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The Trans Generation: How Trans Kids (and Their Parents) Are Creating a Gender Revolution
A groundbreaking look at the lives of transgender children and their families
Some "boys" will only wear dresses; some "girls" refuse to wear dresses; in both cases, as Ann Travers shows in this fascinating account of the lives of transgender kids, these are often more than just wardrobe choices. Travers shows that from very early ages, some at two and three years old, these kids find themselves to be different from the sex category that was assigned to them at birth. How they make their voices heard--to their parents and friends, in schools, in public spaces, and through the courts--is the focus of this remarkable and groundbreaking book.
Based on interviews with transgender kids, ranging in age from 4 to 20, and their parents, and over five years of research in the US and Canada, The Trans Generation offers a rare look into what it is like to grow up as a trans child. From daycare to birthday parties and from the playground to the school bathroom, Travers takes the reader inside the day-to-day realities of trans kids who regularly experience crisis as a result of the restrictive ways in which sex categories regulate their lives and put pressure on them to deny their internal sense of who they are in gendered terms.
As a transgender activist and as an advocate for trans kids, Travers is able to document from first-hand experience the difficulties of growing up trans and the challenges that parents can face. The book shows the incredible time, energy, and love that these parents give to their children, even in the face of, at times, unsupportive communities, schools, courts, health systems, and government laws. Keeping in mind that all trans kids are among the most vulnerable to bullying, violent attacks, self-harm, and suicide, and that those who struggle with poverty, racism, lack of parental support, learning differences, etc, are extremely at risk, Travers offers ways to support all trans kids through policy recommendations and activist interventions. Ultimately, the book is meant to open up options for kids' own gender self-determination, to question the need for the sex binary, and to highlight ways that cultural and material resources can be redistributed more equitably. The Trans Generation offers an essential and important new understanding of childhood.
Some "boys" will only wear dresses; some "girls" refuse to wear dresses; in both cases, as Ann Travers shows in this fascinating account of the lives of transgender kids, these are often more than just wardrobe choices. Travers shows that from very early ages, some at two and three years old, these kids find themselves to be different from the sex category that was assigned to them at birth. How they make their voices heard--to their parents and friends, in schools, in public spaces, and through the courts--is the focus of this remarkable and groundbreaking book.
Based on interviews with transgender kids, ranging in age from 4 to 20, and their parents, and over five years of research in the US and Canada, The Trans Generation offers a rare look into what it is like to grow up as a trans child. From daycare to birthday parties and from the playground to the school bathroom, Travers takes the reader inside the day-to-day realities of trans kids who regularly experience crisis as a result of the restrictive ways in which sex categories regulate their lives and put pressure on them to deny their internal sense of who they are in gendered terms.
As a transgender activist and as an advocate for trans kids, Travers is able to document from first-hand experience the difficulties of growing up trans and the challenges that parents can face. The book shows the incredible time, energy, and love that these parents give to their children, even in the face of, at times, unsupportive communities, schools, courts, health systems, and government laws. Keeping in mind that all trans kids are among the most vulnerable to bullying, violent attacks, self-harm, and suicide, and that those who struggle with poverty, racism, lack of parental support, learning differences, etc, are extremely at risk, Travers offers ways to support all trans kids through policy recommendations and activist interventions. Ultimately, the book is meant to open up options for kids' own gender self-determination, to question the need for the sex binary, and to highlight ways that cultural and material resources can be redistributed more equitably. The Trans Generation offers an essential and important new understanding of childhood.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published June 5, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 15, 2018
There are times when I want to read a title purely because I know little about the subject it discusses. This is one of those times. I am interested in learning about the LGBTQIA+ identity in general, and felt that June was the perfect time to educate myself further, with it being LGBT Pride Month.
"The Trans Generation" highlights the obstacles that Trans youth have to overcome in life and the prejudice they face from a significant portion of the population. It is incredibly shocking and saddening the amount they face at such a young age, with problems such as gaining parental support, issues regarding school bathrooms, and the like. It is a shame that the progress that was made has been rolled back under the Trump government. To have made such progress just to have it snatched away is heartbreaking.
This book identifies that we still have a long way to go until the Trans youth feel they can be themselves without fear. I truly hope we can move forward in a timely manner, it is horrifying the bullying these young people are enduring just for being themselves. One last think to mention, I appreciated the effort made by Ann Travers to ensure that each individual remained anonymous, but that enough information was given so they could be analysed in terms of their other vulnerabilities.
Many thanks to NYU Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
"The Trans Generation" highlights the obstacles that Trans youth have to overcome in life and the prejudice they face from a significant portion of the population. It is incredibly shocking and saddening the amount they face at such a young age, with problems such as gaining parental support, issues regarding school bathrooms, and the like. It is a shame that the progress that was made has been rolled back under the Trump government. To have made such progress just to have it snatched away is heartbreaking.
This book identifies that we still have a long way to go until the Trans youth feel they can be themselves without fear. I truly hope we can move forward in a timely manner, it is horrifying the bullying these young people are enduring just for being themselves. One last think to mention, I appreciated the effort made by Ann Travers to ensure that each individual remained anonymous, but that enough information was given so they could be analysed in terms of their other vulnerabilities.
Many thanks to NYU Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
July 24, 2018
The Trans Generation is one of those books that I found fascinating, but hard to read at times - which is a shame, because there is some great information in it, along with some valuable insights, and some wonderful observations.
Early reviewers called the book passionate, smart, sensitive, compassionate, pragmatic, heartfelt, and honest, none of which I can disagree with. It is the "pleasure to read" accolades where I struggled. The book is written in a clinical style, presenting so much of the information in what reads like case notes from a counseling session. For me, that made it hard to connect with the kids, to really identify with them. Their stories generate sympathy, and trigger some very dark emotions (and, in my case, memories), but at a distance.
It occurs to me, of course, that the distance may be deliberate. Perhaps the clinical approach works better for those parents, teachers, counselors, and others who are observing, rather than experiencing the kids' issues. Personally, I struggled with the text, but persevered because those journeys are important to me. I do worry about the casual reader, but that approach may very well be what keeps them reading.
What I found most fascinating about The Trans Generation was the dual focus on the lives and experiences of the children, and the barriers they face in society. Ann Travers comes down hard on a largely broken system that does not know how to support these kids, and which often has no interest in doing so. We are exposed to a culture of racism and sexism, of homophobia and transphobia, that put these kids at a disadvantage from day one. All of that is important because, as the book argues, trans kids do not exist in a vacuum, and neither do their struggles. One issue feeds another, compounds another, and leads back into a cycle of barriers - which come in the form of dress-codes and bathrooms as often as they do rules and legislation.
http://bibrary.blogspot.com/2018/06/t...
Early reviewers called the book passionate, smart, sensitive, compassionate, pragmatic, heartfelt, and honest, none of which I can disagree with. It is the "pleasure to read" accolades where I struggled. The book is written in a clinical style, presenting so much of the information in what reads like case notes from a counseling session. For me, that made it hard to connect with the kids, to really identify with them. Their stories generate sympathy, and trigger some very dark emotions (and, in my case, memories), but at a distance.
It occurs to me, of course, that the distance may be deliberate. Perhaps the clinical approach works better for those parents, teachers, counselors, and others who are observing, rather than experiencing the kids' issues. Personally, I struggled with the text, but persevered because those journeys are important to me. I do worry about the casual reader, but that approach may very well be what keeps them reading.
What I found most fascinating about The Trans Generation was the dual focus on the lives and experiences of the children, and the barriers they face in society. Ann Travers comes down hard on a largely broken system that does not know how to support these kids, and which often has no interest in doing so. We are exposed to a culture of racism and sexism, of homophobia and transphobia, that put these kids at a disadvantage from day one. All of that is important because, as the book argues, trans kids do not exist in a vacuum, and neither do their struggles. One issue feeds another, compounds another, and leads back into a cycle of barriers - which come in the form of dress-codes and bathrooms as often as they do rules and legislation.
http://bibrary.blogspot.com/2018/06/t...
June 11, 2018
I’ve picked this book because I feel that there is a fair share of LBG books but the ‘T’ – transgender is perhaps less known among people outside the LBGT community.
The Trans Generation is a very informative and educational book about challenges and hardship that transgender and gender-noncomforming children face. The writing style of the book is quite unusual and rather academic. The book consists mostly of excerpts from interviews conducted by the author with the transgender kids and their parents over a 5 year period. Some of the children are as young as 4 and so it is quite astonishing to see how strongly a 4 year old can feel about their gender self-determination. It is also quite sad to learn how some schools still have such a conservative and old-fashioned approach, refusing to recognise any gender preferences if they differ from the child’s birth certificate.
Before reading this book I did not quite appreciate the extend our society is predicated on a binary sex system with no room for deviations. It has only been in recent years that some progress has been done seen this area, such as bathrooms with gender neutral signs which are becoming increasingly popular. I believe that books like Travers’ The Trans Generation are contributing to making the life of trans kids better and slightly easier by promoting greater gender openness.
I personally have a very limited experience with transgender people and I found this book deeply insightful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to better understand trans people and their journey.
I received a free of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Trans Generation is a very informative and educational book about challenges and hardship that transgender and gender-noncomforming children face. The writing style of the book is quite unusual and rather academic. The book consists mostly of excerpts from interviews conducted by the author with the transgender kids and their parents over a 5 year period. Some of the children are as young as 4 and so it is quite astonishing to see how strongly a 4 year old can feel about their gender self-determination. It is also quite sad to learn how some schools still have such a conservative and old-fashioned approach, refusing to recognise any gender preferences if they differ from the child’s birth certificate.
Before reading this book I did not quite appreciate the extend our society is predicated on a binary sex system with no room for deviations. It has only been in recent years that some progress has been done seen this area, such as bathrooms with gender neutral signs which are becoming increasingly popular. I believe that books like Travers’ The Trans Generation are contributing to making the life of trans kids better and slightly easier by promoting greater gender openness.
I personally have a very limited experience with transgender people and I found this book deeply insightful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to better understand trans people and their journey.
I received a free of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2018
I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Trans Generation is a smart and compassionate book about various challenges faced by today's genderqueer youth. The heart of the book is comprised of a study concerning 20 young people from Canada and USA who are all, each in their own way, genderqueer (including, but not limited to, transgender and non-binary perspectives). The author interviews the kids and their parents, and uses the information gathered as a starting point to discuss issues connected with being genderqueer in Canada and the US, as well as ways, both legal and private, of overcoming some of these challenges. Travers uses gender studies, critical childhood studies and the discourse of precarity to showcase why genderqueer youth are particularly vulnerable members of society, while never losing sight of her interviewee's individuality and humanity.
It was a deeply informative and interesting read. Unfortunately (though not unexpectedly), it was also very upsetting due to the hardships the young people and the author describe (widespread bullying, to give one example). It is ever more so upsetting given the context of my reading, wherein the deeply conservative government of my country would never grant any of the (incredibly small) legal concessions the young people portrayed in the book might be able to experience.
The Trans Generation is a smart and compassionate book about various challenges faced by today's genderqueer youth. The heart of the book is comprised of a study concerning 20 young people from Canada and USA who are all, each in their own way, genderqueer (including, but not limited to, transgender and non-binary perspectives). The author interviews the kids and their parents, and uses the information gathered as a starting point to discuss issues connected with being genderqueer in Canada and the US, as well as ways, both legal and private, of overcoming some of these challenges. Travers uses gender studies, critical childhood studies and the discourse of precarity to showcase why genderqueer youth are particularly vulnerable members of society, while never losing sight of her interviewee's individuality and humanity.
It was a deeply informative and interesting read. Unfortunately (though not unexpectedly), it was also very upsetting due to the hardships the young people and the author describe (widespread bullying, to give one example). It is ever more so upsetting given the context of my reading, wherein the deeply conservative government of my country would never grant any of the (incredibly small) legal concessions the young people portrayed in the book might be able to experience.
February 6, 2020
This is much more academic than it might appear at first glance, but I found it a good introduction to trans discourse and theory. It does focus on issues that specifically affect children, but I think Travers offers a helpful presentation of the discussion as a whole. If you haven't read much about trans issues, I think this is a good starting point.
May 23, 2018
In today’s society, there’s always something going on concerning people’s gender, sexuality, race and… well, pretty much every other label or characteristic in existence. The Trans Generation focuses on one of those – being trans. As someone identifying as bisexual, I often feel like I should know more about other identities, other labels. Which is exactly why I decided to pick up this book.
Firstly, I’d like to point out I can’t judge any of the content in any way. I don’t identify as trans, nor do I live in the United States or in Canada – where Ann Travers conducted years and years of research. I genuinely believe this allows me to say it gives a real and raw view of how life for transgenders is in those continents.
I was aware life couldn’t be easy for this minority group, but I never, ever realized – and this may sound naive, but so be it – there are many other factors influencing their lives on a daily basis. Simply imagining a trans, colored person growing up in a very poor environment makes me angry.
Ann Travers succeeds at showing exactly what kind of influence this can have on children who’re already struggling with their identity, their being.
Adding in snippets of trans children's lives makes this non-fiction even more real, touching and thought-provoking. So many subjects are touched upon – from social perspectives, to friends, to school, to family, to beliefs, to the environment they grew up on, to… well.. a lot!
I have to admit I had a hard time getting through this non-fiction, but that’s purely because there is a lot of information, a lot of things I didn’t know, didn’t realize. I had to read slowly, sometimes even rereading chapters because I was sure I didn’t take it all in like I wanted to.
At the end of the day, I simply want to share this novel with everyone because it’s a truly important one. I hope you read it someday.
All opinions are entirely my own; I'm not being compensated in any way.
Firstly, I’d like to point out I can’t judge any of the content in any way. I don’t identify as trans, nor do I live in the United States or in Canada – where Ann Travers conducted years and years of research. I genuinely believe this allows me to say it gives a real and raw view of how life for transgenders is in those continents.
I was aware life couldn’t be easy for this minority group, but I never, ever realized – and this may sound naive, but so be it – there are many other factors influencing their lives on a daily basis. Simply imagining a trans, colored person growing up in a very poor environment makes me angry.
Ann Travers succeeds at showing exactly what kind of influence this can have on children who’re already struggling with their identity, their being.
Adding in snippets of trans children's lives makes this non-fiction even more real, touching and thought-provoking. So many subjects are touched upon – from social perspectives, to friends, to school, to family, to beliefs, to the environment they grew up on, to… well.. a lot!
I have to admit I had a hard time getting through this non-fiction, but that’s purely because there is a lot of information, a lot of things I didn’t know, didn’t realize. I had to read slowly, sometimes even rereading chapters because I was sure I didn’t take it all in like I wanted to.
At the end of the day, I simply want to share this novel with everyone because it’s a truly important one. I hope you read it someday.
All opinions are entirely my own; I'm not being compensated in any way.
February 23, 2018
*thank you to Netgalley and NYU Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars.
Transgender is a word many of us are now familiar with. But how many of us really understand what that means? It was only about 10 years ago that I really started to pick up what it was but I still didn't have a clue really. I am very ashamed to admit that my thoughts on it were negative. It disgusted me. (I am in no way proud of thinking that and I need to add that I most definitely do NOT feel that way now.) Back then Id only heard what id been told and it wasnt until I saw this amazing documentary on Transgender people that my eyes were finally opened to the truth. I wish I'd remembered the name of it because it changed my life. I came to understand people better who feel this way, feel like they were the wrong gender for their true selves. Now I feel inspired by them. Their courage to undergo a sex change for one example. This book goes into so much detail about issues that are brought up by transgender children. It was all so very interesting. Somethings I had known but most of it, I was in the dark about. This book is for anybody who is wanting a better understanding or maybe you have a friend who is transgender. Either way, this book is one to grab.
4 stars.
Transgender is a word many of us are now familiar with. But how many of us really understand what that means? It was only about 10 years ago that I really started to pick up what it was but I still didn't have a clue really. I am very ashamed to admit that my thoughts on it were negative. It disgusted me. (I am in no way proud of thinking that and I need to add that I most definitely do NOT feel that way now.) Back then Id only heard what id been told and it wasnt until I saw this amazing documentary on Transgender people that my eyes were finally opened to the truth. I wish I'd remembered the name of it because it changed my life. I came to understand people better who feel this way, feel like they were the wrong gender for their true selves. Now I feel inspired by them. Their courage to undergo a sex change for one example. This book goes into so much detail about issues that are brought up by transgender children. It was all so very interesting. Somethings I had known but most of it, I was in the dark about. This book is for anybody who is wanting a better understanding or maybe you have a friend who is transgender. Either way, this book is one to grab.
July 25, 2018
This book expertly navigates the trans conversation through a lens that we don't see often- the eyes of children and adolescents who identify as trans, nonbinary, or have gone through a gender transition. I live in Western Pennsylvania so most of the time this conversation is shut down a reference to religion or children not being old enough to think for themselves. This book was a refreshing change of pace.
The children and parents interviewed for the book have different opinions and perspectives. Some of the children had loving, supportive family members during their transitions, while others faced intense humiliation and shame.
Each person has had a unique journey and there are not a lot of neat, black and white answers to the questions society is asking. Should we have gendered bathrooms or non-gendered? Can someone identify as trans and nonbinary? How should schools respond to children and adolescents who are going through a transition?
Ann does a phenomenal job covering many different issues that children and teens who are trans deal with. Highly recommend this book if you are interested in doing more research on this topic.
I received a copy of "The Trans Generation" from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The children and parents interviewed for the book have different opinions and perspectives. Some of the children had loving, supportive family members during their transitions, while others faced intense humiliation and shame.
Each person has had a unique journey and there are not a lot of neat, black and white answers to the questions society is asking. Should we have gendered bathrooms or non-gendered? Can someone identify as trans and nonbinary? How should schools respond to children and adolescents who are going through a transition?
Ann does a phenomenal job covering many different issues that children and teens who are trans deal with. Highly recommend this book if you are interested in doing more research on this topic.
I received a copy of "The Trans Generation" from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Did Not Finish
March 29, 2022A very good resource for parents, educators, and policymakers. This book will be handy in understanding the difficulties and barriers trans kids face, and how to advocate, fight, and support trans kids.
For everyone else, an eye-opening read. Travers interviews a couple dozen trans kids in Canada and US, and their parents, and it's their words that make up a bulk of the book. Hearing how these kids have struggled unnecessarily was heartbreaking, it's frustrating for me to read how so many kids aren't given basic rights anywhere.
For everyone else, an eye-opening read. Travers interviews a couple dozen trans kids in Canada and US, and their parents, and it's their words that make up a bulk of the book. Hearing how these kids have struggled unnecessarily was heartbreaking, it's frustrating for me to read how so many kids aren't given basic rights anywhere.
February 12, 2018
If you or anyone you know is having difficulty with their assigned birth gender, this might be a good book to read. It is based on interviews with transgender young people aged 4-20 and their family members. It shows first-hand what it is like to grow up as 'transgender'. The book covers many different sub-topics, such as social change, racialisation, and childhood, just to name a few. It's great at raising awareness of transgender individuals, as well as showing the difficulties they face in the normal everyday activities of modern life. It was great to see interviews from transgender individuals themselves, and the case studies and accounts were woven seamlessly into the text, which worked really well. The major downside to this book however, is that it is not laid out in the easiest format. I feel it would have worked better with clearly laid chapters on varying issues, with quotations from individuals set apart. On the whole though, I think this wil be a very reassuring book to many.
Thanks NetGalley for this copy.
Thanks NetGalley for this copy.
July 14, 2018
A deeply thought-provoking and academic read, and yet, still likely the best book on transgender issues I've read so far this year. Although the author would probably hate it being reduced to that.
The insights into the lives of current generation trans young people are invaluable, especially to those of us who are older/transitioned late in life and wonder what it would be like to be very young and trans right now. Some of the anecdotes hit very close to home.
The author handles everything with impeccable sensitivity. That is so fucking rare, I can't even. They don't buy into any of the ugly, damaging myths so often found in other texts. Very grateful for that!
That said, the book is somewhat less accessible because of its research depth and academic tone. I don't have a background in queer theory or gender studies, so parts of it were hard to follow for me. That didn't make the book any less worthwhile, but certainly a harder read. Worth it.
I think one of the best aspects is how well the book illuminates intersectional identities. For people who may not be in a place to see how trans identities interact with race, ethnicity, etc. this could be very helpful.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book, but with the cautionary note that it can be very dense reading/ivory tower for those without a specific social science background. It's a great next-read choice for anyone who enjoyed Elijah C. Nealy's book, Transgender Child and Youth.
The insights into the lives of current generation trans young people are invaluable, especially to those of us who are older/transitioned late in life and wonder what it would be like to be very young and trans right now. Some of the anecdotes hit very close to home.
The author handles everything with impeccable sensitivity. That is so fucking rare, I can't even. They don't buy into any of the ugly, damaging myths so often found in other texts. Very grateful for that!
That said, the book is somewhat less accessible because of its research depth and academic tone. I don't have a background in queer theory or gender studies, so parts of it were hard to follow for me. That didn't make the book any less worthwhile, but certainly a harder read. Worth it.
I think one of the best aspects is how well the book illuminates intersectional identities. For people who may not be in a place to see how trans identities interact with race, ethnicity, etc. this could be very helpful.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book, but with the cautionary note that it can be very dense reading/ivory tower for those without a specific social science background. It's a great next-read choice for anyone who enjoyed Elijah C. Nealy's book, Transgender Child and Youth.
June 27, 2018
As a parent of a trans young adult who is just beginning to face the hurdles that life in America as a trans person currently means, this book was so important for me to read. While I considered our family to be supportive and loving, I realized there is so much more we can do. My child has continually told me how lucky she is to be the white child of a middle class family, especially one with good health care coverage, and after reading this book, my heart breaks for those children who come out amidst fighting cultural and economic battles as well. The book is a challenge to read, often so full of data that it feels more like a textbook than a book. But, the effort is worth it to help support our children and being armed with facts and information is essential to changing the discriminatory paradigms in the US right now. I do wish that the narratives of real individuals had been “more”—longer, more detailed and more of them. These personal stories will be how we connect, support and hopefully make change in our society. Reading this book is important!
January 21, 2022
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I got an ARC of this book.
I expected this to be more lighthearted, feel good, memoir-ish. Instead it was very much a sociological and feminist view of transitioning for people under 18. It was academic and at times inaccessible for a great deal of the people that would want to read this book. I had difficulties focusing as it went so far beyond the kids into theory land that the kids felt more like props than real people. This felt especially true when it was mentioned that a kid may or may not be alive anymore, but Travers went on to say that the child may have just changed their email address despite the sentences before explaining in graphic detail the history of cutting and how deep the last cut was. This feeling of disassociation from the children and parents only continued from that point. Considering two thirds of the description is about the children, I would expect at least a third of this book to be about them. Instead I felt like the children really didn’t have a voice, only select quotes were used and at times it was difficult to tell that someone besides Travers was speaking (which may have been just a formatting issue with my copy of the book).
I started my social transition young. I started T at 15. I am binary. I should have been able to connect with the kids. I have been through so many of the same experiences from sexual assault to dropping out of high school because of bullying. I had parents that ranged in their support and I had a step-parent that seemed to be from hell that came around with time. This book sound have been able to be something I could sink my teeth into, my issue is this was not about the kids or even really the parents. It was about one person trying to make sense of the nonsense that these families face using inaccessible gender theories. I recognized so many of the citations because they are theorists that I used in my thesis in college where I was studying gender theories. Someone without that background may find very little help in this book. I read multiple sections out loud to my grandmother, also an avid reader but with only an elementary school education, she accused me of making up words to justify not focusing on the book. My grandmother has been one of my biggest allies in my transition down to being at my bedside after surgery (though she did deny me that cheeseburger I wanted after top surgery. I did get my revenge on her years later by denying her a cheeseburger after a surgery!).
If you are looking for a VERY academic look at social and medical transitions that borders on saying that binaries are bad, then this is perfect. Travers never does cross the line to erase binaries and in the conclusion is able to pull everything back with a single line about making sure that people who are binary are not lost in all the efforts to create something better than what currently is. Her being able to push for better while still allowing for binary is impressive and very rare. Many theorists, especially those who understand gender-queer identities, go as far to say that we need to get rid of the binary which is something that would be disastrous for people that are binary like many to most cis people and a great deal of trans people too. I am all for all genders being respected and given space. I will be one of the first ones fighting for a trans kid no matter if they are binary or not. The issue I always find is there are two groups the binary trans people who judge people for not being “trans enough” (i.e. being binary enough or passing in the “correct” way) or the gender queer people who judge others for not being “trans enough” (i.e. being binary at all or passing “too much”). Travers was able to be that middle ground in a way that call for all people to have support no matter their gender or how well they passed.
Travers did do something that is not often done. Parents and children were both given a voice. It gave a unique perspective to the needs and desires of both. It isn’t often that the parents and the kids speak together. It allowed a deeper look into the relationships and what really is needed for trans kids beyond what they know they need. However this was stunted by the disassociation with the kids and the often inaccessible language. Many parents who could benefit for this book will find themselves even more lost than they were before. Speaking of just the mothers in this book, there would have been many that wouldn’t have been able to gain much from it.
So while I did enjoy the point that this book made and the many comparisons of the US and Canada, it is not a book I would blanket recommend to people. I would save this for my friends and colleagues that enjoyed books with, as my grandmother would say, “made up words” in it. This is not a casual book to read before bed. This is a book you will want a notebook for. One that will lead you down a path of academic research further into the gender world. It is not by far a bad book, but it is one that requires a higher read level than is accessible for most of the people who need to be able to access it. To follow suite with how this book was written, here are some quotes to sum up my main issue:
“If I do not speak in a language that can be understood there is little chance for a dialogue.”
― bell hooks
“There will be no mass-based feminist movement as long as feminist ideas are understood only by a well-educated few.”
― bell hooks, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center
I got an ARC of this book.
I expected this to be more lighthearted, feel good, memoir-ish. Instead it was very much a sociological and feminist view of transitioning for people under 18. It was academic and at times inaccessible for a great deal of the people that would want to read this book. I had difficulties focusing as it went so far beyond the kids into theory land that the kids felt more like props than real people. This felt especially true when it was mentioned that a kid may or may not be alive anymore, but Travers went on to say that the child may have just changed their email address despite the sentences before explaining in graphic detail the history of cutting and how deep the last cut was. This feeling of disassociation from the children and parents only continued from that point. Considering two thirds of the description is about the children, I would expect at least a third of this book to be about them. Instead I felt like the children really didn’t have a voice, only select quotes were used and at times it was difficult to tell that someone besides Travers was speaking (which may have been just a formatting issue with my copy of the book).
I started my social transition young. I started T at 15. I am binary. I should have been able to connect with the kids. I have been through so many of the same experiences from sexual assault to dropping out of high school because of bullying. I had parents that ranged in their support and I had a step-parent that seemed to be from hell that came around with time. This book sound have been able to be something I could sink my teeth into, my issue is this was not about the kids or even really the parents. It was about one person trying to make sense of the nonsense that these families face using inaccessible gender theories. I recognized so many of the citations because they are theorists that I used in my thesis in college where I was studying gender theories. Someone without that background may find very little help in this book. I read multiple sections out loud to my grandmother, also an avid reader but with only an elementary school education, she accused me of making up words to justify not focusing on the book. My grandmother has been one of my biggest allies in my transition down to being at my bedside after surgery (though she did deny me that cheeseburger I wanted after top surgery. I did get my revenge on her years later by denying her a cheeseburger after a surgery!).
If you are looking for a VERY academic look at social and medical transitions that borders on saying that binaries are bad, then this is perfect. Travers never does cross the line to erase binaries and in the conclusion is able to pull everything back with a single line about making sure that people who are binary are not lost in all the efforts to create something better than what currently is. Her being able to push for better while still allowing for binary is impressive and very rare. Many theorists, especially those who understand gender-queer identities, go as far to say that we need to get rid of the binary which is something that would be disastrous for people that are binary like many to most cis people and a great deal of trans people too. I am all for all genders being respected and given space. I will be one of the first ones fighting for a trans kid no matter if they are binary or not. The issue I always find is there are two groups the binary trans people who judge people for not being “trans enough” (i.e. being binary enough or passing in the “correct” way) or the gender queer people who judge others for not being “trans enough” (i.e. being binary at all or passing “too much”). Travers was able to be that middle ground in a way that call for all people to have support no matter their gender or how well they passed.
Travers did do something that is not often done. Parents and children were both given a voice. It gave a unique perspective to the needs and desires of both. It isn’t often that the parents and the kids speak together. It allowed a deeper look into the relationships and what really is needed for trans kids beyond what they know they need. However this was stunted by the disassociation with the kids and the often inaccessible language. Many parents who could benefit for this book will find themselves even more lost than they were before. Speaking of just the mothers in this book, there would have been many that wouldn’t have been able to gain much from it.
So while I did enjoy the point that this book made and the many comparisons of the US and Canada, it is not a book I would blanket recommend to people. I would save this for my friends and colleagues that enjoyed books with, as my grandmother would say, “made up words” in it. This is not a casual book to read before bed. This is a book you will want a notebook for. One that will lead you down a path of academic research further into the gender world. It is not by far a bad book, but it is one that requires a higher read level than is accessible for most of the people who need to be able to access it. To follow suite with how this book was written, here are some quotes to sum up my main issue:
“If I do not speak in a language that can be understood there is little chance for a dialogue.”
― bell hooks
“There will be no mass-based feminist movement as long as feminist ideas are understood only by a well-educated few.”
― bell hooks, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center
June 29, 2018
The Trans Generation is an excellent resource for anyone looking to educated themselves about the trans community. It is written by a trans person, with a lot of research done, interviewing many people and families. It provides clear examples of the obstacles faced by trans people, especially children. It is not meant to be a fun or easy read, but rather informational.
June 20, 2018
An eye opening fascinating look at the world of young children who identify as trans.The effectbon them their families how they navigate the school their daily lives relationships.An important book should be available in schools & libraries.Thanks #netgalley #nyu pres
February 18, 2020
The strongest part of this book is the voices of the trans kids and their parents. There was not enough of this. Their voices were secondary to the author’s own thoughts. I found these to be too theoretical and academic. I would have rather had the kids and parents voices dominate.
June 27, 2018
Review also posted on my blog: https://bennilovesbooks.wordpress.com...
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This book has content warnings for discussions of transphobia/queerphobia, deadnaming, misgendering, bullying, abuse, and suicide, and for a graphic description of a trans child dying by suicide.
I usually get incredibly frustrated while reading academic work on trans people because most of the time it's littered with binarism and outdated/offensive terminology, so this book was a breath of fresh air for me because it was pretty spot-on for most of the book. Travers, who identifies as trans, did their research and their best to ensure that this book was as respectful toward trans kids as possible, and it was really effective. Overall, this book is very good and one that most trans people like myself will find reflective of their own experiences to some degree.
My favorite thing about this book is that it not only was respectful towards trans people, but it is also intersectional -- Travers goes into deep discussions about how race, class, disability, and sexuality all play a part in a trans person's experiences and acknowledges that these experiences are going to vary widely because of these factors. For instance, during one moment Travers tells a young trans person that things will get better as they grow up and go to college and move on with their life, and then later Travers realizes that the assumption they made that college is a certainty in that person's future was incredibly classist and they felt guilty for how they had phrased that conversation. The trans kids and teens who were interviewed have a variety of gender identities and backgrounds, and the mix of different perspectives from these kids and teens were a huge boon to the book and to our understanding of trans people's childhoods.
My largest issue with the book was how Travers approached being trans as being "disabled" by society -- in a sense, I get where they were coming from. They very eloquently discussed the medical vs. social models of disability and how with the social model it is society that creates barriers rather than the disability itself, and Travers expanded this to society "disabling" trans people as well. I get what they were going for here and agree that that is the essential effect that society has on trans people, however as a disabled person I felt that the terminology around trans people being "disabled" was co-opted in a way that tries to equate transness and being disabled when these are two very different things, and I don't feel that an abled trans person should really be describing themselves as "disabled" when they mean that society is creating barriers that cause them to be discriminated against. I felt that better terminology could have been used here. I did, however, appreciate the good understanding of how ableism comes into play regarding trans disabled people, and felt that that added to the larger discussion as a whole.
Aside from that larger terminology issue, this book adds a lot of value to discourse about the lives of trans kids and was a really thoughtful and insightful read. Though I disagree with some of the definitions of terms in the glossary, this book in general is a really great overview of how intersectionality affects trans youth and how trans youth are growing up in this generation. It's a great read, and I definitely recommend it.
Final rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This book has content warnings for discussions of transphobia/queerphobia, deadnaming, misgendering, bullying, abuse, and suicide, and for a graphic description of a trans child dying by suicide.
I usually get incredibly frustrated while reading academic work on trans people because most of the time it's littered with binarism and outdated/offensive terminology, so this book was a breath of fresh air for me because it was pretty spot-on for most of the book. Travers, who identifies as trans, did their research and their best to ensure that this book was as respectful toward trans kids as possible, and it was really effective. Overall, this book is very good and one that most trans people like myself will find reflective of their own experiences to some degree.
My favorite thing about this book is that it not only was respectful towards trans people, but it is also intersectional -- Travers goes into deep discussions about how race, class, disability, and sexuality all play a part in a trans person's experiences and acknowledges that these experiences are going to vary widely because of these factors. For instance, during one moment Travers tells a young trans person that things will get better as they grow up and go to college and move on with their life, and then later Travers realizes that the assumption they made that college is a certainty in that person's future was incredibly classist and they felt guilty for how they had phrased that conversation. The trans kids and teens who were interviewed have a variety of gender identities and backgrounds, and the mix of different perspectives from these kids and teens were a huge boon to the book and to our understanding of trans people's childhoods.
My largest issue with the book was how Travers approached being trans as being "disabled" by society -- in a sense, I get where they were coming from. They very eloquently discussed the medical vs. social models of disability and how with the social model it is society that creates barriers rather than the disability itself, and Travers expanded this to society "disabling" trans people as well. I get what they were going for here and agree that that is the essential effect that society has on trans people, however as a disabled person I felt that the terminology around trans people being "disabled" was co-opted in a way that tries to equate transness and being disabled when these are two very different things, and I don't feel that an abled trans person should really be describing themselves as "disabled" when they mean that society is creating barriers that cause them to be discriminated against. I felt that better terminology could have been used here. I did, however, appreciate the good understanding of how ableism comes into play regarding trans disabled people, and felt that that added to the larger discussion as a whole.
Aside from that larger terminology issue, this book adds a lot of value to discourse about the lives of trans kids and was a really thoughtful and insightful read. Though I disagree with some of the definitions of terms in the glossary, this book in general is a really great overview of how intersectionality affects trans youth and how trans youth are growing up in this generation. It's a great read, and I definitely recommend it.
Final rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
August 2, 2020
I didn't find this book -- it found me when I searched my local library for a few recommended titles and came up short. My library has a handy feature of offering up other books that might be of interest. I'm not trans and don't have trans children, but I was drawn to the premise of the book, especially as I see so many angry rants on social media from people who claim "trans activists turn kids trans" (NOT true). But I've often wondered what (some) kids experiences might *actually* be. This gave me a bit of insight.
Go into this book with the right expectations. It's filled with knowledge and highlights where some trans kids have opportunities (due to race, wealth, and other privileges) that others do not -- in each "positive" example, we are reminded that this is not the norm but the exception and why. I think those reminders are valuable because it's possible to convince yourself (falsely) that just because one trans kid will have a good experience, they all can. But it's also written in a very academic style. I had to take my time reading it, in small chunks, because there were many places I needed to re-read to make sure I understood properly. I didn't mind, although a more narrative style would have been an easier read for sure.
At the end, the author also lists options on how multiple parts of society could make systemic changes that would help all kids, not just trans kids. They also point out that solving the issue of trans phobia must involve dealing with racism, sexism, and other areas of oppression and hate. I've heard that before and never understood exactly what that might look like or mean, and this gave me a much clearer of view of why it's so important. (I'd like to think I understood the concept in the abstract, but that might be giving myself more credit than I deserve.)
Ultimately, this has helped me gain a little more understanding of the myriad of systemic problems trans people (kids or adults) face while also being a clear look at what *could* be done to correct those problems.
For people reading this book as a way to educate yourself on trans issues, the appendices and bibliography are a wealth of additional resources to read, visit, or watch to learn more.
Go into this book with the right expectations. It's filled with knowledge and highlights where some trans kids have opportunities (due to race, wealth, and other privileges) that others do not -- in each "positive" example, we are reminded that this is not the norm but the exception and why. I think those reminders are valuable because it's possible to convince yourself (falsely) that just because one trans kid will have a good experience, they all can. But it's also written in a very academic style. I had to take my time reading it, in small chunks, because there were many places I needed to re-read to make sure I understood properly. I didn't mind, although a more narrative style would have been an easier read for sure.
At the end, the author also lists options on how multiple parts of society could make systemic changes that would help all kids, not just trans kids. They also point out that solving the issue of trans phobia must involve dealing with racism, sexism, and other areas of oppression and hate. I've heard that before and never understood exactly what that might look like or mean, and this gave me a much clearer of view of why it's so important. (I'd like to think I understood the concept in the abstract, but that might be giving myself more credit than I deserve.)
Ultimately, this has helped me gain a little more understanding of the myriad of systemic problems trans people (kids or adults) face while also being a clear look at what *could* be done to correct those problems.
For people reading this book as a way to educate yourself on trans issues, the appendices and bibliography are a wealth of additional resources to read, visit, or watch to learn more.
February 2, 2019
Academic yet compelling, a powerful read
The book opens with this:
"February 17, 1962: Toronto, Ontario. In the hospital, the doctor, in the usual way, tells my unwed mother, “It’s a girl.” Fifty-five years later, I bear both the psychological scars of the effects of the branding of me as a girl and eventual woman and the wrenching separation from my birth mother. In the story I tell about myself, I am unable to separate the sex assignment imposed on me from the sexism and misogyny that were my due as a girl or from the gender policing and homo-hatred I received for not being very good at it. Nor, for that matter, can I untangle the privilege of my whiteness and relative wealth from the patriarchal burden of shame imposed on unwed mothers and their offspring and my own bad luck in the adoption game. I come from all these things. These social forces are real; they shape opportunities unequally. I am all these things and more."
If your reaction is to think this is over the top or an unrealistic viewpoint, I encourage you to read on with an open mind. The book is educational, eye opening, and empathetic towards the children referenced in the title, as well as the generations before and after them.
When I state that the book is academic, I mean that it's full of sentences like the below:
"As high-profile, government-funded gender-identity treatment programs that target gender nonconformity for correction lose legitimacy, publicly and privately funded gender clinics featuring affirming models of treatment for trans kids are springing up in many North American centers."
I've never been so grateful for the integrated dictionary on my Kindle, so I could more fully understand what was being so passionately explained. Not all of the words had definitions, a lapse that I hope the dictionary will catch up with soon. Much of the current political climate in both the U.S. and Canada is included, where relevant to the topics at hand.
The last portion of the book is a wealth of resources for those wishing to learn more. My thanks to the author for all the work that went into this thoughtful, well researched book.
The book opens with this:
"February 17, 1962: Toronto, Ontario. In the hospital, the doctor, in the usual way, tells my unwed mother, “It’s a girl.” Fifty-five years later, I bear both the psychological scars of the effects of the branding of me as a girl and eventual woman and the wrenching separation from my birth mother. In the story I tell about myself, I am unable to separate the sex assignment imposed on me from the sexism and misogyny that were my due as a girl or from the gender policing and homo-hatred I received for not being very good at it. Nor, for that matter, can I untangle the privilege of my whiteness and relative wealth from the patriarchal burden of shame imposed on unwed mothers and their offspring and my own bad luck in the adoption game. I come from all these things. These social forces are real; they shape opportunities unequally. I am all these things and more."
If your reaction is to think this is over the top or an unrealistic viewpoint, I encourage you to read on with an open mind. The book is educational, eye opening, and empathetic towards the children referenced in the title, as well as the generations before and after them.
When I state that the book is academic, I mean that it's full of sentences like the below:
"As high-profile, government-funded gender-identity treatment programs that target gender nonconformity for correction lose legitimacy, publicly and privately funded gender clinics featuring affirming models of treatment for trans kids are springing up in many North American centers."
I've never been so grateful for the integrated dictionary on my Kindle, so I could more fully understand what was being so passionately explained. Not all of the words had definitions, a lapse that I hope the dictionary will catch up with soon. Much of the current political climate in both the U.S. and Canada is included, where relevant to the topics at hand.
The last portion of the book is a wealth of resources for those wishing to learn more. My thanks to the author for all the work that went into this thoughtful, well researched book.
April 6, 2019
The power of this book is in the words of the trans kids and their parents. I am grateful for their courage in sharing their stories. It highlights the pain caused by the rigid and polar view of gender that is constantly reinforced in the US and Canadian cultures in clothes, toys, bathrooms, sports, classrooms... (and the list goes on). Although this social construct is particularly painful for gender-nonconforming individuals (who are forced into artificially binary options to facilitate surviving in social situations), the author points out that this is harmful for cis kids too as they are also artificially constrained to adhere to a one size fits all standard that doesn't fit most. All of the trans kids struggled, particularly with depression, anxiety and suicide ideation, even those with more resources (supporting family, healthcare, mobility, etc). The parents also had to be advocates for their children, regardless of whether they had access to more resources or not (many had to educate their schools, negotiate insurance if they had it, etc). The author highlights that it's even more difficult for families living in poverty or part of any of a number of marginalized groups, highlighting the needs for general human rights. The writing style is academic, so will not be accessible to many of the groups the author expressed particular concern about. There is a lot of discussion about the deficiencies of the current system but no actionable recommendations for improvement (either specific for trans families or general for human rights). I was saddened to see that the author did not include the trans kids and their families in the Acknowledgements.
July 8, 2018
I can't quite believe I actually got approved for this but I'm so thankful because I learned a lot.
This is an important and incredibly insightful book about trans children, their parents and the struggles they have to face. The kids and teenagers that participated in this study are from diverse backgrounds so this isn't just a story of white, middle-class trans people but race and class and nonbinary identities play a huge role as well. The children and their parents have very different experiences depending on who they are or what they look like and this book does a great job at accounting for these differences and explaining why and how some are so much more precarious than others.
I feel like I could learn so much from these interviews and the various explanations of laws and regulations and it was very interesting to read about the parents' struggles and how they try to adapt and help their children. That isn't a perspective I had read anything about before.
It was quite upsetting sometimes (which isn't really unexpected but still hard) and I sometimes found the language a bit too complicated so it was a bit of a slow read. The author mentions that this is supposed to be a guide for (among others) friends and families of trans people so I don't quite understand why it isn't written in a way that's easier and more understandable for those that aren't so acquainted with academic writing.
Trigger warnings for suicide, self-harm, extreme transphobia and homophobia and sexual assault.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley/NYU Press.
This is an important and incredibly insightful book about trans children, their parents and the struggles they have to face. The kids and teenagers that participated in this study are from diverse backgrounds so this isn't just a story of white, middle-class trans people but race and class and nonbinary identities play a huge role as well. The children and their parents have very different experiences depending on who they are or what they look like and this book does a great job at accounting for these differences and explaining why and how some are so much more precarious than others.
I feel like I could learn so much from these interviews and the various explanations of laws and regulations and it was very interesting to read about the parents' struggles and how they try to adapt and help their children. That isn't a perspective I had read anything about before.
It was quite upsetting sometimes (which isn't really unexpected but still hard) and I sometimes found the language a bit too complicated so it was a bit of a slow read. The author mentions that this is supposed to be a guide for (among others) friends and families of trans people so I don't quite understand why it isn't written in a way that's easier and more understandable for those that aren't so acquainted with academic writing.
Trigger warnings for suicide, self-harm, extreme transphobia and homophobia and sexual assault.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley/NYU Press.
August 5, 2018
Knowing nothing about "the Trans generation" and what it might be like growing up different in the current times, I wanted to read this to understand more and it certainly delivered. The book is educational and at times haunting, but I wouldn't say it is an "easy read". The stories are at times heart breaking and the book definitely makes you think about the fight these young people have to be accepted as how they choose/need to live. The fact that some identify as "other" from a very young age indeed, makes you think about how we gender our children - the whole pink/blue thing.
Given how important school is in setting up a child to earn a good living, it is a difficult time to be fighting for your identity. The bullying and appalling behaviour by adults and children in these stories will make you angry. And I think that is a good thing - maybe if more people tried to understand why these young people need to be helped and protected (however that is manifest) the world would be more sympathetic. I can't pretend to be enlightened after reading one book, but it has given me plenty to think about in the future when I see stories of trans people in the media.
I was given a free copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Given how important school is in setting up a child to earn a good living, it is a difficult time to be fighting for your identity. The bullying and appalling behaviour by adults and children in these stories will make you angry. And I think that is a good thing - maybe if more people tried to understand why these young people need to be helped and protected (however that is manifest) the world would be more sympathetic. I can't pretend to be enlightened after reading one book, but it has given me plenty to think about in the future when I see stories of trans people in the media.
I was given a free copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
June 10, 2018
An informative and thought provoking book about what life is really like for transgender/genderqueer children or teens and their families. The author interviewed approximately 20 children and/or their parents across the USA and Canada, and taking their first hand experiences as a basis discusses a variety of issues including schools, sports, safe spaces in public buildings, supportive healthcare and the importance of parental and familial support for these particularly vulnerable young people and also looks at what the future may bring, given the changing and less tolerant political climate, particularly in the USA.
Some of the first hand experiences recounted here are tragic and heart breaking, but there are also many moments of strength and positivity. Despite the use of these accounts, the writing style and tone of the book is quite academic, which is a shame, as I think it has a lot to offer in terms of educating the population as a whole. I did like the inclusion of a comprehensive list of resources at the end of the book, including books suitable for both children and teens, as well as their parents, teachers etc and also websites, films and other resources.
Some of the first hand experiences recounted here are tragic and heart breaking, but there are also many moments of strength and positivity. Despite the use of these accounts, the writing style and tone of the book is quite academic, which is a shame, as I think it has a lot to offer in terms of educating the population as a whole. I did like the inclusion of a comprehensive list of resources at the end of the book, including books suitable for both children and teens, as well as their parents, teachers etc and also websites, films and other resources.
June 10, 2022
I read this for a quarterly nonfiction book club I’m a part of. I can’t wait for the discussion, as this book was super thought provoking (the BEST kind of book club book in my opinion).
I’ve always noticed how much pressure Americans put on gender. As someone who is pregnant, but not finding out the gender of the baby, I often get asked if the baby is a boy or a girl. I’ve always thought the need to categorize a fetus’ gender as really weird, but I know finding out your baby’s gender is super common in 2022! Gender constructs really start before the baby is out of the womb!!
Anyway, getting off my pregnant person soapbox, this book was an academic look at current transgender and/or gender queer kids and their families living in the US and Canada. The kid and family interviews were the strongest part of this book. I wish the author structured the book (like maybe a chapter per family) around these interviews instead of around ideas or places in society (example: schools). The academic research was well done but confusing to me (but I’m far removed from academia so it’s a me thing).
Overall, a super informative book! 3 stars!
I’ve always noticed how much pressure Americans put on gender. As someone who is pregnant, but not finding out the gender of the baby, I often get asked if the baby is a boy or a girl. I’ve always thought the need to categorize a fetus’ gender as really weird, but I know finding out your baby’s gender is super common in 2022! Gender constructs really start before the baby is out of the womb!!
Anyway, getting off my pregnant person soapbox, this book was an academic look at current transgender and/or gender queer kids and their families living in the US and Canada. The kid and family interviews were the strongest part of this book. I wish the author structured the book (like maybe a chapter per family) around these interviews instead of around ideas or places in society (example: schools). The academic research was well done but confusing to me (but I’m far removed from academia so it’s a me thing).
Overall, a super informative book! 3 stars!
June 21, 2018
This is a clever, academic look at the lives of transgender children and young adults in the US and Canada. Although it is a very academic work Travers imbues her writing with compassion and empathy for her subjects. She explores non-binary perspectives and looks forward to a world where the labels of boy and girl are less limiting and children, and adults, have greater freedom to smash stereotypes. This is a truly inter sectional work, Travers shows how being trans is just one aspect of a person and how it relates to their race, class, sexuality and all the other labels you can imagine.
The only thing I found disappointing about this book was that the results of all her extensive interviewing were given second-hand. I had been hoping to read the words of the people themselves - the children, young adults and their parents. There were some beautiful extracts from the interviews: for example a woman describing taking her trans child across a state border without a passport, knowing that her own privilege would mean that she would be allowed but her child would never be able to do this by themselves. More stories like this would have made the book more memorable and, for me, more impactful.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the galley of this book in return for an honest review.
The only thing I found disappointing about this book was that the results of all her extensive interviewing were given second-hand. I had been hoping to read the words of the people themselves - the children, young adults and their parents. There were some beautiful extracts from the interviews: for example a woman describing taking her trans child across a state border without a passport, knowing that her own privilege would mean that she would be allowed but her child would never be able to do this by themselves. More stories like this would have made the book more memorable and, for me, more impactful.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the galley of this book in return for an honest review.
July 10, 2018
I received an eARC from Netgalley for review, all opinions are my own.
Travers’ book allows the stories of trans* youth to be told, along with the challenges that appear through their life. The book is a real stand out from other similarly categorised books as Travers spent many years interviewing trans* youth and their parents from a large variety of backgrounds including age, race and socioeconomic class.
Children of today’s world may be raised in an environment more inclusive of gender non-conformity, however they still face a large number of struggles. By conversing with these children Travers’ has discussed young trans* children, schooling, bathrooms and gendered spaces, parents, non binary genders and inclusive healthcare.
The Trans Generation is an extensive discussion on the ups and downs of trans* children written by an older trans* person. This allows for multiple viewpoints on different topics and an outlook of how much society has progressed over the years.
Travers’ book allows the stories of trans* youth to be told, along with the challenges that appear through their life. The book is a real stand out from other similarly categorised books as Travers spent many years interviewing trans* youth and their parents from a large variety of backgrounds including age, race and socioeconomic class.
Children of today’s world may be raised in an environment more inclusive of gender non-conformity, however they still face a large number of struggles. By conversing with these children Travers’ has discussed young trans* children, schooling, bathrooms and gendered spaces, parents, non binary genders and inclusive healthcare.
The Trans Generation is an extensive discussion on the ups and downs of trans* children written by an older trans* person. This allows for multiple viewpoints on different topics and an outlook of how much society has progressed over the years.
April 24, 2018
I 'm new to a lot of this info, so the book has been interesting for me to read. I'm still not sure I understand all the nuances out there, but this helped explain many of the questions I had concerning the LGBTQIA identity. There are other identities the book doesn't address that I am still seeking answers for. It's become a different world from when I was growing up. The gay/lesbian individuals I grew up knowing has branched out into more diverse groups than I could even imagine. It's fascinating to read about all the varieties of human sexuality. Very diverse.
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
February 25, 2018
Very good review on transgender children, their friends and family. Although i know what the term transgender means and know one person who is such, I never really thought about how they deal with some of the things that I read in this book. I always thought that any transgender person was/is very brave, because I could only imagine what they have to endure. This is a good book for any one who wishes to learn more about transgender children and thier life. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
December 18, 2018
I wanted this to have a different voice or tone. The academic study written for a wider audience didn't work for me. It was hard to develop a sense of each kid with their piecemeal info. I especially didn't get the decision to not call girls trans girls, but only obviously refer to their parents assigning them as a boy.
I guess I was looking for profiles, and instead the format split everything into themes.
My favorite section was about parent advocacy, especially how it wasn't only about protecting their kid, but reconsidering the importance of gendered toys, names, clothes, sports, etc.
I guess I was looking for profiles, and instead the format split everything into themes.
My favorite section was about parent advocacy, especially how it wasn't only about protecting their kid, but reconsidering the importance of gendered toys, names, clothes, sports, etc.
July 16, 2019
I just finished reading it for the reading group at the department. Overall, I get a general sense of how trans children navigate their transitions, how this has impacted lives of their family members, and how experiences of the trans children and their family are linked with the institutional obstacles and potentially what can be done about it. However, the activist tone of the book is very unusual, which is not common for an academic book. And we all agree that it will be "precarious" for scholars without a tenure to write like this. Or maybe this book is solely to preach to the choir?
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