Trans Kids: Being Gendered in the Twenty-First Century

by Tey Meadow

Trans Kids  is a trenchant ethnographic and interview-based study of the first generation of families affirming and facilitating gender nonconformity in children. Earlier generations of parents sent such children for psychiatric treatment aimed at a cure, but today, many parents agree to call their children new names, allow them to wear whatever clothing they choose, and approach the state to alter the gender designation on their passports and birth certificates.

Drawing from sociology, philosophy, psychology, and sexuality studies, sociologist Tey Meadow depicts the intricate social processes that shape gender acquisition. Where once atypical gender expression was considered a failure of gender, now it is a form of gender. Engaging and rigorously argued,  Trans Kids  underscores the centrality of ever more particular configurations of gender in both our physical and psychological lives, and the increasing embeddedness of personal identities in social institutions.

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Sociology, Gender, Queer, Transgender, Ethnography

314 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 2018

Reviews

[Melissa Michelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished this book and already wrote to a mom of a transgirl I know to recommend she run and get it, _and_ I’ve already worked a quote into my own current book project. In other words, this marvelous book should be on the shelves of regular folx who want to know more about trans kids, and also scholars studying transgender politics and policy. It’s beautifully written, taking the reader into the issue without fetishizing it’s subjects, explaining where we are with trans kids and where we may be going as a society.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have two quibbles, neither of which docked the book very much— first, it’s a lot more dense than I was expecting (not bad, just more), and second, I really wish there’d been more follow-up with the kids other than Rachel because theory is good, but as a trans adult I want to see how the theoretical impacts the practicality of young trans life.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this book, I fully realized the value of reading recently-published books on transgender issues. At least for now, the terms and experiences of transpeople are ever-changing, so even reading a book published a couple of years ago could be inaccurate.
I liked the author's insight into the true nature of the trans experience....as much as a cis-gender person can attempt to understand. Their writing gave me new insight and understanding into my teen's experience. This is incredibly valuable because I believe it is an experience that is difficult to articulate and convey...especially for kids and teens.

[Madi Renner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for class. Wonderful book that highlights an ethnography written on trans kids. I learned a lot and expanded my understanding on gender. However, the book was very hard to read at times because of the overly complicated words used and I found myself annoyed with having to reread sections multiple times to no avail.

[Nina Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Over glorified self-help book for parents with trans kids (i.e. a "problem" to be solved).

[Gabrielle Brihn]

Sociology 101 :)

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book didn't give me new techniques to use with clients or any new exercises to utilize. However, it did offer me an interesting new perspective on working with young transgender or gender non-conforming children in the future.

So much of this book covers the experiences of children who are exploring their gender and the parents who serve as advocates and supporters. It excellently captures the difficulties faced by parents and children. This book gave me a lot to chew on - especially regarding having gender conversations with children and helping children make difficult decisions regarding their own lives. It also offers some resources available to parents and helps to compare and contrast which organizations may fit different families' needs.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read quite a few nonfiction and fiction books on the subject of Transgender kids and teens in the last year. One thing I really appreciated in this book was the origin stories about how Gender Spectrum and the Philadelphia group of Transgender support got started and how they are alike and different. I haven't read that in any orher books. This author did quite a bit of observing and interviews with real families and researchers to create this book. Some of the material has changed in the 10 or so years that it was being compiled, but that is what happens with emerging topics like this where the knowledge and experiences change so rapidly. I found this to be a worthwhile read.

[Max · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate the research done, it’s useful information for sure. But it’s really upsetting to see it made so obvious that ever-younger kids are expressing a need to transition after receiving the message (consistently, insistently, and persistently!) from parents, peers, and beyond that they are wrong for their sex- and then have the heterosexism inherent in transitioning kids as a response to their distress when faced with homophobia ignored. Useful read if you’re curious what parents and activists are saying on this topic. Lots of 101 info given that gets pretty boring if you already have a grasp on the topic

[Cole Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful work by Tey Meadows, absolutely fantastic! Trans Kids serves as a window into a burgeoning field of gender affirming therapy. This account gives a snapshot of a rapidly changing world, characterized by relatable parents who want what all parents want: the best world for their kids.

Meadows investigates how advocacy for trans kids is approached, looking at two different adult advocacy groups. They compare each org’s reach, goals, and rhetoric when advocating. More importantly, Tey explains why those differing positions matter, by investigating the logical end of each group’s position.

I found the parents in this book powerfully mundane. They are not political activists or sociologists - they are parents at wits’ end, doing the only thing that’s worked. The accounts of parents followed an arc of similarity: signs of gender nonconformity, denial, backlash, and eventual acceptance. This book is demystifying in its frankness, asserting strongly that gender affirming care saves trans kids.

My favorite portion of the book was the “Telling Gender Stories” chapter. Here, Tey investigates how families explained their child’s gender nonconforming behavior. Most sought a physical, biomedical explanation. But the passages that stuck out to me were the spiritual explanations. The explanation of gender as a “soul” was heartwarming to me and really spoke to how much pain and discovery was at the root of these parents’ journey.

[DM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m glad I read this but not totally sure what the take away is - gender is institutional? Generational differences in trans identities and activisms? The ways parents serve as gender managers? The most interesting thing to me was how the discourse of the idea of a core, stable, gendered self was used by parents to understand their children and claim resources. The changing role of psychotherapy was also interesting - how it is now a resource for parents to write different gender stories, not necessarily a regulatory gaze. The author presents these argument as just what is happening - and explains how these trends might clash with past feminist accounts of the body - but she doesn’t really analyze or criticize them further. I appreciated the open endedness and the kind of refusal to give answers but I also wanted to know more of what the author thinks!

[Rita Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be quite informative. It was a blend of the stories of individuals and families addressing this issue in their live, along with information on the history of how American society has addressed transgender or gender fluid children. One theme that emerged for me in reading this was the love that parents have for their children. So many parents in this book really, really listened to their children, and then did everything they could to help the child be who they believed that they were.

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read more like a thesis than a book. I liked the first chapter a lot and the stories throughout but there were some parts of the book that went on a tangent of scientific terminology mixed with overly complicated wording. When reading those parts I felt the author was more interested in sounding smart than in being understood by a wider audience. Overall I thought it was a good read, though some parts were a little difficult for me to get through.

[Julia Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for anyone who ever interacts with children- parents, medical providers, religious groups. The first section was hard for me to get through, without the academic language and methods familiarity. Important research that needs to be shared widely, with action items. Don't underestimate your child's distress and needs!

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I picked this book up by chance at my local bookstore, and I immediately couldn’t put it down. Trans Kids is not only carefully researched, but also beautifully written. The book breaks down complex and current sociological topics through simple yet effective language, vivid anecdotes, and extended interviews. I look forward to reading what Tey Meadow writes next!

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent discussion and social analysis of how our understandings of being trans have changed over time, shifting from more psychological and stigmatized to, ironically, more biological and more accepted. Talks about how parents make sense of parenting trans kids, and debates over transitioning before puberty (and reinforcing a gender binary) or doing so later.

[Keaton Ibendahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for SOC355! I struggle with nonfiction (esp if I don’t read it voluntarily) and so this took me longer than I would have liked to get through. I do really enjoy ethnographies, but some of the organizational and structural choices made it hard to follow a line of logic. I would have really liked to hear more about the clinic and follow-ups with more of the kids!

[Ky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thoughtful and well researched book. One of the best I’ve read on the construction of gender.

[Ceci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, attentive, caring, compassionate, and clear. A must-read for parents of children of any gender, and anyone working with trans or gender nonconforming kids!

[Sydney Stapf]

Required reading for Intro Sociology

[Emma Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fantastic ethnographic work, and raises some interesting questions about the future of trans identity and how we interact with gender identity overall.

[Teddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

read for research

[Mills College Library]

306.76 M4822 2018