Defining Myself: Transmasculine Experience Through Poetry

by Michael Eric Brown, Max Andeo Meyer (Contributor)

Details The collective works of thirty-eight individuals who have revealed their deepest emotions in written word. Over seventy poems putting a voice to the process of living authentically in one’s gender. Words which have come from the depths of their beings—from the ache of depression, the fiery pits of anger, darkness of their fears, and the deep wells of loss; as well as from their journeys of change to their passions of joy and acceptance. All are transmasculine, meaning they identify somewhere on the masculine side of the gender spectrum. Some may be fully transitioned female-to-male (FTM) while others may be non-binary, gender fluid or simply transmasculine, with or without having gone through a physical transition. It is not the physical that makes the person—it is the self-identification, the self-love and self-acceptance—and it is all these experiences in each of these individuals that help create our diverse community of transmasculine folks. I.A. Avery, Shaun B., Isaac Oscar Bainbridge, Grayson Barnes, Michael Eric Brown, Will P. Craig, Al Cusack, Emrys Fevre, Tygh Lawrence-Clark, Joshua Daniel Hunt, TJ Isaacs, Mitch Kellaway, Noah Mendez, Max Andeo Meyer, Para Modha, kaleb morrison, Casey O., Johnny W. Payne, Marval A Rex, S, Oliver Robertson, Noah S., Aaron Schmidt, Kai Schweizer, Liam J. Smietanski, Maverick Smith, Emrys Sparks, Dane Trotti, Char Utton, Jesse W., Joshua "Tygerwolfe" Ward, C. T. Whitley, Howie Wielandt, Dexter J Wiseman, Gavin Wyer, Caden Rocker, Owen Paul Karcher, Eugene SG Massey

Genres: Poetry, Queer, LGBT, Nonfiction

170 pages, Paperback

Published August 24, 2016

About the author

Michael Eric Brown is known for his contributions both on and offline, especially in the realm of social justice and gender concerns. A student who is interested in how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others, Michael is working his way towards a PhD in Social Psychology in order to both educate society and provide research on the lives of transgender individuals. As a professional freelance writer, he writes on a variety of subjects and engages his readers with his unique writing style.

Reviews

[Tyler Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is divided into 3 sections. Section 1: Beginnings, Pronouns, Therapy, Hormones, Surgery. Section 2: Fears, Anger, Loss, Dysphoria, Discrimination. Section 3: Changes, Living Authentically, Peace/Joy/Acceptance. Each sections starts out with a few pages talking about the sections within that section as each of those mini-sections gets some poetry. In the introduction to the entire book it does explain that they choose to keep 18+ content out because then they'd have to rate the book 18+ which would keep a lot of transmasculine teens who could really use this book from accessing it. So it is PG-13. That said though it goes into a lot of deep and emotional stuff.

I am transmasculine. I am a demiguy and I happen to be afab (assigned female at birth). This book contains poetry by binary trans men as well as non-binary transmasculine individuals. A wonderful spectrum of transmasc people. I had to take this book slow because it hit so hard with me. I just came out as trans this year. I had to take it slow because I related so much to the words in this book and it spoke to fears as well as joys...to so much. I could not handle reading this book in one sitting even though time-wise i'm sure I could have, if I had been able. It was that powerful for me.

Obviously if you are not transmasc I doubt it would have the same effect. Some of it i'm sure any (or most) trans person could relate to, much of it though being specific to transmasc people. If you are transmasc i'd highly recommend this. Being able to see yourself in the pages of a book is so rare, and these are all words by fellow transmasc people. Knowing one isn't alone in that way is the best feeling in the world, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.

If you aren't trans and want to learn, maybe you know a transmasc person or just want to be an ally...i'm not sure if i'd recommend this or not honestly. I mean I wouldn't not recommend it, and i'm sure it would help in that regard, but there are probably better books for that situation, this is more FOR transmasc people rather than learning ABOUT us if that makes sense. Both kinds of books are needed but there is a difference.

I have so many tabs in this book it's ridiculous. Written hearts and other annotations (yes I write in my books). I couldn't even begin to try and pick my favorite poems because it would be almost every single one. This will be on my favorites list of 2019 and for that matter, favorites of all time. This book made me have so many emotions. And I am so glad it exists.

[Todd Pinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

These thighs <3