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First Year Out: A Transition Story
This intimate and striking graphic novel follows Lily, as she transitions from male to female. Depicting her experiences from coming out right through to gender reassignment surgery, Lily's story provides vital advice on the social, emotional and medical aspects of transitioning and will empower anyone questioning their gender.
127 pages, Hardcover
First published December 19, 2017
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609 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
May 6, 2018
This graphic novel depicts the journey from Darren to Lily, who has always known she is a girl. It is mainly informational than novelistic, as the title suggests, focusing on this one (important, all-encompassing, of course) aspect of her life. I am guessing this is drawn from aspects of the author's life, but it feels a bit like a best-case-scenario fairy tale where she has a very supportive mom and cis-gendered best friend, a surgery that goes perfectly and a first boyfriend who says only perfect things from the start.
Since it is so positive, it is meant to be inspirational to those who seem to be or are considering themselves making this move. But it appears to be focused on a cis-gendered audience, really, giving them a script on how to be supportive to trans in transition. And those purposes are good, of course. The ultimate simplicity of it is informed by the light and breezy cartoony artwork.
Since it is so positive, it is meant to be inspirational to those who seem to be or are considering themselves making this move. But it appears to be focused on a cis-gendered audience, really, giving them a script on how to be supportive to trans in transition. And those purposes are good, of course. The ultimate simplicity of it is informed by the light and breezy cartoony artwork.
February 15, 2018
The title of this graphic novel piqued my interest, thus I checked out on what this about. The story is about the transition period of the transgender woman Lily up to her SRS, or sex reassignment surgery.
The experiences of the transgenders were discussed throughout the story. People will learn a lot from reading this. I recommend that those who have preconceived opinion about the LGBT should try to read this.
Thanks to Jessica Kingsley Publisher for the ARC of this graphic novel.
The experiences of the transgenders were discussed throughout the story. People will learn a lot from reading this. I recommend that those who have preconceived opinion about the LGBT should try to read this.
Thanks to Jessica Kingsley Publisher for the ARC of this graphic novel.
April 2, 2018
2 disappointing stars
I can't help but feel this was written with the cisgender population in mind- an account of how Lily feels (that she always was a girl) & the emotions accompanied with that, how people treated her when it came to friendships & dating, how her mom didn't understand & eventually started to accept her, etc. It goes right up to when Lily is getting her SRS (sex reassignment surgery) & the starting of her relationship with her boyfriend, but I would have liked to see more of the aftermath. On a side note, the artwork also didn't really capture my interest.
It's always good to get more trans* stories out there, but I'm personally bummed because I'm on the hunt for books with trans* characters being more than just their coming out/first steps to their correct ID & sadly this wasn't one of them. This would be a great start for those beginning to transition as well as cis individuals who just don't get it. I look forward to more trans* stories that acknowledge their life as a whole.
I can't help but feel this was written with the cisgender population in mind- an account of how Lily feels (that she always was a girl) & the emotions accompanied with that, how people treated her when it came to friendships & dating, how her mom didn't understand & eventually started to accept her, etc. It goes right up to when Lily is getting her SRS (sex reassignment surgery) & the starting of her relationship with her boyfriend, but I would have liked to see more of the aftermath. On a side note, the artwork also didn't really capture my interest.
It's always good to get more trans* stories out there, but I'm personally bummed because I'm on the hunt for books with trans* characters being more than just their coming out/first steps to their correct ID & sadly this wasn't one of them. This would be a great start for those beginning to transition as well as cis individuals who just don't get it. I look forward to more trans* stories that acknowledge their life as a whole.
February 19, 2018
3.5. Good for people learning about transness for the sake of a transitioning friend or family member, or for those taking their first tentative steps towards transitioning themselves.
While i’m glad this representation exists, I wonder when trans people will have more than a single story— the transition metamorphosis— to draw upon in popular representation. In the public consciousness, a story about a transgender person has come to mean that person’s transition story, and while this story is valuable and important, transness as an attribute simultaneously affects every aspect of an individual and their interactions in the world **while also** ceasing to define that individual. In this way, it is similar to gender as a whole, as well as race, class, sexuality, and nationality: these traits are important, influencing some spheres of experience more than others, but the lives of people sharing these traits vary widely.
For this reason I often turn to writers like Imogen Binnie, Janet Mock, and Casey Plett, as well as theorists like Jack Halberstam and Judith Butler, for a more varied portrayal of trans experiences. When I was initially coming out, I would have devoured this graphic novel— it felt amazing to read stories like this and see myself, maybe for the first time, in a character on the page. But now I know that there’s more to me than my transness- I’m made up of innumerable stories and points of experience. I look forward to more stories that acknowledge this.
While i’m glad this representation exists, I wonder when trans people will have more than a single story— the transition metamorphosis— to draw upon in popular representation. In the public consciousness, a story about a transgender person has come to mean that person’s transition story, and while this story is valuable and important, transness as an attribute simultaneously affects every aspect of an individual and their interactions in the world **while also** ceasing to define that individual. In this way, it is similar to gender as a whole, as well as race, class, sexuality, and nationality: these traits are important, influencing some spheres of experience more than others, but the lives of people sharing these traits vary widely.
For this reason I often turn to writers like Imogen Binnie, Janet Mock, and Casey Plett, as well as theorists like Jack Halberstam and Judith Butler, for a more varied portrayal of trans experiences. When I was initially coming out, I would have devoured this graphic novel— it felt amazing to read stories like this and see myself, maybe for the first time, in a character on the page. But now I know that there’s more to me than my transness- I’m made up of innumerable stories and points of experience. I look forward to more stories that acknowledge this.
April 5, 2019
4.0 Stars
This was a full colour graphic novel that aimed to normalize the transperson experience to cis readers who may not have much exposure to the trans community. Much of the graphic novel involved explanations of various trans terms, which was quite informative for readers like myself. The story was generally very positive in tone and could also serve as a hopeful for other transpersons. While this was written as fiction, this #ownvoices story was largely inspired by the author’s own transition experience which added more authenticity to the narrative. I would definitely recommend this one for readers looking for an inclusive diverse story.
This was a full colour graphic novel that aimed to normalize the transperson experience to cis readers who may not have much exposure to the trans community. Much of the graphic novel involved explanations of various trans terms, which was quite informative for readers like myself. The story was generally very positive in tone and could also serve as a hopeful for other transpersons. While this was written as fiction, this #ownvoices story was largely inspired by the author’s own transition experience which added more authenticity to the narrative. I would definitely recommend this one for readers looking for an inclusive diverse story.
May 18, 2018
Symington's graphic novel contains a lot of great information about gender transition but it's not seamlessly woven into the narrative here. Story lacks nuance and narrative detail and felt like a list of trans issues were being checked off as I moved to the end of the book. Worth a read but not outstanding.
October 10, 2022
Content warnings are listed at the end of my review!
This functions less as entertainment and more so as a fictional cast headed by a Mary Sue serving as hollow educational vessels to teach the reader pretty simple, dry, and somewhat antiquated “Incorrect body chemistry for one’s brain” trans knowledge. The dialogue often enough is a problem/question and solution/answer format making it feel pretty unnaturally forced and very obviously made to try to teach the reader, it’s not subtle, it holds your hand with a vice grip. Characters exist to challenge the main trans woman, or to comfort her, with no substance otherwise aside from a name (See especially the copy/paste men characters who all have short brown hair, looking nearly identical). It seems like the author sat down and listed everything a trans woman could do and experience and tried to cram it in. It bears a resemblance to Gumballs (My review), just with significantly better focus but is also equally or possibly more uninteresting.
We follow Mary Sue- sorry, Lily in her first year of being out in her mid 20s where she manages to speedrun the stereotypical transition and trans experiences. Within a year she manages to already be on HRT, complete laser hair removal, train her voice, have her "passability" envied by others, and get vaginopasty- which with the latter included in especially, I don’t think this is humanly possible to do in 1 year. Lily doesn’t offer much to us besides her transition and agony before and during it, she exists as a cardboard cutout to puppet a basic and oversimplified trans story to garner cis sympathy. Does Lily have a job or health insurance to pay for any of this, I can’t tell you! There’s nothing groundbreaking or unique about this besides possibly the format, but then again, I’d probably just refer you to The Pervert (My review) which I liked significantly more.
A big thing that indicates this is for cis people and not trans people is the goal laden educational dialogue. A great example shortly into the book:
“Why do you transgenders wear so much makeup?”
“Well, when I can look in the mirror and not see a beard-stubbly, angular man-face staring back at me…… I’ll stop wearing so much!”
“You look beautiful, though! You even go out with men who can’t tell you’re trans!”
“1) I know it’s probably all in my head. That doesn’t make the feelings stop or change what I see in the mirror. 2) Equating beauty with people not being able to tell you’re trans is intrinsically cisnormative and transphobic.”
On top of the stale dialogue, it also contains a myriad of really bizarre writing choices. It's a very stiffly heterosexual story, where Lily when discussing her sexuality describes her lack of attraction to men prior to transition with intense childlike disgust, drawn with a disgusted expression. This mingled with the only other opportunity presented to acknowledge trans women who aren't straight, mentions how medical gatekeeping is very cisheteronormative but doesn't cover the heteronormative part whatsoever, just leaving a weird feeling of homophobia. The nonbinary rep obligatorily has the worst fashion sense, says nb instead of the correct abbreviation being enby or nby, and a character suggests they try having no hormones which is medically hazardous. Lily's mom has a TERF arc where at first she accuses Lily of characterizing women by wearing excessive makeup but her arc concludes when she sees a TERF blog saying the same thing and disagrees suddenly with it when she did exactly that.
Nothing about this book feels thoroughly thought out aside from what it wanted to teach. The information is ungraciously crammed in at the sacrifice of what little believability the characters already had. What story there is is solely focused on Lily's transition and things that tie into her transition- making her just the same tired trans representation that sees nothing but our sensationalized "miraculous transformations". I wish it cared more about Lily as a person rather than a teaching tool.
Summary:
Readability: ★★★☆☆, It's fast and dry, so it's not something you'll have to wrap your head around which can benefit allies, but simultaneously the information isn't the most up to date and smoothly presented.
Entertainment: ★★☆☆☆, It's an illustrated trans 101 in the format of a dry fictional story with a Mary Sue lead. Take it as you will.
Audience: Definitely more for allies than trans people, but even then it's so base level and dated that it would likely only benefit people more apprehensive that want convinced than allies looking for more information. This renders the audience to a very narrow niche that I'm not sure would even find or like it.
Content Warnings: blood, breakup, chasers, deadname, divorce, dysphoria, genital touching, ghosting, gore, graphic conversion therapy, hate crimes, homophobia, hospital, houselessness, misogyny, nudity, sexual assault, sexual conversations, sexualization, slurs, surgery, TERFs, transphobia, unemployment, violence + I don’t know how to content warn these aside from writing them out: mother helping daughter shave her genitals, dilating while calling dad
This functions less as entertainment and more so as a fictional cast headed by a Mary Sue serving as hollow educational vessels to teach the reader pretty simple, dry, and somewhat antiquated “Incorrect body chemistry for one’s brain” trans knowledge. The dialogue often enough is a problem/question and solution/answer format making it feel pretty unnaturally forced and very obviously made to try to teach the reader, it’s not subtle, it holds your hand with a vice grip. Characters exist to challenge the main trans woman, or to comfort her, with no substance otherwise aside from a name (See especially the copy/paste men characters who all have short brown hair, looking nearly identical). It seems like the author sat down and listed everything a trans woman could do and experience and tried to cram it in. It bears a resemblance to Gumballs (My review), just with significantly better focus but is also equally or possibly more uninteresting.
We follow Mary Sue- sorry, Lily in her first year of being out in her mid 20s where she manages to speedrun the stereotypical transition and trans experiences. Within a year she manages to already be on HRT, complete laser hair removal, train her voice, have her "passability" envied by others, and get vaginopasty- which with the latter included in especially, I don’t think this is humanly possible to do in 1 year. Lily doesn’t offer much to us besides her transition and agony before and during it, she exists as a cardboard cutout to puppet a basic and oversimplified trans story to garner cis sympathy. Does Lily have a job or health insurance to pay for any of this, I can’t tell you! There’s nothing groundbreaking or unique about this besides possibly the format, but then again, I’d probably just refer you to The Pervert (My review) which I liked significantly more.
A big thing that indicates this is for cis people and not trans people is the goal laden educational dialogue. A great example shortly into the book:
“Why do you transgenders wear so much makeup?”
“Well, when I can look in the mirror and not see a beard-stubbly, angular man-face staring back at me…… I’ll stop wearing so much!”
“You look beautiful, though! You even go out with men who can’t tell you’re trans!”
“1) I know it’s probably all in my head. That doesn’t make the feelings stop or change what I see in the mirror. 2) Equating beauty with people not being able to tell you’re trans is intrinsically cisnormative and transphobic.”
On top of the stale dialogue, it also contains a myriad of really bizarre writing choices. It's a very stiffly heterosexual story, where Lily when discussing her sexuality describes her lack of attraction to men prior to transition with intense childlike disgust, drawn with a disgusted expression. This mingled with the only other opportunity presented to acknowledge trans women who aren't straight, mentions how medical gatekeeping is very cisheteronormative but doesn't cover the heteronormative part whatsoever, just leaving a weird feeling of homophobia. The nonbinary rep obligatorily has the worst fashion sense, says nb instead of the correct abbreviation being enby or nby, and a character suggests they try having no hormones which is medically hazardous. Lily's mom has a TERF arc where at first she accuses Lily of characterizing women by wearing excessive makeup but her arc concludes when she sees a TERF blog saying the same thing and disagrees suddenly with it when she did exactly that.
Nothing about this book feels thoroughly thought out aside from what it wanted to teach. The information is ungraciously crammed in at the sacrifice of what little believability the characters already had. What story there is is solely focused on Lily's transition and things that tie into her transition- making her just the same tired trans representation that sees nothing but our sensationalized "miraculous transformations". I wish it cared more about Lily as a person rather than a teaching tool.
Summary:
Readability: ★★★☆☆, It's fast and dry, so it's not something you'll have to wrap your head around which can benefit allies, but simultaneously the information isn't the most up to date and smoothly presented.
Entertainment: ★★☆☆☆, It's an illustrated trans 101 in the format of a dry fictional story with a Mary Sue lead. Take it as you will.
Audience: Definitely more for allies than trans people, but even then it's so base level and dated that it would likely only benefit people more apprehensive that want convinced than allies looking for more information. This renders the audience to a very narrow niche that I'm not sure would even find or like it.
Content Warnings: blood, breakup, chasers, deadname, divorce, dysphoria, genital touching, ghosting, gore, graphic conversion therapy, hate crimes, homophobia, hospital, houselessness, misogyny, nudity, sexual assault, sexual conversations, sexualization, slurs, surgery, TERFs, transphobia, unemployment, violence + I don’t know how to content warn these aside from writing them out: mother helping daughter shave her genitals, dilating while calling dad
February 21, 2018
This graphic novel tells the story of Lily, formerly Darren, and her transition from identifying as male to female. While I was generally familiar with the concept, I really knew little about the process. Symington combines her own experience with that of others to craft this story, and the result is engrossing and rich in observed detail, both emotional and physical. Not everyone is accepting of Lily at first, but it all goes relatively smoothly. The most major conflicts are strictly mental. The story aims for a more or less average experience, avoiding both horror stories and fairytales. The result is a fascinating read. Symington’s art is well suited, exuding a friendly cartooniness that reminds me of Jeff Nicholson’s work in places, particularly when her characters grin with all their teeth showing. I liked this a lot. Recommended!
March 23, 2023
Such a fantastic graphic novel memoir that really dives deep into what it's like to transition, have surgery, try dating, have people accept you, learn how to accept yourself, etc. etc. The author is very honest and brave sharing their feelings being trans and it really comes across in this book. There's also a lot of explanations about parts of being tran I did realize/know about. Highly, highly recommend this book!!
June 3, 2019
2.5 stars. I think it's important for books like this one -- a transition narrative written and illustrated by a trans woman -- to exist and I'm glad it was published. It is a candid, straightforward fictional account of one woman's transition that I think will be eye-opening and educational for cisgender folks who are beginning to learn how to be trans allies, and I'm sure that some trans women will find that it reflects and validates their experiences.
However, as a work of comics fiction I found that it fell short on several accounts. The dialogue between the characters often felt pedantic and flat, more educational than realistic. I know the author was trying to pack a lot of information into this text but it often felt forced and stilted coming out of the characters' mouths. As other reviewers have noted, the main character's story felt a little too good to be true at times, and it was hard to believe that everything happened as smoothly and quickly as it did. In addition, the author does not acknowledge the main character's whiteness nor fully address the fact that trans women of color are much more likely to experience homelessness, violence, discrimination in employment and other difficulties than white trans women (other than one very brief side note).
Readers who want a more nuanced and complex narrative of transition should pick up Janet Mock's Redefining Realness or Julia Kaye's sweet, funny and poignant graphic memoir, Super Late Bloomer.
However, as a work of comics fiction I found that it fell short on several accounts. The dialogue between the characters often felt pedantic and flat, more educational than realistic. I know the author was trying to pack a lot of information into this text but it often felt forced and stilted coming out of the characters' mouths. As other reviewers have noted, the main character's story felt a little too good to be true at times, and it was hard to believe that everything happened as smoothly and quickly as it did. In addition, the author does not acknowledge the main character's whiteness nor fully address the fact that trans women of color are much more likely to experience homelessness, violence, discrimination in employment and other difficulties than white trans women (other than one very brief side note).
Readers who want a more nuanced and complex narrative of transition should pick up Janet Mock's Redefining Realness or Julia Kaye's sweet, funny and poignant graphic memoir, Super Late Bloomer.
March 23, 2021
Overall, good for cis folks learning about transness and transitioning. Checks many of the boxes pertaining to “hot button” issues surrounding trans folks in a very ABCs/123s kind of way. There is a nonbinary character (friend to the protagonist), which is pretty novel for this kind of cis-oriented book, but I’m still afraid this story emphasizes the gender binary in a way that will cause cis folks to continue believing certain stereotypes about all trans folks.
I will say that this book could help build a good foundation for cis folks who are really stuck in the past (think 2nd wave feminists who aren’t ALL the way to TERFdom) because of its ABCs/123s approach though, perhaps setting those folks up to be willing to learn about gender and transness in a more complex way in the future (i.e. stories outside of the stereotypical “I was a girl born in a boy’s body” story, which this book fits exactly— a valid story, but not the ONLY story that needs telling).
I will say that this book could help build a good foundation for cis folks who are really stuck in the past (think 2nd wave feminists who aren’t ALL the way to TERFdom) because of its ABCs/123s approach though, perhaps setting those folks up to be willing to learn about gender and transness in a more complex way in the future (i.e. stories outside of the stereotypical “I was a girl born in a boy’s body” story, which this book fits exactly— a valid story, but not the ONLY story that needs telling).
August 5, 2018
This book was okay but a bit... simple? That might not be a right word for it because being trans is anything but simple but the story is very "let's make sure we check all the issue boxes". It's great it's a positive story though.
I guess this was made to be a sort of informative, easy to get into piece on what kind of experience transitioning can be. And it does it job alright but it's not super engaging as a whole. It's quick to read though, so if you are at all interested, it won't take much time to check out.
It doesn't shine on art department either. It's not bad but somewhat wonky at times. I wasn't fan of those "hollow" eyes either.
I guess this was made to be a sort of informative, easy to get into piece on what kind of experience transitioning can be. And it does it job alright but it's not super engaging as a whole. It's quick to read though, so if you are at all interested, it won't take much time to check out.
It doesn't shine on art department either. It's not bad but somewhat wonky at times. I wasn't fan of those "hollow" eyes either.
June 18, 2021
First Year Out pohjaa tekijän itsensä ja hänen ystäviensä kokemuksiin, vaikka päähenkilö onkin Lily. Se kertoo hyvin rehellisesti siitä, millaisia vaikeuksia transihmisillä on. Kun vanhemmat eivät ymmärrä, kun deittailusta tulee vaikeaa, kun ihmiset käyttävät sinusta väärää pronominia... Minulle tämä ei kertonut paljoa uutta (seuraan YouTubessa useankin transihmisen kanavia), mutta tämä olisi loistava teos teos sellaiselle, jolle käsitteet ja transitioitumiseen littyvät aspektit eivät ole tuttuja. Piirrosjälki on välillä jäänyt toissijaiseksi informaation jakamiselle, mutta se ei lukukomukseen vaikuta.
February 10, 2019
This is a graphic novel telling the story of Lily’s transition from Male to Female. It depicts some of the challenges she faced, such as social stigma, support from friends and family members, and gender affirmation surgery. It is set in Canada.
September 21, 2023
Really good. It's so hard to find graphic novels with good stories and artwork I like, because some artwork doesn't work for me. This artwork was good, and worked for me, and the story was enjoyable and also conveyed something real and meaningful.
March 26, 2023
In a lot of ways this felt like a Baby's First Guide to Trans Women And Their Experiences, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing but made it feel more like a lecture than a story at times. Still, it's always nice to see trans women represented since they very rarely are, and to see one who is in a happy and healthy relationship.
June 13, 2018
Sabrina on tyttö joka on syntynyt pojan ruumiiseen ja haluaa olla se mikä hän on aina tuntenut olevansa. Matka on pitkä ja kivulias ja kaikkea muuta kuin helppo, mutta lopussa seisoo vain kiitos. Thai jotain.
January 12, 2019
What a sweet story! This is a great book for anyone needing an introduction to trans/transitioning issues.
April 6, 2018
I picked this up because I assumed it was a graphic memoir, akin to a trans woman's version of Fun Home. It does have memoir elements, but is more a composite of the experiences of this author and others she knows. In general that's not an issue, but it may be why the trans woman experience depicted here feels rather one dimensional and Trans 101. Lily has known all her life she's a girl, and she finally has the courage to live her life true to herself. The book follows her through various procedures from laser hair removal to gender confirmation surgery, as well as touching on the difficulties of dating as a trans woman and mentioning things like TERFs and voice training.
I think the audience of this book is definitely intended to be cis rather than trans people, as it often feels like various aspects of the trans experience are name checked and described briefly without going into a whole lot of detail. One of my big disappointments is that the story starts with Lily already on HRT, without going into real detail on the progression of its effects over time or the process she went through to acquire the treatment. Obviously, this stuff is rather personal, but then again the book discusses Lily's sex life and other fairly personal details, and I feel like it would be rather significant for young and/or inexperienced trans woman readers.
Also, while TERFs and non-binary people are discussed a little, neither of these topics are gone into in enough detail to really explain them properly. I was especially frustrated that the experience of the trans woman detailed here is pretty much entirely heterosexual, as many of the trans women I have encountered are gay or bisexual and it does a disservice to not at least briefly acknowledge them. Furthermore, I think this book would definitely benefit from listing further resources for readers to look into, and I'm a bit surprised the author has neither a foreword nor afterword. On a more narrative note, the treatment of Lily's relationship with her boyfriend is strange because it feels like it's meant to be fairly serious after we only see them go on one date. In general, given the title emphasizing this is about Lily's first year proudly out, it would've been nice to have some indication of how much time is passing between segments of the story. (Also, I found the art a bit lacking and ideosyncratic, and in some ways it felt a little iffy at times given the difficult subject matter being discussed.)
Overall, this isn't the worst book out there, and I certainly think it could be a good introduction for cis relatives of trans people, but only in certain cases. There's a lot more that can and should be discussed beyond this book, and again it's very intro level, but in some ways it's useful to have. I just feel like this book has a number of shortcomings and that there are certainly better resources out there, especially for young trans women trying to understand who they are for the first time.
I think the audience of this book is definitely intended to be cis rather than trans people, as it often feels like various aspects of the trans experience are name checked and described briefly without going into a whole lot of detail. One of my big disappointments is that the story starts with Lily already on HRT, without going into real detail on the progression of its effects over time or the process she went through to acquire the treatment. Obviously, this stuff is rather personal, but then again the book discusses Lily's sex life and other fairly personal details, and I feel like it would be rather significant for young and/or inexperienced trans woman readers.
Also, while TERFs and non-binary people are discussed a little, neither of these topics are gone into in enough detail to really explain them properly. I was especially frustrated that the experience of the trans woman detailed here is pretty much entirely heterosexual, as many of the trans women I have encountered are gay or bisexual and it does a disservice to not at least briefly acknowledge them. Furthermore, I think this book would definitely benefit from listing further resources for readers to look into, and I'm a bit surprised the author has neither a foreword nor afterword. On a more narrative note, the treatment of Lily's relationship with her boyfriend is strange because it feels like it's meant to be fairly serious after we only see them go on one date. In general, given the title emphasizing this is about Lily's first year proudly out, it would've been nice to have some indication of how much time is passing between segments of the story. (Also, I found the art a bit lacking and ideosyncratic, and in some ways it felt a little iffy at times given the difficult subject matter being discussed.)
Overall, this isn't the worst book out there, and I certainly think it could be a good introduction for cis relatives of trans people, but only in certain cases. There's a lot more that can and should be discussed beyond this book, and again it's very intro level, but in some ways it's useful to have. I just feel like this book has a number of shortcomings and that there are certainly better resources out there, especially for young trans women trying to understand who they are for the first time.
December 8, 2018
First Year Out is a thinly-veiled primer on what it’s like to be a trans person. It’s about a trans woman, Lily, and her struggles and triumphs during her first year “out” as her true gender. She spends a lot of time explaining things to her mother, who has all the struggles with Lily’s gender one would expect a loving but pretty clueless parent to have; she experiences dysphoria as she has to deal with getting rid of facial hair; she goes on dates and talks to friends.
Throughout, the dialog is a bit clunky and the pacing is clearly about ticking off all the items on a list of Issues Trans Folks Face. It’s not great literature, and it’s not beautifully drawn. But it’s a fine example of what it is, an educational book candy-coated to make it palatable.
A good book to hand to your loving but somewhat clueless relatives and loved ones who need to learn the basics of what being trans means; it's well-calibrated for folks who aren't very in the know, aren't invested enough to want to read a bunch of scientific literature, and/or have fairly basic questions that they don't quite know how to ask.
Throughout, the dialog is a bit clunky and the pacing is clearly about ticking off all the items on a list of Issues Trans Folks Face. It’s not great literature, and it’s not beautifully drawn. But it’s a fine example of what it is, an educational book candy-coated to make it palatable.
A good book to hand to your loving but somewhat clueless relatives and loved ones who need to learn the basics of what being trans means; it's well-calibrated for folks who aren't very in the know, aren't invested enough to want to read a bunch of scientific literature, and/or have fairly basic questions that they don't quite know how to ask.
March 31, 2019
This definitely seems written for a cisgender audience, to provide basic information as well as guidance on respectful treatment of transgender people. Includes some medical/surgical info and can fit in #GraphicMedicine collections.
May 3, 2018
This seems like it would be a great intro for someone wanting to learn about trans issues
December 5, 2018
A wonderful, eye-opening read.
read-in-2021
January 1, 2022This seems a PSA aimed at cis people...
February 10, 2022
More like sharing info than stories (which is what I like) but trans books get five stars
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May 26, 2021This is a semi-autobiographical story about Lily. Lily is an AMAB woman who feels that she has a lot of lost time to make up for so we get to join her journey of self-exploration as well as societal and medical transition. This is a good introductory book for cisgender people looking to learn more about what certain elements of transition are like for transwomen. I would also recommend it for individuals who are gender-questioning or for transwomen looking to feel validated in their experiences as some may find Lily's struggles relatable.
As a cisgender woman I cannot speak to the accuracy of Lily's struggles depicted in "First Year Out," but I did want to note that AMAB women in marginalized communities often have greater barriers to self expression whether that be a culture that does not allow them to express their true identities or socioeconomic barriers that keep them from being able to get medical support (i.e. hormones, therapy, surgery, etc.).
Learn more about the author, Sabrina Symington, in this interview she did with Trans Rights activist and Blogger, Monika Kowalska: link here.
As a cisgender woman I cannot speak to the accuracy of Lily's struggles depicted in "First Year Out," but I did want to note that AMAB women in marginalized communities often have greater barriers to self expression whether that be a culture that does not allow them to express their true identities or socioeconomic barriers that keep them from being able to get medical support (i.e. hormones, therapy, surgery, etc.).
Learn more about the author, Sabrina Symington, in this interview she did with Trans Rights activist and Blogger, Monika Kowalska: link here.
July 11, 2020
Being a cisgendered male, I have little to no prior experience with what transitioning involves. Fortunately for me, there was a graphic novel to aid my learning.
Using Lily as an example, Symington leads you through initial Hormone Replacement Therapy all the way to Sex Reassignment Surgery. We see Lily's thought process vocalised from her early days 'flight into hyper-masculinity' to low romantic moments to sharing experiences of 'coming out' with friends, all explained with precise erudition. At times this was at the expense of story and other aspects of Lily's character but then again none of that is the chief focus of this book.
For me First Year Out is a plain and simple guide for those who do not know what life outside of the gender binary is like. Its language is plain and simple and its artwork non-intrusive to the educational goal. I certainly feel like I have come away with a greater appreciation for the ongoing challenge of truly being comfortable in one's own skin.
I recommend First Year Out to others who are similarly keen to learn.
Using Lily as an example, Symington leads you through initial Hormone Replacement Therapy all the way to Sex Reassignment Surgery. We see Lily's thought process vocalised from her early days 'flight into hyper-masculinity' to low romantic moments to sharing experiences of 'coming out' with friends, all explained with precise erudition. At times this was at the expense of story and other aspects of Lily's character but then again none of that is the chief focus of this book.
For me First Year Out is a plain and simple guide for those who do not know what life outside of the gender binary is like. Its language is plain and simple and its artwork non-intrusive to the educational goal. I certainly feel like I have come away with a greater appreciation for the ongoing challenge of truly being comfortable in one's own skin.
I recommend First Year Out to others who are similarly keen to learn.
March 28, 2022
3.5 stars.
A good introduction to trans identity to a cis-gendered readership. I'm not qualified to touch upon whether Symington's depiction of dysmorphia/ everyday life/ transitioning is accurate, but my impression was, that her depictions gave a good insight to the unaccustomed viewer.
As other commenters have remarked upon, it does seem like this was made with a newly out/ coming to terms trans person, or ally in mind, and so really isn't in-depth. There were times when I thought that it came across as something of an infographic, but there were also some moments of genuine emotion. As a NB individual, I empathise with some of the other commenters' frustration at the overwhelming amount of superficial literature aimed at allies, but little for actual trans folk. While it's not Symington's job to rectify this, it is however, something to bear in mind should you wish to buy this text.
I have rated, and would recommend this book on the basis of the information is contains, as opposed to any story (something I don't think the book shies away from), nor would I recommend it on the basis of art- I didn't find the graphics at all appealing.
A good introduction to trans identity to a cis-gendered readership. I'm not qualified to touch upon whether Symington's depiction of dysmorphia/ everyday life/ transitioning is accurate, but my impression was, that her depictions gave a good insight to the unaccustomed viewer.
As other commenters have remarked upon, it does seem like this was made with a newly out/ coming to terms trans person, or ally in mind, and so really isn't in-depth. There were times when I thought that it came across as something of an infographic, but there were also some moments of genuine emotion. As a NB individual, I empathise with some of the other commenters' frustration at the overwhelming amount of superficial literature aimed at allies, but little for actual trans folk. While it's not Symington's job to rectify this, it is however, something to bear in mind should you wish to buy this text.
I have rated, and would recommend this book on the basis of the information is contains, as opposed to any story (something I don't think the book shies away from), nor would I recommend it on the basis of art- I didn't find the graphics at all appealing.
August 12, 2018
First Year Out appears to be a novelised adaptation of the author's own experiences. I thought the way she addressed medical and social issues that trans people experience while transitioning was interesting and informative. While the character did experience negative events throughout, it was a very uplifting tale overall, which was refreshing. The art did its job but was not really my preference.
I thought the story was a solid vehicle for anyone looking to get a better understanding of the transitioning process, including younger teen readers.
I thought the story was a solid vehicle for anyone looking to get a better understanding of the transitioning process, including younger teen readers.
March 22, 2023
This was a nice little graphic novel that's super informative about trans experiences. As many reviewers have pointed out, it seems more aimed at a cis audience to answer common questions about trans folks. Would definitely recommend it for those who are just starting to learn about trans folks and the challenges/discrimination/hate they often face.
Wasn't a huge fan of the artistic style, but appreciated how educational this book was.
Wasn't a huge fan of the artistic style, but appreciated how educational this book was.
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