Magenta is a Stonewall honor book, a powerful and revelatory account of lives within the transgender community. In light of recent political events, such works of hope and encouragement might be essential to surviving whatever is coming and making it to the other side more tolerant and kind than we ever were.
The first thing that will strike any reader is a complete absence of idealization. The teens are portrayed as they are, nothing is hidden, nothing embellished. They are people with convictions, fears, and sometimes inappropriate reactions, with lives a lot more challenging than those of cisgendered people. Kuklin did her very best to cover as much of the spectrum as she possibly could by including six very different shades of the gender spectrum. The kids categorize themselves, if they want to be categorized at all, and they tell their stories with such painful honesty and openness.
Beyond Magenta is essentially a book “about sex and alienation, two universal themes that have interacted in life, literature and art since for ever.” (Kuklin 2016: 164) As the author herself explains, initially she meant to write about teens whose true gender isn’t what they were born with, i.e. girls who are really boys, and boys who are really girls. As her research progressed, however, she discovered so many different possibilities and made certain to represent them fairly.
Some of these stories are light, as some of the teens live in encouraging, empowering environments. Others face more challenges, internal and external both. Each of the stories ends on a hopeful note, though, making sure that we have something to hold on to, even as we contemplate realities and challenges so very different from ours.
I can only imagine what this book will mean to other transgender and genderqueer teens all around the world. Sometimes it’s enough to know that you’re not alone, that other people feel exactly like you. Beyond Magenta is a Stonewall honor book, a powerful and revelatory account of lives within the transgender community. In light of recent political events, such works of hope and encouragement might be essential to surviving whatever is coming and making it to the other side more tolerant and kind than we ever were.
March 15, 2017
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a really difficult book to rate. Kuklin gathers together stories of different transgender teenagers at various stages in their coming out process and talks with them about their lives up until this point. It's heartbreaking to read about the challenges each individual has faced and see the hate and discrimination they deal with everyday. Yet at the same time, I found myself wanting to scream at some of the things the teens were saying about the world, gender, and just life in general. Overall, I just took a few deep breaths and remembered that I was a teenager once as well and I said some pretty silly things too.
Definitely worth the read to gain perspective into what it's like to grow up in a body that feels wrong around people who don't understand. And really, that right there is worth many more than just 3 stars.
This is a really difficult book to rate. Kuklin gathers together stories of different transgender teenagers at various stages in their coming out process and talks with them about their lives up until this point. It's heartbreaking to read about the challenges each individual has faced and see the hate and discrimination they deal with everyday. Yet at the same time, I found myself wanting to scream at some of the things the teens were saying about the world, gender, and just life in general. Overall, I just took a few deep breaths and remembered that I was a teenager once as well and I said some pretty silly things too.
Definitely worth the read to gain perspective into what it's like to grow up in a body that feels wrong around people who don't understand. And really, that right there is worth many more than just 3 stars.
June 1, 2016
I reserved a library copy of Beyond Magenta after seeing it on the American Library Association's annual top ten list of frequently challenged books. Beyond Magenta has become a target of book-banners, according to the ALA, who say it's anti-family, filled with offensive language and references to homosexuality, sneaky attempts to teach kids about sex, politics, and religion, and wrong for the age group at which it's aimed. Moreover, the ALA cites evidence that Beyond Magenta has prompted some school librarians to consider pre-emptive censorship (“wants to remove from collection to ward off complaints”).
In a separate essay, the ALA zeroes in on books about diversity, noting that while only a tiny fraction of books written for American children and students are about people of color, LGBT people, and/or disabled people, these books almost always become the targets of angry parents who want them removed from classrooms and libraries. When books about diversity are challenged, diversity itself is almost never stated as a reason; instead, parents complain of sex ... and yet hundreds of other books written for children and students contain sex and are never challenged.
By encouraging six young transgender people to share their experiences with readers, I believe Susan Kuklin's intent is to inform and educate, and also to give other young transgender people the knowledge that they are not alone. In this she succeeds. If there is any sex in Beyond Magenta, it is only at the most abstract level: two or three of the transgendered kids she interviews mention sexual preferences, but none gp into detail. Sex is not what these kids are about. Gender is, and the book makes the difference clear.
Offensive language? Nope. References to homosexuality? If a biological boy identifies as a girl, and (both before and after transitioning) is sexually attracted to boys, is that homosexual? Not in the same sense in which most of us think of homosexuality, surely. Sneaky sex education? Sex is mentioned, as noted, and I guess that's enough to send some folks into a tailspin. Political and religious indoctrination? None that I noticed. Wrong for the age group it's aimed at? The book is clearly meant to be read by transgender teens at a serious turning point in their lives, and how is that wrong?
I suppose I should mention that of the six young people interviewed for this book, none have had sexual reassignment surgery. Each of them, however, takes hormone treatments to develop the secondary sexual characteristics of the gender they identify as.
As I mentioned, I think one of Susan Kuklin's reasons for writing this book is to offer hope and encouragement to other transgender youth. Which is good, but ... she doesn't address the negative experiences so many transgender youth have to deal with: while a few of the young people featured in Beyond Magenta talked about teasing and resistance from parents, siblings, fellow students, and teachers, each of them managed to transition and move on; some even praised parents, peers, and schools for being supportive.
What, I wondered, about transgender kids who don't live in socially progressive environments, who encounter non-stop suspicion, bullying, and hatred? None were interviewed in this book, and I thought Susan Kuklin's focus too limited. Her six interview subjects seem relatively privileged, judging by horror stories I've heard. And what of older transgender people? The oldest interviewee was maybe 18; all six were either starting, in the middle of, or just completing the process of transitioning. What happens when transgender teens reach adulthood and middle age? What are their lives like? What are their concerns? What are the downsides of transitioning? Equally, what are the upsides? These questions weren't addressed at all.
Finally, I have to note some LGBT reviewers have panned Beyond Magenta. Several complained that the author is not a member of the LGBT community herself: "Yet another book about trans people but not for us." Some complained about the language and labels she uses to express sexual and gender diversity: "... much of the language used around transness was really out of date." A few reviewers called the book sensationalistic and voyeuristic, and said it reinforces stereotypes.
None of their objections occurred to me. I'm not a member of the LGBT community either, so maybe that is to be expected. My sole objection is to the book's limited scope. I want to know more.
In a separate essay, the ALA zeroes in on books about diversity, noting that while only a tiny fraction of books written for American children and students are about people of color, LGBT people, and/or disabled people, these books almost always become the targets of angry parents who want them removed from classrooms and libraries. When books about diversity are challenged, diversity itself is almost never stated as a reason; instead, parents complain of sex ... and yet hundreds of other books written for children and students contain sex and are never challenged.
While “diversity” is seldom given as a reason for a challenge, it may in fact be an underlying and unspoken factor: the work is about people and issues others would prefer not to consider. Often, content addresses concerns of groups who have suffered historic and ongoing discrimination.To be sure, to be transgender (or gender fluid) is to diverge significantly from societal norms, and Beyond Magenta is most likely being attacked for exploring a kind of diversity many people find confrontational and uncomfortable.
By encouraging six young transgender people to share their experiences with readers, I believe Susan Kuklin's intent is to inform and educate, and also to give other young transgender people the knowledge that they are not alone. In this she succeeds. If there is any sex in Beyond Magenta, it is only at the most abstract level: two or three of the transgendered kids she interviews mention sexual preferences, but none gp into detail. Sex is not what these kids are about. Gender is, and the book makes the difference clear.
Offensive language? Nope. References to homosexuality? If a biological boy identifies as a girl, and (both before and after transitioning) is sexually attracted to boys, is that homosexual? Not in the same sense in which most of us think of homosexuality, surely. Sneaky sex education? Sex is mentioned, as noted, and I guess that's enough to send some folks into a tailspin. Political and religious indoctrination? None that I noticed. Wrong for the age group it's aimed at? The book is clearly meant to be read by transgender teens at a serious turning point in their lives, and how is that wrong?
I suppose I should mention that of the six young people interviewed for this book, none have had sexual reassignment surgery. Each of them, however, takes hormone treatments to develop the secondary sexual characteristics of the gender they identify as.
As I mentioned, I think one of Susan Kuklin's reasons for writing this book is to offer hope and encouragement to other transgender youth. Which is good, but ... she doesn't address the negative experiences so many transgender youth have to deal with: while a few of the young people featured in Beyond Magenta talked about teasing and resistance from parents, siblings, fellow students, and teachers, each of them managed to transition and move on; some even praised parents, peers, and schools for being supportive.
What, I wondered, about transgender kids who don't live in socially progressive environments, who encounter non-stop suspicion, bullying, and hatred? None were interviewed in this book, and I thought Susan Kuklin's focus too limited. Her six interview subjects seem relatively privileged, judging by horror stories I've heard. And what of older transgender people? The oldest interviewee was maybe 18; all six were either starting, in the middle of, or just completing the process of transitioning. What happens when transgender teens reach adulthood and middle age? What are their lives like? What are their concerns? What are the downsides of transitioning? Equally, what are the upsides? These questions weren't addressed at all.
Finally, I have to note some LGBT reviewers have panned Beyond Magenta. Several complained that the author is not a member of the LGBT community herself: "Yet another book about trans people but not for us." Some complained about the language and labels she uses to express sexual and gender diversity: "... much of the language used around transness was really out of date." A few reviewers called the book sensationalistic and voyeuristic, and said it reinforces stereotypes.
None of their objections occurred to me. I'm not a member of the LGBT community either, so maybe that is to be expected. My sole objection is to the book's limited scope. I want to know more.
July 21, 2017
this was disappointing.
it was very childish and shallow. and definitely not a book for trans teens. the gender roles and how most of the teens defined themselves based on that made even me, a cisgender person, really uncomfortable. the author's interventions were super weird, specially to listen to. a voice from older trans people might have put a lot of things in perspective too. not really the book I was hoping and not what young teens deserve.
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2017/0...
it was very childish and shallow. and definitely not a book for trans teens. the gender roles and how most of the teens defined themselves based on that made even me, a cisgender person, really uncomfortable. the author's interventions were super weird, specially to listen to. a voice from older trans people might have put a lot of things in perspective too. not really the book I was hoping and not what young teens deserve.
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2017/0...
November 9, 2020
I appreciate all the people in this book that shared their stories.
"Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves."
"Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves."
April 18, 2017
This multifaceted photo book about six transgender teenagers was truly enjoyable. Blending first person accounts with portrait photography (when the teens were comfortable with it), this book profiles several diverse trans teens. Included are teens of color, trans men, trans women, teens dealing with mental illness, and an intersex teen. One of the trans women, Mariah, is bisexual and another, Cameron (pictured on the cover) is pansexual and genderqueer.
Kuklin explains in the afterward how the process of interviewing and photographing was handled, and each participant got to approve their chapter before publication. The end result is giving these teens the power to tell their own stories on their own terms. Several of them talk about conservative families and the struggle to be understood as transgender by hostile teachers and peers. Some rely primarily on photography, others on their interviews. Some are comfortable sharing their birth gender assignment and birth name, some are not. But each story is unique and feels real.
As a teen services librarian in my day job, I’ve worked with transgender teens and I can say that this book absolutely feels true to what I’ve seen. If you’re looking for a book of cookie-cutter role model kids who always use the perfect word choices, never internalize cisexism, and only follow the standard trans script, this book will not give that to you. They are young and sometimes make mistakes and mis-steps like anyone their age, but they are doing so with grace under fire from a cisexist and transphobic world.
For trans teens who have not been lucky to have the support of parents or community this book will be invaluable and much-needed representation. And for anyone who says that teens are too young to know they are trans, pick up this book and educate yourself.
Review also posted at bisexual-books.tumblr.com
Kuklin explains in the afterward how the process of interviewing and photographing was handled, and each participant got to approve their chapter before publication. The end result is giving these teens the power to tell their own stories on their own terms. Several of them talk about conservative families and the struggle to be understood as transgender by hostile teachers and peers. Some rely primarily on photography, others on their interviews. Some are comfortable sharing their birth gender assignment and birth name, some are not. But each story is unique and feels real.
As a teen services librarian in my day job, I’ve worked with transgender teens and I can say that this book absolutely feels true to what I’ve seen. If you’re looking for a book of cookie-cutter role model kids who always use the perfect word choices, never internalize cisexism, and only follow the standard trans script, this book will not give that to you. They are young and sometimes make mistakes and mis-steps like anyone their age, but they are doing so with grace under fire from a cisexist and transphobic world.
For trans teens who have not been lucky to have the support of parents or community this book will be invaluable and much-needed representation. And for anyone who says that teens are too young to know they are trans, pick up this book and educate yourself.
Review also posted at bisexual-books.tumblr.com
June 20, 2018
This was...disappointing.
I feel bad about rating this so low because these are honest stories from trans teens and I fully believe that they are speaking from the heart... but there was some concerning stuff in here. First, the writing was awful. I listened to this as an audiobook so I think these might have been interview transcripts, but even so it felt unpolished. There were even instances of incorrect grammar that was infuriating to listen to. Additionally, in the first and second stories, we heard from the individual's girlfriend (who is Thai) and another's mother (who is Latina) and both narrators for these women used borderline offensive accents while reading? It was very odd to listen to.
First of all, this felt like it only reinforced gender stereotypes rather than encourage readers to think about the complexity of gender and how we view it today. The first story from Jessy, a transman, was incredibly problematic with so much misogyny and, frankly, he acted like kind of a douchebag. The next story, Christina, a transwoman, was equally disappointing as she really only talked about her femininity related to liking dresses and shopping?
Overall, this book was very surface level. It was clear that the author had basic questions that she asked all the teens--strangely, a lot of it focused specifically on fashion. Gender expression and identity are so much more than our outward display and I would have liked to hear more beyond just that.
My favorite story was from Cameron, a bisexual genderqueer individual who had the most compelling story. It was told well and wasn't the same themes and topics we heard from the rest of the stories.
I feel bad about rating this so low because these are honest stories from trans teens and I fully believe that they are speaking from the heart... but there was some concerning stuff in here. First, the writing was awful. I listened to this as an audiobook so I think these might have been interview transcripts, but even so it felt unpolished. There were even instances of incorrect grammar that was infuriating to listen to. Additionally, in the first and second stories, we heard from the individual's girlfriend (who is Thai) and another's mother (who is Latina) and both narrators for these women used borderline offensive accents while reading? It was very odd to listen to.
First of all, this felt like it only reinforced gender stereotypes rather than encourage readers to think about the complexity of gender and how we view it today. The first story from Jessy, a transman, was incredibly problematic with so much misogyny and, frankly, he acted like kind of a douchebag. The next story, Christina, a transwoman, was equally disappointing as she really only talked about her femininity related to liking dresses and shopping?
Overall, this book was very surface level. It was clear that the author had basic questions that she asked all the teens--strangely, a lot of it focused specifically on fashion. Gender expression and identity are so much more than our outward display and I would have liked to hear more beyond just that.
My favorite story was from Cameron, a bisexual genderqueer individual who had the most compelling story. It was told well and wasn't the same themes and topics we heard from the rest of the stories.
September 5, 2016
Beyond Magenta is a book on the ALA's list of most challenged books of 2015.
I think it's a needed book (especially for teen audiences) and, otoh, I wanted to like it more than I did.
What I liked:
-- the bravery of these teens to live their lives how they want & need to, often in the face of opposition
-- the willingness to share their struggles & stories so that others may learn
-- nice photography of the teens who were willing to be pictured
-- the author's lists of resources for support groups, etc....
What I liked less:
-- the book focuses on six teens, so it's a somewhat narrow focus
-- it reads almost like a diary format (& while reading teen diaries can make for emotional & heartfelt reading, it can also be angsty/immature & is not nesessarily literature; yes, I feel completely petty pointing that out considering the obstacles these teens have faced)
I am at a loss to figure out why this particular book has been challenged so much. Overall, a quick & worthwhile read.
I think it's a needed book (especially for teen audiences) and, otoh, I wanted to like it more than I did.
What I liked:
-- the bravery of these teens to live their lives how they want & need to, often in the face of opposition
-- the willingness to share their struggles & stories so that others may learn
-- nice photography of the teens who were willing to be pictured
-- the author's lists of resources for support groups, etc....
What I liked less:
-- the book focuses on six teens, so it's a somewhat narrow focus
-- it reads almost like a diary format (& while reading teen diaries can make for emotional & heartfelt reading, it can also be angsty/immature & is not nesessarily literature; yes, I feel completely petty pointing that out considering the obstacles these teens have faced)
I am at a loss to figure out why this particular book has been challenged so much. Overall, a quick & worthwhile read.
May 12, 2016
This is a decent intro to trans, intersex, and genderqueer points of views. Each section is mainly comprised of the speaker's obviously transcribed own words, which is good in that you get their exact thoughts and feelings on their journey and who they are. However, the interviewees are all teenage or twenty-somethings, so a lot of what they say comes off as immature. More importantly the book needs heavy editing for repetition and at times for coherence.
But these are small quibbles really because the book achieves something important - it allows these unique individuals to express themselves. I especially liked that it showed people in different parts of coming out. Some were very comfortable in their own skin while others were still discovering themselves.
But these are small quibbles really because the book achieves something important - it allows these unique individuals to express themselves. I especially liked that it showed people in different parts of coming out. Some were very comfortable in their own skin while others were still discovering themselves.
August 25, 2019
I read this because a local Christian group is trying to get people riled up about this book being in my city's library, and I wanted to be able to say I'd actually read the whole thing and disagreed with their "concerns." However, while obviously I disagree with their bigoted nonsense about this book trying to hurt kids, it probably wouldn't be the first book I'd recommend because it very much presents trans people through the lens (sometimes literally) of the cis author and firmly others them, and a lot of the language used already feels very dated.
August 30, 2023
Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin is just one of the latest books that a few parents have sought to take off the shelves of high schools in @catawbaschools libraries. Note this book is for ages 14 and up. It is NOT in the elementary school libraries. Is this book bothering their kids? No. Is this book being shoved down their kids throat? No. Is this required reading? No. I have 3 teenagers. Two currently in the school system and one recent graduate. All of which I would have no issues with reading this book if they sought it out in the library.
I purchased the book. It's now on my shelf of banned books. I took the time to read it after seeing some of the insane comments posted on Facebook and I quote, "beyond magenta is about transgender recruiting teens and young children trans queer lifestyles." "It's grooming our children."
All of those quotes are FALSE. This book is written with real accounts from teens of what life was like for them growing up when they were trying to figure themselves out because they felt different from everyone else. They talk about how they felt in school and how they were treated by kids in school, by adults and by teachers. It is also a good introduction to words like trans, intersex and their point of view. All of which is relevant in today's world. Each teen discussed how/when they decided on transitioning and how to tell their parents. There are kids today in school who are struggling with their identity, bullying, depression and suicidal thoughts. They should have a resource such as this book made available to them.
Parents are so up in arms over Mariah's story in this book which to be honest is very tough to read. She grew up in foster care and had a very rough beginning. There was a lot of sexual abuse early on that is briefly described/discussed. This happens. Don't be naïve. It is a widespread problem. 1 in 10 are sexually abused BEFORE their 18th birthday according to d2l.org.
I did check to see if this book was available in the public county library system and it was not. Not every kid has a parent who can afford to purchase a book for them.
I purchased the book. It's now on my shelf of banned books. I took the time to read it after seeing some of the insane comments posted on Facebook and I quote, "beyond magenta is about transgender recruiting teens and young children trans queer lifestyles." "It's grooming our children."
All of those quotes are FALSE. This book is written with real accounts from teens of what life was like for them growing up when they were trying to figure themselves out because they felt different from everyone else. They talk about how they felt in school and how they were treated by kids in school, by adults and by teachers. It is also a good introduction to words like trans, intersex and their point of view. All of which is relevant in today's world. Each teen discussed how/when they decided on transitioning and how to tell their parents. There are kids today in school who are struggling with their identity, bullying, depression and suicidal thoughts. They should have a resource such as this book made available to them.
Parents are so up in arms over Mariah's story in this book which to be honest is very tough to read. She grew up in foster care and had a very rough beginning. There was a lot of sexual abuse early on that is briefly described/discussed. This happens. Don't be naïve. It is a widespread problem. 1 in 10 are sexually abused BEFORE their 18th birthday according to d2l.org.
I did check to see if this book was available in the public county library system and it was not. Not every kid has a parent who can afford to purchase a book for them.
April 3, 2022
Lawmakers should hear the earnest struggles and true internal feelings expressed by these young people. Each person (teen/early-20's) gets about 30 pages of bio as they explain when they knew, when they started transitioning, who helped, who bullied/hurt, real thoughts on hormones and true feelings about not (yet) having matching body-parts to who they truly feel to be inside. There is no judging or analysis happening here. Simply six people telling their own story of transitioning.
Each of the 6 people in this book do an excellent job of describing the phases they went through. The common thread is that all of them need/desire INFORMATION. Sadly, recent bills in states want to deny conversations and availability of information.
A basic list of resources concludes this book:
Some Books and Movies (not very many)
Service and Advocacy Organizations
Legal Organizations
Note: the author nicely provides a link to updated Orgs/Legal at:
http://www.susankuklin.net/young-adul...
There are other excellent resource books on trans, but this nonfiction multi-bio really speaks the sincere experiences of growing into being trans.
If you instead want a trans-resource book, try:
Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy with Families in Transition
or maybe
Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You
(I have both of these checked out from my local library, but have not read them yet. They look good though per table of content topics)
The six individual people:
1. Jessica trans to traditional man (Jessy), to then date straight women.
Thailand and US schools. Embracing his mostly man-ness. Forget the category!
2. Matthew trans to traditional woman (Christina), to then date straight men.
Tough Catholic all boys HS. After leaving HS, more kids came out!
3. Frank believes she is a girl very early in life, and transitions to Mariah.
Very tough neighborhood; No dad; Grandma raised her per Mom always absent.
Residences and foster care. Teachers were mean demanding boy clothes/actions.
Learned to be either boy or girl per situations. Lots of medications.
Strong guy features came in, so wears guy clothes and uses 'gay' label to see guys.
4. Cameron
Cameron is trans and pan - "I like people regardless of gender."
Started questioning gender at 14. Very supportive parents.
Dresses 'gender-fuck' - something girl, something boy and something neither.
"Gender is one variable in a person's identity, and sexual orientation is another variable. The two are not connected. Being trans is not the next step to being gay."
"Life's an adventure. It really is an adventure."
5. Nat
Intersex (both male and female). They/them.
Birth cert says female. When people don't understand they/them, "I just tell them to use 'he'."
"When I was six, I was playing basketball with the guys in the school yard. We were in two teams, the shirts versus the skins. I was in the skins. So when all the guys took their shirts off, I gook my shirt off too. I didn't think anything of it. One of the recess guards pulled me away and yelled at me. I didn't know what happened. By the end of the school day, my teacher was talking to my mother. My mother dragged me all the way back to our apartment, all the while saying mean things to me. I think she hit me twice."
In HS, "I think of myself as a guy. But I don't identify as a boy completely. So how in the world can I explain this?"
Even the doctors via multiple tests confirmed medically Nat to be intersex.
Terribly homophobic parents and brother.
A stay in a hospital per talk of suicide was great to get away from family.
But once out, felt worse needing to make up too much missed school.
Graduated, and made it to CUNY college.
6. Luke
Early not sure if FTM (Female To Male) or gender-neutral.
Lots of early harassing questions "Are you a boy or a girl?"
Shy, but Proud Theater opened up converstions.
In MS, told Mom trans, but Mom denied, yet older sister said 'yes'.
Family ok w/ Gay, but Trans too different for them.
"I'm mentally male and I would like it if you use male pronouns"
Each of the 6 people in this book do an excellent job of describing the phases they went through. The common thread is that all of them need/desire INFORMATION. Sadly, recent bills in states want to deny conversations and availability of information.
A basic list of resources concludes this book:
Some Books and Movies (not very many)
Service and Advocacy Organizations
Legal Organizations
Note: the author nicely provides a link to updated Orgs/Legal at:
http://www.susankuklin.net/young-adul...
There are other excellent resource books on trans, but this nonfiction multi-bio really speaks the sincere experiences of growing into being trans.
If you instead want a trans-resource book, try:
Transgender Children and Youth: Cultivating Pride and Joy with Families in Transition
or maybe
Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You
(I have both of these checked out from my local library, but have not read them yet. They look good though per table of content topics)
The six individual people:
1. Jessica trans to traditional man (Jessy), to then date straight women.
Thailand and US schools. Embracing his mostly man-ness. Forget the category!
2. Matthew trans to traditional woman (Christina), to then date straight men.
Tough Catholic all boys HS. After leaving HS, more kids came out!
3. Frank believes she is a girl very early in life, and transitions to Mariah.
Very tough neighborhood; No dad; Grandma raised her per Mom always absent.
Residences and foster care. Teachers were mean demanding boy clothes/actions.
Learned to be either boy or girl per situations. Lots of medications.
Strong guy features came in, so wears guy clothes and uses 'gay' label to see guys.
4. Cameron
Cameron is trans and pan - "I like people regardless of gender."
Started questioning gender at 14. Very supportive parents.
Dresses 'gender-fuck' - something girl, something boy and something neither.
"Gender is one variable in a person's identity, and sexual orientation is another variable. The two are not connected. Being trans is not the next step to being gay."
"Life's an adventure. It really is an adventure."
5. Nat
Intersex (both male and female). They/them.
Birth cert says female. When people don't understand they/them, "I just tell them to use 'he'."
"When I was six, I was playing basketball with the guys in the school yard. We were in two teams, the shirts versus the skins. I was in the skins. So when all the guys took their shirts off, I gook my shirt off too. I didn't think anything of it. One of the recess guards pulled me away and yelled at me. I didn't know what happened. By the end of the school day, my teacher was talking to my mother. My mother dragged me all the way back to our apartment, all the while saying mean things to me. I think she hit me twice."
In HS, "I think of myself as a guy. But I don't identify as a boy completely. So how in the world can I explain this?"
Even the doctors via multiple tests confirmed medically Nat to be intersex.
Terribly homophobic parents and brother.
A stay in a hospital per talk of suicide was great to get away from family.
But once out, felt worse needing to make up too much missed school.
Graduated, and made it to CUNY college.
6. Luke
Early not sure if FTM (Female To Male) or gender-neutral.
Lots of early harassing questions "Are you a boy or a girl?"
Shy, but Proud Theater opened up converstions.
In MS, told Mom trans, but Mom denied, yet older sister said 'yes'.
Family ok w/ Gay, but Trans too different for them.
"I'm mentally male and I would like it if you use male pronouns"
September 14, 2016
This book is saved from a 1-star rating only because I think books like this are really important in this day and age. I'm very glad this type of book is out there, I'm just sorry I didn't enjoy reading it. I wanted a more diverse cross-section of voices - 5 kids from the East Coast and 1 from the Midwest - was too limiting for me to get a real feel for the experience or a deeper understanding of transgender identity. I also found that almost all of the teens were extremely damaged and had unstable or extreme home lives. There were only 2 "well-adjusted" teens portrayed (one whose story was limited due to family choice and the other whose story wreaked of white privilege and was grating to me) which, although I am not well-versed in trans culture, seemed to be quite negative and I would think, untrue. In addition, there was a bit too much negative gender stereotyping for my taste (portraying women as weak and too emotional, typifying masculinity as intelligence-based). Lastly, the writing style was so simplistic that while this was couched in terms of presenting the stories as interviews with little interference from the writer, it led to most of the voices coming across as inauthentic. One final note, there is a complete medical inaccuracy in one of the stories that irritated me. Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS is explained thusly: during a fetus' development in the womb, it is unclear whether the fetus then has testes or ovaries. As a woman with PCOS, I was absolutely shocked there was no aside or note from the author to contradict this patently false generalization.
March 27, 2017
While this book definitely encouraged an amazing discussion at our book club meeting, I really felt it was lacking in many ways. First, I am not trans, nor do I know any personally, so that's where I am coming from. Here's what I didn't like. I felt the teens interviewed were not as diverse as they should have been - most all being from one area in the east, and only one from the Midwest (and none from the west.) Also, most of the kids seemed pretty damaged from events that were NOT necessarily related to their gender identity (parents, neighborhoods, etc.) In addition, while I think the idea of hearing the teen's words themselves was a good one, it would have been nice to know what they were asked. And in the case of the intersex teen, who I feel is really in a different place than the others, there seemed to be some misinformation, which is probably due to the age of the teen, that could have been more fully developed/explained.
I think this is an important topic for today's world, and I was ultimately disappointed by the way this came together.
I think this is an important topic for today's world, and I was ultimately disappointed by the way this came together.
September 13, 2016
The topic gets 5 stars, execution 1. Such an of-the-moment topic, and one that needs more books to address. I felt like the kids in this book had so so many issues beyond their trans identities, and their comments about why and how they were transitioning were quite flippant and juvenile. It made me question their counsellors and the age at which they were making these profoundly life altering decisions. I also didn't like that all but one of the teens were from the same area, some diversity would have been nice. And I felt like the intersex teen was out-of-place and could have been dealt with so much more deeply. I also would have liked to know more about the counseling received and what clinicians look for when counseling people on this journey.
February 8, 2017
I decided to celebrate Banned Book Week by reading a small pile of frequently challenged books. It's telling that two of them deal with transgender people (I read I Am Jazz yesterday). I try to be open minded but will admit to being stuck in a binary mindset for most of my life. I have a long way to go to get my mind wrapped around the topic fully, but this book was a helpful step. I hope in the future more people try challenging themselves by reading the book rather than challenging its right to be in their local library.
January 11, 2018
Review also posted on my blog: https://bennilovesbooks.wordpress.com...
Hi! So, I read this book for class and kind of went off on a rant about it on my class's discussion forums. My rant looked a lot like my regular reviews, so I decided to share it here as well. Enjoy!
**CONTENT WARNINGS: transmisia, toxic relationships**
So, I want to talk about Beyond Magenta a little bit from the perspective of someone who identifies as trans/non-binary because there were a LOT of times where I felt like throwing the book across the room (although I didn't because iPads are expensive and it wasn't worth it).
While I was roughly halfway through the book I posted this status update on Goodreads to remind me later about what was bothering me. For those who don't want to click through, it reads:
The fatmisia in this book is obnoxious and I’m getting tired of the cissplaining, the writing off abuse as normal, and the terrible partners of these trans people being treated like they’re so great when they’re invalidating their gender and cheating on them... If I weren’t reading this for class, I’d have abandoned it by now.
And honestly, I keep feeling worse about it the longer I think about it. I ended up giving it 2 stars; the two things that kept it from being 1 star for me were 1.) feeling able to identify with Cameron rather well, and 2.) respecting that, for the most part, these were the stories of these teens (who for the most part weren't actually teens anymore and were adults of pretty close to my age who were merely reflecting on being a teen, but I'm setting that aside).
What bothered me about the rest of it were primarily the inaccuracies that were never addressed by the author, and the lack of addressing any of the issues of fat-shaming, slut-shaming, mental illness stigmatization, gender stereotyping (for certain stories, particularly the binary trans stories), abuse, and toxic relationships that were present here. I get that these were the perspectives of these people whose stories they were, but the thing is that this is setting a pretty bad example for trans kids and it's misleading cis people (who, let's face it, are the actual target audience for this book). For instance, one teen, who is intersex, doesn't know how to explain what PCOS is and ends up describing it as essentially being an intersex condition when it's not. Despite jumping in wherever else she feels like she should in the rest of the text, she leaves this inaccuracy as-is and does not attempt anywhere to correct this. This is not the fault of the teen (who explicitly says they don't think they're explaining it right), but it is the responsibility of the author to not mislead readers, and she didn't make any attempt to do so.
Additionally (particularly with Jessy and Christina in the first two stories), some of these young adults were in relationships that are actually pretty toxic and they were passed off as just normal relationships that trans teens have. Jessy's girlfriend was intentionally misgendering him and invalidating his gender, and the way in which it was explained away was pretty terrible. She didn't want him on hormones and she basically saw him as a lesbian, and even said that he was "almost like a gay man" at one point. Despite the author explaining that she "accepted Jessy's transition," it's pretty clear to me that she hasn't. Christina was in an equally bad position; she phrased it as putting up "with [her boyfriend's] bullshit a lot" and implied that she couldn't leave him because she wouldn't have a lot of other options as a trans woman in terms of boyfriends and that he's "accepted" her despite the fact that he's actually cheated on her (which she justified with "Girls get cheated on all the time") and that she suspects that he really wants to be with another girl. (quotes and paraphrasing from roughly 14% and 37% into this book; my borrowed Kindle copy lacks pagination.)
These two people have the right to have whatever kinds of consentual relationships they want; if this is how they want their relationships to be, then okay. What's not okay is the author passing off relationships like this as typical relationships for trans people to have and that this is about as good as it's going to get. Trans people have every bit as much right as cis people to be in happy, fulfilling, non-toxic relationships where they are fully respected and supported by their partners; this isn't the kind of picture this book paints. This book paints "close enough" as "sure, they may intentionally misgender you or cheat on you, but that's just what you're going to get." That skewed depiction is entirely on the author, whose job it is to ensure that we aren't being misrepresented in the text.
Frankly, I think the author completely dropped the ball on this book. As some of my classmates have noted, she inserts her voice into random places that seem to be better left narrated by the actual people whose stories these are, and it's really out of place. In contrast, in places where she SHOULD be stepping in (where a character misspeaks, gets terminology wrong, is actively shaming fat people or mentally disabled people, etc.), she doesn't say a word. And I think that speaks volumes.
This is not the kind of book that I'd recommend to people, be it questioning trans teens or cis adults. While I admire the people whose stories these are for speaking out, there's just so much harmful material that isn't addressed at all for me to want to pass this into the hands of others. I don't want trans teens to get the impression that these romantic relationships are actually what they should strive for. I don't want cis adults reaching incorrect conclusions about how gender and sex and sexuality relate to each other. I don't want either of these groups misunderstanding terminology or medical terms that are actually pretty important to have accurate understandings of while transitioning. The negatives outweigh the positives with this one for me. I wish I liked it more than I did.
Final rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Hi! So, I read this book for class and kind of went off on a rant about it on my class's discussion forums. My rant looked a lot like my regular reviews, so I decided to share it here as well. Enjoy!
**CONTENT WARNINGS: transmisia, toxic relationships**
So, I want to talk about Beyond Magenta a little bit from the perspective of someone who identifies as trans/non-binary because there were a LOT of times where I felt like throwing the book across the room (although I didn't because iPads are expensive and it wasn't worth it).
While I was roughly halfway through the book I posted this status update on Goodreads to remind me later about what was bothering me. For those who don't want to click through, it reads:
The fatmisia in this book is obnoxious and I’m getting tired of the cissplaining, the writing off abuse as normal, and the terrible partners of these trans people being treated like they’re so great when they’re invalidating their gender and cheating on them... If I weren’t reading this for class, I’d have abandoned it by now.
And honestly, I keep feeling worse about it the longer I think about it. I ended up giving it 2 stars; the two things that kept it from being 1 star for me were 1.) feeling able to identify with Cameron rather well, and 2.) respecting that, for the most part, these were the stories of these teens (who for the most part weren't actually teens anymore and were adults of pretty close to my age who were merely reflecting on being a teen, but I'm setting that aside).
What bothered me about the rest of it were primarily the inaccuracies that were never addressed by the author, and the lack of addressing any of the issues of fat-shaming, slut-shaming, mental illness stigmatization, gender stereotyping (for certain stories, particularly the binary trans stories), abuse, and toxic relationships that were present here. I get that these were the perspectives of these people whose stories they were, but the thing is that this is setting a pretty bad example for trans kids and it's misleading cis people (who, let's face it, are the actual target audience for this book). For instance, one teen, who is intersex, doesn't know how to explain what PCOS is and ends up describing it as essentially being an intersex condition when it's not. Despite jumping in wherever else she feels like she should in the rest of the text, she leaves this inaccuracy as-is and does not attempt anywhere to correct this. This is not the fault of the teen (who explicitly says they don't think they're explaining it right), but it is the responsibility of the author to not mislead readers, and she didn't make any attempt to do so.
Additionally (particularly with Jessy and Christina in the first two stories), some of these young adults were in relationships that are actually pretty toxic and they were passed off as just normal relationships that trans teens have. Jessy's girlfriend was intentionally misgendering him and invalidating his gender, and the way in which it was explained away was pretty terrible. She didn't want him on hormones and she basically saw him as a lesbian, and even said that he was "almost like a gay man" at one point. Despite the author explaining that she "accepted Jessy's transition," it's pretty clear to me that she hasn't. Christina was in an equally bad position; she phrased it as putting up "with [her boyfriend's] bullshit a lot" and implied that she couldn't leave him because she wouldn't have a lot of other options as a trans woman in terms of boyfriends and that he's "accepted" her despite the fact that he's actually cheated on her (which she justified with "Girls get cheated on all the time") and that she suspects that he really wants to be with another girl. (quotes and paraphrasing from roughly 14% and 37% into this book; my borrowed Kindle copy lacks pagination.)
These two people have the right to have whatever kinds of consentual relationships they want; if this is how they want their relationships to be, then okay. What's not okay is the author passing off relationships like this as typical relationships for trans people to have and that this is about as good as it's going to get. Trans people have every bit as much right as cis people to be in happy, fulfilling, non-toxic relationships where they are fully respected and supported by their partners; this isn't the kind of picture this book paints. This book paints "close enough" as "sure, they may intentionally misgender you or cheat on you, but that's just what you're going to get." That skewed depiction is entirely on the author, whose job it is to ensure that we aren't being misrepresented in the text.
Frankly, I think the author completely dropped the ball on this book. As some of my classmates have noted, she inserts her voice into random places that seem to be better left narrated by the actual people whose stories these are, and it's really out of place. In contrast, in places where she SHOULD be stepping in (where a character misspeaks, gets terminology wrong, is actively shaming fat people or mentally disabled people, etc.), she doesn't say a word. And I think that speaks volumes.
This is not the kind of book that I'd recommend to people, be it questioning trans teens or cis adults. While I admire the people whose stories these are for speaking out, there's just so much harmful material that isn't addressed at all for me to want to pass this into the hands of others. I don't want trans teens to get the impression that these romantic relationships are actually what they should strive for. I don't want cis adults reaching incorrect conclusions about how gender and sex and sexuality relate to each other. I don't want either of these groups misunderstanding terminology or medical terms that are actually pretty important to have accurate understandings of while transitioning. The negatives outweigh the positives with this one for me. I wish I liked it more than I did.
Final rating: 2 out of 5 stars
May 6, 2020
I thought I knew what "transgender" meant. Not really. Such an honor to read these teens' stories and immerse myself in what it really means to be "transgender." Kuklin states it best in the author's note -
"So here we are, a pack of Homo sapiens thinking that we know whether a person is female or male. Now that I've spent a few years researching and talking with people who fall under the transgender umbrella, I am confident saying that male/female is not the only way to describe gender. The people I've come to know and love in the course of writing and photographing this book have helped me better understand the fluidity of gender and sex."
Yes - recommend this to a YA reader. MORE IMPORTANTLY, read this for yourself. AND KNOW THAT, I have so much more to learn - this book just got me started, but I'm understand transgender so much better than I did before!!!
BTW - If you have not read Kuklin's newest book - We Are Hear To Stay that shares the stores of undocumented teens--I couldn't put it down.
"So here we are, a pack of Homo sapiens thinking that we know whether a person is female or male. Now that I've spent a few years researching and talking with people who fall under the transgender umbrella, I am confident saying that male/female is not the only way to describe gender. The people I've come to know and love in the course of writing and photographing this book have helped me better understand the fluidity of gender and sex."
Yes - recommend this to a YA reader. MORE IMPORTANTLY, read this for yourself. AND KNOW THAT, I have so much more to learn - this book just got me started, but I'm understand transgender so much better than I did before!!!
BTW - If you have not read Kuklin's newest book - We Are Hear To Stay that shares the stores of undocumented teens--I couldn't put it down.
June 19, 2015
4 stars for the idea and content. Though the audiobook readers are good, I definitely recommend the print version because of the photographs and excellent additional resources at the end. That this book exists at all is amazing. The teens are brave and worth knowing. A strength of the book is in their personal diversity:nobody claims to be the trans spokesperson. They are each their own person, as there are an infinite number of ways to be queer or trans.
As a piece of literature, however, only 2 stars. Most of the book seems to be direct transcripts of interviews, which are sometimes repetitive and usually chatty in tone. Another flaw in the book is the choice of these particular teens:all but one are from the boroughs of NYC. Why all but one? Either make this the story of NYC trans teens, or make it the story of trans teens from all over our geographically diverse country.
As a piece of literature, however, only 2 stars. Most of the book seems to be direct transcripts of interviews, which are sometimes repetitive and usually chatty in tone. Another flaw in the book is the choice of these particular teens:all but one are from the boroughs of NYC. Why all but one? Either make this the story of NYC trans teens, or make it the story of trans teens from all over our geographically diverse country.
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