When Jennifer Howe—wife, mother, and leader of a small nonprofit—discovers to her dismay that her ten-year-old son wants to be, and feels like, a girl, she ventures into the unfamiliar world of gender dysphoria. With the help of a close friend, a psychologist, and an endocrinologist, and against the objections of an outraged husband, she helps her son transition to a female.
Transgender issues become more than personal as Jennifer evolves from a well-heeled do-gooder to a grass roots activist. With the help of Ben Jacobs, an ACLU lawyer, she takes on political organizing, opposing candidates and officeholders who are trying to ban transgender rights and care. Political success and, after her divorce, a romance with Ben set Jennifer and her family on a new path, although the transgender issue remains a polarizing element in American life.
Author Ellen Boneparth enjoys writing novels that involve social and political issues in need of solutions. Research for Transitions took her to new physiological and cultural frontiers. Her focus on Virginia in this novel stems from her political concerns and commitments as a Virginia resident. To learn more about Ellen and her books, visit her website, ellenboneparth.com.