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The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation
Inspired by her transgender son, activist Jodie Patterson explores identity, gender, race, and authenticity to tell the real-life story of a family's history and transformation.
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE WEEK--USA TODAY AND NEW YORK POST - "A courageous and poetic testimony on family and the self, and the learning and unlearning we must do for those we love."--Janet Mock
As an African American growing up on Manhattan's Upper West Side in the 1970s, when neighborhoods defined people, Jodie Patterson learned early on to engage with her community for strength and comfort. But then in 2009 this mother of five had her world turned upside down. Realizing that her definition of community wasn't wide enough for her own child's needs, Patterson forced the world wide open.
In The Bold World, we witness a mother reshaping her attitudes and beliefs, as well as those of her community, to meet the needs of her transgender son, Penelope-- and opening the minds of everyone in her family who absolutely, unequivocally refused to conform.
As we walk alongside Patterson on her journey, we meet the Southern women who came before her--the mother, grandmothers, and aunts who raised and fortified her, all the while challenging cultural norms and gender expectations. She shares her family's history--particularly incidents within the Black community around sexism, racism, and civil rights. We learn about her children, who act as a vehicle for Jodie Patterson's own growth and acceptance of her diverse family, and her experiences as a wife, mother, and, eventually, activist. The result is an intimate portrait and an exquisite study in identity, courage, and love. Patterson's relentless drive to change the world will resonate with and inspire us all, reflecting our own individual strength and tenacity, our very real fears, and, most of all, our singular ability to transform despite the odds.
Praise for The Bold World
"In The Bold World, Jodie Patterson makes a case for respecting everyone's gender identity by way of showing how she came to accept her son, Penelope. In tying that struggle to the struggle for race rights in this country during her own childhood, she paints a vivid picture of the permanent work of social justice."--Andrew Solomon, bestselling author of The Noonday Demon and Far from the Tree
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE WEEK--USA TODAY AND NEW YORK POST - "A courageous and poetic testimony on family and the self, and the learning and unlearning we must do for those we love."--Janet Mock
As an African American growing up on Manhattan's Upper West Side in the 1970s, when neighborhoods defined people, Jodie Patterson learned early on to engage with her community for strength and comfort. But then in 2009 this mother of five had her world turned upside down. Realizing that her definition of community wasn't wide enough for her own child's needs, Patterson forced the world wide open.
In The Bold World, we witness a mother reshaping her attitudes and beliefs, as well as those of her community, to meet the needs of her transgender son, Penelope-- and opening the minds of everyone in her family who absolutely, unequivocally refused to conform.
As we walk alongside Patterson on her journey, we meet the Southern women who came before her--the mother, grandmothers, and aunts who raised and fortified her, all the while challenging cultural norms and gender expectations. She shares her family's history--particularly incidents within the Black community around sexism, racism, and civil rights. We learn about her children, who act as a vehicle for Jodie Patterson's own growth and acceptance of her diverse family, and her experiences as a wife, mother, and, eventually, activist. The result is an intimate portrait and an exquisite study in identity, courage, and love. Patterson's relentless drive to change the world will resonate with and inspire us all, reflecting our own individual strength and tenacity, our very real fears, and, most of all, our singular ability to transform despite the odds.
Praise for The Bold World
"In The Bold World, Jodie Patterson makes a case for respecting everyone's gender identity by way of showing how she came to accept her son, Penelope. In tying that struggle to the struggle for race rights in this country during her own childhood, she paints a vivid picture of the permanent work of social justice."--Andrew Solomon, bestselling author of The Noonday Demon and Far from the Tree
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 2019
79 people are currently reading
5053 people want to read
About the author
Jodie Patterson
3 books77 followersJodie Patterson is a social activist, entrepreneur, and writer. She has been lauded for her activist work by Hillary Clinton, The Advocate, Family Circle, Essence, Cosmopolitan, and Yahoo!, among others. She sits on the board of a number of gender/family/human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, and is a sought-after public speaker addressing a wide range of audiences about identity, gender, beauty, and entrepreneurship. Patterson was appointed by the United Nations as a Champion of Change and, perhaps most impressively, she is a former circus acrobat who performed in the Big Apple Circus. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she co-parents her five children with love, education, and family solidarity.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
December 31, 2018
This book is exactly what the world needs more of.
June 29, 2023
tl;dr — A cis black mother talks about her life and family and tries to make sense of her trans son’s identity and expression but struggles with it. She uses the words trans/transgender alone when those words are meant to modify a noun, making for some awkward phrasing. Best for a cis audience.
When Jodie writes about her life, her blackness, Her sheroes, her entrepreneurial spirit, it feels deep and raw and beautiful.
But when she talks about parenting, she’s so deeply enmeshed with her children that it excludes almost everything else. And when it comes to her trans son, she tries to enforce rigid gender roles for a time that even included pink hangers.
Although she learns better over time, every time she talks about her son my chest hurts at how poorly she understands transness. Writing that she talks about “transgender” and suggesting her son call his vagina a tiny penis are meant to be positive, helpful, but it just feels so off. Her husband’s rejection of the term “transgender” is because he doesn’t want his child to be confined by a label, but by rejecting it, it ends up feeling like a rejection of his son’s declarations even at an early age.
I pushed through this book, but I found it so challenging because so much of it feels like transphobia, even though it’s also well-intentioned. The concluding chapters were hopeful and I’m crossing my fingers that P---- gets all the love and acceptance from his family that he needs to thrive.
When Jodie writes about her life, her blackness, Her sheroes, her entrepreneurial spirit, it feels deep and raw and beautiful.
But when she talks about parenting, she’s so deeply enmeshed with her children that it excludes almost everything else. And when it comes to her trans son, she tries to enforce rigid gender roles for a time that even included pink hangers.
Although she learns better over time, every time she talks about her son my chest hurts at how poorly she understands transness. Writing that she talks about “transgender” and suggesting her son call his vagina a tiny penis are meant to be positive, helpful, but it just feels so off. Her husband’s rejection of the term “transgender” is because he doesn’t want his child to be confined by a label, but by rejecting it, it ends up feeling like a rejection of his son’s declarations even at an early age.
I pushed through this book, but I found it so challenging because so much of it feels like transphobia, even though it’s also well-intentioned. The concluding chapters were hopeful and I’m crossing my fingers that P---- gets all the love and acceptance from his family that he needs to thrive.
April 21, 2019
Michaela: ---Full disclosure: I received this book for free from Goodreads. ---
Dnf late in ch. 2, at ~45 pages. Patterson clearly has decent skills w/ language, but maybe not in story-telling. At this point I should give a damn about at least one person in this book. Throughout the opening I was flip-flopping on caring, but it turned into a litany of, "My Dad was like this: ....., my Mom was like this...., my sister was like this...., & then I went to college." She grew up privileged, w/ means & access to which I can not relate. At some point she decided it'd be a good idea to have a career, a marriage, & 5 freaking kids, but oh my gosh that turned out to be really hard. Shocker...........or not.
Yeah, so I am moving on to other books b/c I have no sympathy for a single character in here. There may be a story in here somewhere, but it will take someone else to make it breathe. I'll put the book into the Free Little Library & let someone else have a go at it, though.
January 31, 2019
The Bold World is described as a memoir about raising a trans child, but it is far more than that. Author Jodie Patterson’s youth, education, and early years didn’t happen as a prelude to parenting her child, that is not how life works. Her story had meaning and value before she became a trans parent. That she was raised to be bold, even when she didn’t feel bold, would have served her well in any circumstance, but sure was useful when her three-year-old informed her that he was a boy. In an amazing and revelatory exchange, Penelope says, “Everyone thinks I’m a girl, Mama–and I’m not.”
Personally, I was impressed with Patterson’s response. “However you feel is fine. It’s what’s inside that counts.” And here is where this little three-year-old drops the mic. “I don’t feel like a boy, Mama. I am a boy.”
That this happens more than halfway through the book reflects that Patterson lived a full life. She comes from a long line of strong women. Her father was a force of nature. The family lived a life always aware of their own Blackness and their responsibility to the Black community, of activism and empowerment. For example, her father would only pay for her to go to a Black college. He and her mother fostered a woman who knew to be bold even if she didn’t know what she needed to be bold for. Of course, her father’s support of her bold self-determination was limited by his deep belief in traditional gender roles.
Patterson reacted pretty well to Penelope’s announcement. She approached it like any overachiever, researching everything and ready to tear apart anything and anyone in the way of her son’s happiness, but she had four other children and a husband. Learning balance was important, giving them room to support Penelope was also important. It all mattered.
I often start a new book as I approach the last quarter of the book I am reading. I will read a chapter, maybe two. I like knowing what is coming, I guess. Rarely, almost never, that book will grab me and hang on until I finish it, even when there is only a little bit left to finish something else. That’s what happened with The Bold World. Actually, it’s worse than that. I opened it about 1:00 a.m. thinking I will read a few pages and go to sleep. I finished it before I fell asleep sometime in the wee hours.
I loved this memoir. Patterson never uses the word international, but her life centers at the axes where the different valences of oppression intersect. She is raised steeped in the history of the Civil Rights Movement and African-American arts and culture. Gil Scott-Heron wasn’t just an inspiration but an “uncle.” Feminism also becomes central to her life with her father’s expectation that she be content with an M.R.S., not an M.A. Likewise, the self-imposed expectation of bearing all the domestic obligations, including childrearing. Not that the men in her life objected to her doing all the work!
However, imperfectly she navigated these barriers, she became an unstoppable force when she discovered she had a three-year-old boy who needed her to forge a path for him in a world that is constantly defining normal as more than a dryer setting.
I received an e-galley of The Bold World from the publisher through NetGalley
The Bold World at Ballantine | Penguin Random House
Jodie Patterson – author site and blog
★★★★★
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
Personally, I was impressed with Patterson’s response. “However you feel is fine. It’s what’s inside that counts.” And here is where this little three-year-old drops the mic. “I don’t feel like a boy, Mama. I am a boy.”
That this happens more than halfway through the book reflects that Patterson lived a full life. She comes from a long line of strong women. Her father was a force of nature. The family lived a life always aware of their own Blackness and their responsibility to the Black community, of activism and empowerment. For example, her father would only pay for her to go to a Black college. He and her mother fostered a woman who knew to be bold even if she didn’t know what she needed to be bold for. Of course, her father’s support of her bold self-determination was limited by his deep belief in traditional gender roles.
Patterson reacted pretty well to Penelope’s announcement. She approached it like any overachiever, researching everything and ready to tear apart anything and anyone in the way of her son’s happiness, but she had four other children and a husband. Learning balance was important, giving them room to support Penelope was also important. It all mattered.
I often start a new book as I approach the last quarter of the book I am reading. I will read a chapter, maybe two. I like knowing what is coming, I guess. Rarely, almost never, that book will grab me and hang on until I finish it, even when there is only a little bit left to finish something else. That’s what happened with The Bold World. Actually, it’s worse than that. I opened it about 1:00 a.m. thinking I will read a few pages and go to sleep. I finished it before I fell asleep sometime in the wee hours.
I loved this memoir. Patterson never uses the word international, but her life centers at the axes where the different valences of oppression intersect. She is raised steeped in the history of the Civil Rights Movement and African-American arts and culture. Gil Scott-Heron wasn’t just an inspiration but an “uncle.” Feminism also becomes central to her life with her father’s expectation that she be content with an M.R.S., not an M.A. Likewise, the self-imposed expectation of bearing all the domestic obligations, including childrearing. Not that the men in her life objected to her doing all the work!
However, imperfectly she navigated these barriers, she became an unstoppable force when she discovered she had a three-year-old boy who needed her to forge a path for him in a world that is constantly defining normal as more than a dryer setting.
I received an e-galley of The Bold World from the publisher through NetGalley
The Bold World at Ballantine | Penguin Random House
Jodie Patterson – author site and blog
★★★★★
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
May 12, 2019
Jodie Patterson describes her family’s struggles in the civil rights movement as an upper middle class Black family. She explores her life as a Black woman. But nothing compares to their struggle as a trans family. Their daughter Penelope insists he is a boy at an early age. This memoir follows their family’s struggle and growth as they learn to accept his gender identity. An honest and meaningful story.
June 8, 2019
I liked this memoir, but I cannot pinpoint why.
July 9, 2020
One of my favorite books and certainly memoirs to date. Worth the read for people of all ages and walks of life, such a beautiful and inspiring story.
Read
August 16, 2020-- A bold statement and a lot to think about in The Bold World --
The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation is the autobiography of Jodie Patterson, a Black mom of five whose toddler turns to her one day and says “...everyone thinks I’m a girl, Mama –- and I’m not.”
The first part of this story focuses on Patterson’s own upbringing, her journey towards self-discovery, and her experiences facing dual discrimination for being Black and a woman in America. The second part covers the first handful of years of her transgender son Penelope’s life, as Patterson attempts to find a parenting balance through protection, empowerment, and activism.
Patterson writes with honesty and passion, exploring her personal navigation of the multidimensionality of gender and identity. She presents each of her labels –- woman, Black, Christian, trans activist, parent –- and how these collide, complement, and disrupt each other,
lamenting how our need to label ourselves and one another limits our potential as humans.
Throughout the story, Patterson grapples with how to challenge her loved ones’ perceptions of identity and gender in order to build a strong support network for her son. She battles entrenched conservative perspectives, meditates on her own reflex reactions and thoughts, and works hard to openly introduce these concepts to her children.
Patterson reminds us that while gender and identity are complex (because humans are complex) they’re also very simple –- it comes down to caring for others and wanting to support them, wanting them to be proud of who they are and comfortable within themselves.
Writing about her relationship with her parents, and then about her relationship with her son, Patterson shows how the desire to protect and empower can smother and block a person’s ability to discover and celebrate who they are.
In exploring her own journey, Patterson presents an intriguing commentary on the parent-child relationship and asks the reader to reflect on their own identity –- whether parts of it have been muted by loved ones or the wider society -– and challenges us to free those parts of ourselves.
Readers will find moments of clarity and inspiration within these pages. And if your own upbringing doesn’t mirror the cultural or identity narratives explored then you’ll likely discover a new sense of humility and awareness –- a gift that is vital especially in this time where anti-diversity narratives speak so loudly.
----------
This review was first published on Narrative Muse, https://narrativemuse.co/books/the-bo..., and was written Alice Rich. Narrative Muse curates the best books and movies by and about women and non-binary folk on our website http://www.narrativemuse.co and our social media channels.
The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation is the autobiography of Jodie Patterson, a Black mom of five whose toddler turns to her one day and says “...everyone thinks I’m a girl, Mama –- and I’m not.”
The first part of this story focuses on Patterson’s own upbringing, her journey towards self-discovery, and her experiences facing dual discrimination for being Black and a woman in America. The second part covers the first handful of years of her transgender son Penelope’s life, as Patterson attempts to find a parenting balance through protection, empowerment, and activism.
Patterson writes with honesty and passion, exploring her personal navigation of the multidimensionality of gender and identity. She presents each of her labels –- woman, Black, Christian, trans activist, parent –- and how these collide, complement, and disrupt each other,
lamenting how our need to label ourselves and one another limits our potential as humans.
Throughout the story, Patterson grapples with how to challenge her loved ones’ perceptions of identity and gender in order to build a strong support network for her son. She battles entrenched conservative perspectives, meditates on her own reflex reactions and thoughts, and works hard to openly introduce these concepts to her children.
Patterson reminds us that while gender and identity are complex (because humans are complex) they’re also very simple –- it comes down to caring for others and wanting to support them, wanting them to be proud of who they are and comfortable within themselves.
Writing about her relationship with her parents, and then about her relationship with her son, Patterson shows how the desire to protect and empower can smother and block a person’s ability to discover and celebrate who they are.
In exploring her own journey, Patterson presents an intriguing commentary on the parent-child relationship and asks the reader to reflect on their own identity –- whether parts of it have been muted by loved ones or the wider society -– and challenges us to free those parts of ourselves.
Readers will find moments of clarity and inspiration within these pages. And if your own upbringing doesn’t mirror the cultural or identity narratives explored then you’ll likely discover a new sense of humility and awareness –- a gift that is vital especially in this time where anti-diversity narratives speak so loudly.
----------
This review was first published on Narrative Muse, https://narrativemuse.co/books/the-bo..., and was written Alice Rich. Narrative Muse curates the best books and movies by and about women and non-binary folk on our website http://www.narrativemuse.co and our social media channels.
May 25, 2020
This is a memoir about so many different things: identity, family, Black culture, acceptance, and change. Jodie Patterson writes about the strength of the women in her family, a lineage passed down to her, but beyond that, she writes about her transgender son, Penelope. The thing is, that with the number of important topics covered with this book, I expected something a little more...profound. And maybe it doesn’t come across to me that way because I feel the book is a little premature. It’s an important book, absolutely, the things Patterson discusses are issues and realities that need to be brought to the forefront of people’s minds in every day moments; however Penelope being only 7 years old means that there are so many challenges ahead of him, and his family. They have only just begun, and to write the book now seems a little preemptive. I enjoyed getting a mother’s prospective on how she reacted to her child saying “I’m not a girl. I am a boy.” But I feel there was a lot of focus on the things that Patterson did in the aftermath of that statement, rather than how she really felt about it. I felt maybe the book would’ve been better if there were stronger connections with where Patterson had been, growing up and learning to be a strong, confident, Black woman and her transgender son needing to grow up strong and confident in his identity. This book has so much to say that needs to be said, but I wish the conclusion felt stronger, more assured. 3 stars, though I really wish I could give it more.
Thanks to Ballentine Books and Goodreads for my copy.
Thanks to Ballentine Books and Goodreads for my copy.
August 13, 2020
A wonderful memoir, gripping and powerful ! Jodie Patterson shares her what her life was like growing up, growing into “real” adulthood and than coming to grips with the reality of her third child being transgender, and then she and her husband becoming staunch advocates in the transgender movement.
Her story is much more layered and complex and hard to give just a glimpse into. The memoir is written in a clear and engaging manner, easy to read. I was totally drawn in, and read this book in just two days.
The writing was unflinching in its honesty. About her feelings about herself, her marriage, her children, her allowing the reality of having a transgender child, and becoming a strong advocate for Penelope, her son. But also the reality many parents of multiple children face that when you have to focus on one because of whatever kind of need it affects the other children in the family microcosm.
I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who loves memoir, black cultural history, books about the transgender movement, a deep, truthful look at the workings of a complex family, about the traditions of the black South, and just some heartwarming instruction about meeting life head on.
I might not have discovered this book if it weren’t for Zibby’s bookclub (Mom’s don’t have time to read books) and it would have been a loss.
Her story is much more layered and complex and hard to give just a glimpse into. The memoir is written in a clear and engaging manner, easy to read. I was totally drawn in, and read this book in just two days.
The writing was unflinching in its honesty. About her feelings about herself, her marriage, her children, her allowing the reality of having a transgender child, and becoming a strong advocate for Penelope, her son. But also the reality many parents of multiple children face that when you have to focus on one because of whatever kind of need it affects the other children in the family microcosm.
I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who loves memoir, black cultural history, books about the transgender movement, a deep, truthful look at the workings of a complex family, about the traditions of the black South, and just some heartwarming instruction about meeting life head on.
I might not have discovered this book if it weren’t for Zibby’s bookclub (Mom’s don’t have time to read books) and it would have been a loss.
November 12, 2020
What a phenomenal book!! I went into this expecting it to be focused mainly on the author’s experience with her transgender son, but was thrilled to discover that before she gets into that heartwarming story she delves into the history of her family and their African-American roots.
As a child growing up in the 70s and 80s on the Upper West Side, Patterson learns from her parents to celebrate her blackness and never hide from her identity. She also gets guidance from generations of female activists on her mother’s side, who inspire her to fight for acceptance and equality. It comes as no surprise that when her three-year-old daughter, Penelope, reveals that she is a boy, she embraces her child fully and does whatever she can to nurture his spirit. A beautifully written page turner that has helped me understand what people need for their souls to flourish.
As a child growing up in the 70s and 80s on the Upper West Side, Patterson learns from her parents to celebrate her blackness and never hide from her identity. She also gets guidance from generations of female activists on her mother’s side, who inspire her to fight for acceptance and equality. It comes as no surprise that when her three-year-old daughter, Penelope, reveals that she is a boy, she embraces her child fully and does whatever she can to nurture his spirit. A beautifully written page turner that has helped me understand what people need for their souls to flourish.
August 19, 2021
I was given this for NETGALLEY for honest review:
A beautifully written book from a transgender mother prospective that anyone who is fighting for a transgender boy/girl, man/woman should read.
Jodie Patterson has written a book from a mother's point of view of a mother fighting for her marriage, her husband, and her 4 other children and her transgender son, fighting for each one in all the ways that is individual for them all. Sometimes not getting it right but fighting all the same.
She brought with her the education of her grandmother, her aunt, and her mother and used all the black girl magic she could to fight and deal with her transgender son to the best of her ability, this was all new to her, her husband and they both death at different times but they were dealing.
This is a beautiful book for anyone dealing with this is read.
4⭐ for sure
A beautifully written book from a transgender mother prospective that anyone who is fighting for a transgender boy/girl, man/woman should read.
Jodie Patterson has written a book from a mother's point of view of a mother fighting for her marriage, her husband, and her 4 other children and her transgender son, fighting for each one in all the ways that is individual for them all. Sometimes not getting it right but fighting all the same.
She brought with her the education of her grandmother, her aunt, and her mother and used all the black girl magic she could to fight and deal with her transgender son to the best of her ability, this was all new to her, her husband and they both death at different times but they were dealing.
This is a beautiful book for anyone dealing with this is read.
4⭐ for sure
March 21, 2019
“We are who we are not because of the body, but because of the soul”
💚
I went into this book not knowing much about Jodie Patterson, and assuming the focus of the book would be mostly about her transgender son. But this book was so much more than that - this is Jodie’s story. She lays it’s all out: her fascinating, non-stop, dynamic, full life. Her upbringing in New York, her days at Spelman College, becoming a mother to 5 kids, and becoming an advocate. Always changing and adapting.
💛
This book isn’t necessarily a page turner, as some of my favorite memoirs are, but I still very much enjoyed reading about Jodie’s journey and learning about her family.
💚
I went into this book not knowing much about Jodie Patterson, and assuming the focus of the book would be mostly about her transgender son. But this book was so much more than that - this is Jodie’s story. She lays it’s all out: her fascinating, non-stop, dynamic, full life. Her upbringing in New York, her days at Spelman College, becoming a mother to 5 kids, and becoming an advocate. Always changing and adapting.
💛
This book isn’t necessarily a page turner, as some of my favorite memoirs are, but I still very much enjoyed reading about Jodie’s journey and learning about her family.
November 15, 2018
Like its author Jodie Patterson, this book is small but has a lot going on inside it. Some great advice on how to raise a strong black family, how to value and celebrate marriage-merging of cultures, and how to instill confidence in a transgender child. Also an interesting and honest look at difficulties the author faced in both her marriages and variegated career; and finally her transformation from a young mom running a beauty business who exaggerates gender norms in her early parenting ("pretty girl" "pretty girl" "pink and purple" "pink tutu" "head-to-toe pink" "plastic dress-up high heels" "hyper-boy, tough-boy, assertive-boy") into a champion advocating for transgender rights for her fifth child.
I read about this family's general parenting methods with a grain of salt, massaging children's limbs at night to relax them into sleep, singing them songs in the morning to make those first moments of being awake a little less disorienting? This description of a mom's love for her daughter: "I loved her fiercely, and I felt for her with the passion of a possessive lover". Also, sleeping 3 hours a night, and working 12 hr days? Yikes. I found the adoption of the full-grown teenager who already had his own mom and grandmother rather vague, and at times the name-dropping got unwieldy, like when she allowed Madonna's friend to watch her kids get naked and bathe. Evenso I'll admit this is a fascinating read.
I read about this family's general parenting methods with a grain of salt, massaging children's limbs at night to relax them into sleep, singing them songs in the morning to make those first moments of being awake a little less disorienting? This description of a mom's love for her daughter: "I loved her fiercely, and I felt for her with the passion of a possessive lover". Also, sleeping 3 hours a night, and working 12 hr days? Yikes. I found the adoption of the full-grown teenager who already had his own mom and grandmother rather vague, and at times the name-dropping got unwieldy, like when she allowed Madonna's friend to watch her kids get naked and bathe. Evenso I'll admit this is a fascinating read.
March 1, 2019
This is such an important read!
October 31, 2018
In this memoir, Jodie talks about the influence of her family growing up and learning what it meant to be black and a woman. She was influenced by cultural norms and had to fight through some of them to become who she wanted to be. She acquired strength and determination through the examples of the women in her life who fought for racial equality in a number of ways.
She also talks a lot about motherhood and her different experiences and growing pains in raising her kids and having a blended family. She shares openly about her struggles and growth with raising a transgendered child. She pulls together some parallels between growing up with a rebellious sister who took most of her parent's attention and the energy and attention required to help her son navigate an unfriendly world.
I appreciated learning about her life experiences growing up as a black woman as well as being the mother in a nontraditional family.
She also talks a lot about motherhood and her different experiences and growing pains in raising her kids and having a blended family. She shares openly about her struggles and growth with raising a transgendered child. She pulls together some parallels between growing up with a rebellious sister who took most of her parent's attention and the energy and attention required to help her son navigate an unfriendly world.
I appreciated learning about her life experiences growing up as a black woman as well as being the mother in a nontraditional family.
March 22, 2019
I didn't care for this much at all. Much better was "This is How it Always Is." Small percentage of the book actually about the child. (https://www.thestranger.com/books/201...)
June 29, 2023
The author's life changed when her toddler, Penelope, one day revealed that she wasn't a girl; she was really a boy. The book is intensely personal, and the author makes a case for respecting everyone’s gender identity by showing us how she worked through accepting her transgender son.
The book is marketed about the author having a transgender child, but I think it's really about the author's life and the things she had to deal with throughout her life. It's more than a coming of age; it's more from parenting to being parented. The crux of the book is about how she was able to shift her own way of thinking. It's about her ability to tolerate and make sense of the situation and navigate the changes in her family.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
The book is marketed about the author having a transgender child, but I think it's really about the author's life and the things she had to deal with throughout her life. It's more than a coming of age; it's more from parenting to being parented. The crux of the book is about how she was able to shift her own way of thinking. It's about her ability to tolerate and make sense of the situation and navigate the changes in her family.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
January 14, 2022
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I went into this book with a bit of apprehension because of the name Penelope being used and then the book being about a trans person, but not by the trans person. I was blown out of the water though. This book is so much more than I ever expected and addressed my issues and then some. So If you were on the fence about this book, let me convince you you need to read it as soon as you can get a copy.
First, Penelope is the name that Penelope wants. At no point has this wonderful young person asked for a different name. Patterson makes it more than clear that the family would do everything they could to support him. There was even a wonderful section about passing and what that means to a black person. That was an insight that is often not brought up when passing is brought up in trans spaces. Instead there is the fight over if passing makes you more or less trans, if passing should be something anyone aims for, and then the ever present judgement of levels of passing. I am pretty sick of the infighting when it comes to the idea of passing, Patterson puts some of my ideas into words that are much more poetic than I could have managed on my own. We need to let people live their lives the way they want to. Penelope keeping his name does no one else harm. If you can’t get behind someone having the strength, courage, and determination to live their truth, then please walk away. Your negativity is not helpful and attacking someone you don’t agree with will not change their mind or their soul. Learn to express love and strength. Learn to speak up for yourself. Learn to support others.
Second, this book really is really more about Patterson and how gender has shaped her life. The book does feature her trans son and her other children. While the book seems to be more marketed as a memoir of a trans parent. It comes across more of a memoir of a strong woman coming to terms with gender itself. She was confronted with very strict gender roles and expectations as a child. The way her parents interacted, the way she was allowed to exist was so deeply trenched in gender roles and gender norms. Something that didn’t seem to really be on her radar at the time, though she had some thoughts and some ideas. The more that Patterson examines her own idea of how gender has impacted her life, the more support and love she seems to be able to have for all of her family. She learns through supporting her children that her husband needed more time to process things. That she had to be willing to listen to opinions of people, even when they weren’t as caught up to things as she was. I am beyond in love with this book.
Patterson talks about the intersection of race and gender, specifically being black and being female. This is heavily examined throughout the book. I was all for it. There was so much I wanted to ask, so much I wanted to learn. I am thankful that Patterson wrote this book and gave an insight into her life. Near the end of the book, Patterson even starts to analyze what it means to be black and trans. That was something that is often missing in trans discourse. A great deal of the research is done on white people. The great deal of the dialogue that is easily accessible is by white people. This is changing to be more representative of the real world, Patterson offers one explanation at why this change is taking longer than a great deal of us want. It is not the only explanation and like a lot of Patterson’s explanations, there is room for more and other explanations to play together and compliment her ideas. It makes sense that variant genders and expressions are hidden away by a group that is often over scrutinized and attacked for any form a deviance (even when that deviance is just literally existing) by outside groups.
Patterson is awe inspiring. She is strong. She is powerful. She is intelligent. She is flawed. She is human. She is exactly the sort of person that I dreamed I would have as a mother. She supports and loves her kids. She does this with a level of intensity that I just can’t imagine. So many of my trans friends have lost their families and have been abandoned. Seeing a mother that is so deeply there for her child made me cry more than once while reading this book. Patterson is a hero in my eyes. She has gone above and beyond to help all of her children and is willing to own up to her mistakes. She works hard to better herself and better the world for everyone. I am only slightly joking when I say that if Patterson offered to adopt me, I would say yes without a second thought.
This book is deep, it is moving. It is exactly what I needed. I needed to see that the world is changing for the better for trans kids. That my experiences are becoming less and less common. That there are kids out there that will not be fighting tooth and nail just to stay alive, despite being trans. Instead they will be living and thriving while being trans. It is such a remarkable difference and one that I am truly blessed to see happening in my life time. I am tearing up again, just thinking about how much good Patterson has done in such a short time of being an ally to her son. I wish her and her family the best. I hope they continue to do amazing things in the world and I am thankful for the things they have already accomplished.
I got an ARC of this book.
I went into this book with a bit of apprehension because of the name Penelope being used and then the book being about a trans person, but not by the trans person. I was blown out of the water though. This book is so much more than I ever expected and addressed my issues and then some. So If you were on the fence about this book, let me convince you you need to read it as soon as you can get a copy.
First, Penelope is the name that Penelope wants. At no point has this wonderful young person asked for a different name. Patterson makes it more than clear that the family would do everything they could to support him. There was even a wonderful section about passing and what that means to a black person. That was an insight that is often not brought up when passing is brought up in trans spaces. Instead there is the fight over if passing makes you more or less trans, if passing should be something anyone aims for, and then the ever present judgement of levels of passing. I am pretty sick of the infighting when it comes to the idea of passing, Patterson puts some of my ideas into words that are much more poetic than I could have managed on my own. We need to let people live their lives the way they want to. Penelope keeping his name does no one else harm. If you can’t get behind someone having the strength, courage, and determination to live their truth, then please walk away. Your negativity is not helpful and attacking someone you don’t agree with will not change their mind or their soul. Learn to express love and strength. Learn to speak up for yourself. Learn to support others.
Second, this book really is really more about Patterson and how gender has shaped her life. The book does feature her trans son and her other children. While the book seems to be more marketed as a memoir of a trans parent. It comes across more of a memoir of a strong woman coming to terms with gender itself. She was confronted with very strict gender roles and expectations as a child. The way her parents interacted, the way she was allowed to exist was so deeply trenched in gender roles and gender norms. Something that didn’t seem to really be on her radar at the time, though she had some thoughts and some ideas. The more that Patterson examines her own idea of how gender has impacted her life, the more support and love she seems to be able to have for all of her family. She learns through supporting her children that her husband needed more time to process things. That she had to be willing to listen to opinions of people, even when they weren’t as caught up to things as she was. I am beyond in love with this book.
Patterson talks about the intersection of race and gender, specifically being black and being female. This is heavily examined throughout the book. I was all for it. There was so much I wanted to ask, so much I wanted to learn. I am thankful that Patterson wrote this book and gave an insight into her life. Near the end of the book, Patterson even starts to analyze what it means to be black and trans. That was something that is often missing in trans discourse. A great deal of the research is done on white people. The great deal of the dialogue that is easily accessible is by white people. This is changing to be more representative of the real world, Patterson offers one explanation at why this change is taking longer than a great deal of us want. It is not the only explanation and like a lot of Patterson’s explanations, there is room for more and other explanations to play together and compliment her ideas. It makes sense that variant genders and expressions are hidden away by a group that is often over scrutinized and attacked for any form a deviance (even when that deviance is just literally existing) by outside groups.
Patterson is awe inspiring. She is strong. She is powerful. She is intelligent. She is flawed. She is human. She is exactly the sort of person that I dreamed I would have as a mother. She supports and loves her kids. She does this with a level of intensity that I just can’t imagine. So many of my trans friends have lost their families and have been abandoned. Seeing a mother that is so deeply there for her child made me cry more than once while reading this book. Patterson is a hero in my eyes. She has gone above and beyond to help all of her children and is willing to own up to her mistakes. She works hard to better herself and better the world for everyone. I am only slightly joking when I say that if Patterson offered to adopt me, I would say yes without a second thought.
This book is deep, it is moving. It is exactly what I needed. I needed to see that the world is changing for the better for trans kids. That my experiences are becoming less and less common. That there are kids out there that will not be fighting tooth and nail just to stay alive, despite being trans. Instead they will be living and thriving while being trans. It is such a remarkable difference and one that I am truly blessed to see happening in my life time. I am tearing up again, just thinking about how much good Patterson has done in such a short time of being an ally to her son. I wish her and her family the best. I hope they continue to do amazing things in the world and I am thankful for the things they have already accomplished.
October 14, 2023
The book really covers the author's full journey from childhood up until this point in her life. A good portion of the book includes her journey in supporting her transgender child, Penelope. The family certainly had their challenges in this area, and will continue to, but they did seem to be very fortunate to have a supportive school administrator as well as a supportive karate master, among others. One interesting thing is that the children - Penelope's siblings and classmates - seemed to easily accept Penelope's status as a boy. This seems to be much more difficult for adults. One teacher had a pretty good, although imperfect statement, to quell the conversation when students in her class began to chatter about Penelope being a boy. She would simply state, "Girls come in all varieties!"
As for the author herself, she is and has always been a strong woman, who sees the inequity between men and women in our society. She sees how we as a society expect and accept certain things from men, and when women do those same things, they are called "manipulative", "bitch" or "ball-buster". I think she will continue to try to break these pre-conceived notions so that we can all be our authentic selves. This also means allowing men to see themselves in other non-traditional ways, perhaps being more involved in parenting than they saw their fathers be. I think we all need to be more open to allowing others to be who they are, without judgement. I know, not as easy as it sounds, but it's a goal.
As for the author herself, she is and has always been a strong woman, who sees the inequity between men and women in our society. She sees how we as a society expect and accept certain things from men, and when women do those same things, they are called "manipulative", "bitch" or "ball-buster". I think she will continue to try to break these pre-conceived notions so that we can all be our authentic selves. This also means allowing men to see themselves in other non-traditional ways, perhaps being more involved in parenting than they saw their fathers be. I think we all need to be more open to allowing others to be who they are, without judgement. I know, not as easy as it sounds, but it's a goal.
January 23, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Jodie Patterson for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.
Like:
- Hearing all of the author’s life lessons learned through there personal experiences, from friends and family, and through parenting
- The power of the Black Panther Movement for her
- Discussions of power
- Representation: trans boy in a black family
- The overall journey of her son and learning to be a part of the trans community
Love:
- The life lesson: to define yourself or the world will; distance yourself from anyone who said you need to be anyone other than yourself
- Her overall continual journey of personal growth
- The message that trans people don’t need to change their names, bodies, clothes, hormones, etc. to be considered a certain gender, or even need to identify with a gender, but they may choose to do so if it feels right to them
Dislike:
- Once someone refers to Penelope as not a real boy, if I remember correctly. I’m not sure who said it or what their intentions were, but still …
- Her father’s harsh way of parenting
Wish that:
- There was a little less about her childhood. While there were lots of great life lessons, it became a little long winded at times.
Overall, a good comprehensive memoir about the author’s life, journey through personal growth, advocacy and learning bout her son’s life as a trans boy.
Like:
- Hearing all of the author’s life lessons learned through there personal experiences, from friends and family, and through parenting
- The power of the Black Panther Movement for her
- Discussions of power
- Representation: trans boy in a black family
- The overall journey of her son and learning to be a part of the trans community
Love:
- The life lesson: to define yourself or the world will; distance yourself from anyone who said you need to be anyone other than yourself
- Her overall continual journey of personal growth
- The message that trans people don’t need to change their names, bodies, clothes, hormones, etc. to be considered a certain gender, or even need to identify with a gender, but they may choose to do so if it feels right to them
Dislike:
- Once someone refers to Penelope as not a real boy, if I remember correctly. I’m not sure who said it or what their intentions were, but still …
- Her father’s harsh way of parenting
Wish that:
- There was a little less about her childhood. While there were lots of great life lessons, it became a little long winded at times.
Overall, a good comprehensive memoir about the author’s life, journey through personal growth, advocacy and learning bout her son’s life as a trans boy.
July 27, 2019
3.5 Stars. This memoir grabbed me and didn’t let go. I was captivated by the story of the Patterson-Becker-Ghartey family. Jodie Patterson tells of growing up an African American girl in an affluent family in upper-west-side Manhattan. The family dynamic during this part of her life leaves her feeling not good enough, in spite of supportive parents, strong extended family and excellent education. Her sojourn at Atlanta’s Spelman College (an HBCU) helps her first define herself as a strong Black woman. Descriptions of the school were appealing to me as a feminist. I hope the Spelman of the 1980s still exists today, promoting and encouraging collegiate women to be all they can be.
Patterson’s story shifts somewhat in her adulthood, focusing on her marriages and children. Without telling too much I will say that she becomes an advocate for transgender rights, starting within her own family. The journey is not over yet.
While parts of the book were bogged down with so many tellings of her struggles advocating for and trying to explain what transgender means, and her frequent marital difficulties, this story is a winner. It is a welcome, needed exploration of how and why every person deserves respect. I admire Jodie Patterson and nearly all the other people in the book. Google her to find the details of what this woman stands for.
Thank you Penguin/Random House and LibraryThing for the advance copy. I enjoyed it. 🙂
Patterson’s story shifts somewhat in her adulthood, focusing on her marriages and children. Without telling too much I will say that she becomes an advocate for transgender rights, starting within her own family. The journey is not over yet.
While parts of the book were bogged down with so many tellings of her struggles advocating for and trying to explain what transgender means, and her frequent marital difficulties, this story is a winner. It is a welcome, needed exploration of how and why every person deserves respect. I admire Jodie Patterson and nearly all the other people in the book. Google her to find the details of what this woman stands for.
Thank you Penguin/Random House and LibraryThing for the advance copy. I enjoyed it. 🙂
January 30, 2019
The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation is both beautifully and powerfully written. Uncompromising in its honesty, and impressive in its handling of all societal topics covered, Jodie Patterson's memoir includes her childhood, dealing with various cultures, her early relationships and marriages, becoming a mother, becoming an activist for transgendered people and growing into her own self. Along the way she tells us:
what it means to be a woman,
what it means to be a black woman,
what it means to be a mother of a transgendered child,
what it means to be a boy born into a girl's body,
how she dealt with family, friends and others to educate others about what transgender means while doing her best to protect her child and his right to be whoever he says he is.
Multiple generations of her family were urged to live life boldly, to be unafraid, to love themselves as they are, to be strong, and to be loving. Jodie Patterson continues that with her own family. If only every child could be raised by such loving and empowering parents!
I honor Ms. Patterson for her strength, fierceness, and dedication towards moving the world forward in it's understanding and acceptance of differences.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
what it means to be a woman,
what it means to be a black woman,
what it means to be a mother of a transgendered child,
what it means to be a boy born into a girl's body,
how she dealt with family, friends and others to educate others about what transgender means while doing her best to protect her child and his right to be whoever he says he is.
Multiple generations of her family were urged to live life boldly, to be unafraid, to love themselves as they are, to be strong, and to be loving. Jodie Patterson continues that with her own family. If only every child could be raised by such loving and empowering parents!
I honor Ms. Patterson for her strength, fierceness, and dedication towards moving the world forward in it's understanding and acceptance of differences.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
February 23, 2019
mini-review
Synopsis: Jodie Patterson shares her story of growing up black on the Upper West Side in New York, to attending an all-black women’s college in the south, to building a unique family unit and adapting to her transgender son, Penelope.
Writing: A. Although it’s pretty exposition heavy, focusing on Jodie’s thought processes of her experiences, this book is a beautifully written portrayal of a black woman coming into her own.
Insights: A+. While I read this for the exploration of parenting a trans kid, what really struck me was the way Patterson writes about blackness. It infuses every single part of her story and that of her children and it gives her a sense of power, rather than just feeling marginalized. Her story has the potential to be inspirational for all sorts of readers.
Most Important Thing I Learned: A+. Patterson talks openly about the point in her life where she wasn’t able to keep going. So often, I feel like women—especially mothers—are compelled to put on a brave face, keep doing all the behind-the-scenes emotional labor of being women. I really appreciated how Patterson openly admits that she hit a breaking point and that admitting one’s weakness is often a huge part of being a strong woman.
Diversity: A-. Literally the only I felt was “missing” from this amazing book was a deeper exploration of Patterson’s privilege. She mentions that her father more or less built his own wealth, despite white men not wanting him in their space; yet Patterson doesn’t really talk about the advantages she had over many people, especially in the NYC area, living in poverty and unable to enjoy the freedom she does throughout her life. Of course, this was just my personal wish.
Overall, do I recommend: This is one of those rare books I think anyone could learn something from reading. More than that, reading Jodie Patterson’s progression from a young woman who feels invisible to a mother who stands up for her kid—this book inspired me to keep fighting for what I believe in, even when things get tough. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little inspiration and motivation to keep striving toward their dreams.
To see more of my thoughts, check out my full review on my blog, lady gets lit.
Synopsis: Jodie Patterson shares her story of growing up black on the Upper West Side in New York, to attending an all-black women’s college in the south, to building a unique family unit and adapting to her transgender son, Penelope.
Writing: A. Although it’s pretty exposition heavy, focusing on Jodie’s thought processes of her experiences, this book is a beautifully written portrayal of a black woman coming into her own.
Insights: A+. While I read this for the exploration of parenting a trans kid, what really struck me was the way Patterson writes about blackness. It infuses every single part of her story and that of her children and it gives her a sense of power, rather than just feeling marginalized. Her story has the potential to be inspirational for all sorts of readers.
Most Important Thing I Learned: A+. Patterson talks openly about the point in her life where she wasn’t able to keep going. So often, I feel like women—especially mothers—are compelled to put on a brave face, keep doing all the behind-the-scenes emotional labor of being women. I really appreciated how Patterson openly admits that she hit a breaking point and that admitting one’s weakness is often a huge part of being a strong woman.
Diversity: A-. Literally the only I felt was “missing” from this amazing book was a deeper exploration of Patterson’s privilege. She mentions that her father more or less built his own wealth, despite white men not wanting him in their space; yet Patterson doesn’t really talk about the advantages she had over many people, especially in the NYC area, living in poverty and unable to enjoy the freedom she does throughout her life. Of course, this was just my personal wish.
Overall, do I recommend: This is one of those rare books I think anyone could learn something from reading. More than that, reading Jodie Patterson’s progression from a young woman who feels invisible to a mother who stands up for her kid—this book inspired me to keep fighting for what I believe in, even when things get tough. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little inspiration and motivation to keep striving toward their dreams.
To see more of my thoughts, check out my full review on my blog, lady gets lit.
May 17, 2020
This one really grabbed me. The writing is straight-forward and unadorned, which I really appreciate in a memoir. Though the book description makes it about her trans son, and that is certainly a theme, much more time is spent giving context on what gender roles, race, otherness, and power mean to her given her upbringing. I respect that this is her story, and one day her son might tell his own. She’s led a fascinating life in search of her own identity apart from the one she was given, which is a beautiful parallel to her son’s experience, and what ultimately woke her up to her own power. We don’t hear enough stories of being Black and upper-class, and we definitely don’t talk enough about the personal development of Black people — grappling with their own humanity in addition to oppression. Jodie has lived a privileged life in some ways, a totally sheltered life in other ways, but she is also a human being figuring herself out, making mistakes, owning them without shame, and pushing herself to balance loyalty to family with self-love. I devoured it. And as a bonus, I took away 4 or 5 books from Black authors I sorely need to read.
May 31, 2020
I appreciated this author’s willingness and courage to tackle big and personal issues like parental, romantic, sibling, children relationships, relationships with ourselves, extended family legacies, coming of age, feminism, racism, transphobia, etc. A list not often tackled by one book, but all very authentic to her story. I found her life story and her retelling of it compelling and honest and am glad I read it.
The main thing that bothered me was some of her ongoing inherent bias (which are a fault of the culture we grow up in and messages we’re fed about gender and gender roles and sexuality, etc). The last part of the book was titled ‘woke,’ but it seems she’s still in the process of waking up to transgender issues and unlearning some of the harmful biases. She sensationalized some of her son’s experiences which would not have been a big deal if any of her other sons did it/if he didn’t have a vagina. As allies, we need to be humble in our advocacy and careful to raise up others’ voices instead of taking the mic ourselves.
I also wondered whether she could have permission from her son to tell such a personal story of his before he grows up. Though it is a transformational part of her story and she is a brave ally/advocate, It may complicate his teenage years to have this book published already. I’m not sure I’ve read other memoirs by parents telling such a personal story about their young child. And also there were personal elements of her own story toward the end (like the difficulties she was having with her husband) which made me feel like she was more comfortable telling the intimate details of Penel’s story as it unfolds than her own which I felt was unfair.
The main thing that bothered me was some of her ongoing inherent bias (which are a fault of the culture we grow up in and messages we’re fed about gender and gender roles and sexuality, etc). The last part of the book was titled ‘woke,’ but it seems she’s still in the process of waking up to transgender issues and unlearning some of the harmful biases. She sensationalized some of her son’s experiences which would not have been a big deal if any of her other sons did it/if he didn’t have a vagina. As allies, we need to be humble in our advocacy and careful to raise up others’ voices instead of taking the mic ourselves.
I also wondered whether she could have permission from her son to tell such a personal story of his before he grows up. Though it is a transformational part of her story and she is a brave ally/advocate, It may complicate his teenage years to have this book published already. I’m not sure I’ve read other memoirs by parents telling such a personal story about their young child. And also there were personal elements of her own story toward the end (like the difficulties she was having with her husband) which made me feel like she was more comfortable telling the intimate details of Penel’s story as it unfolds than her own which I felt was unfair.
Read
May 18, 2022It's a bit all over the place as she covers all the folds and creases of her life. But as she bounds here and there, some parts are quite strong and some are more strained and disappointing. She does try to lay herself bare in multiple facets of her past and be loudly vulnerable. She doesn't shy away from the things that are messier or that they are still in the process of figuring out. It was hard listening to how fear ruled her life. Nonetheless, she seems to be getting to a healthier place on that front, and her love for all of her children is palpable. This really encapsulates the memoir-of-a-life-in-progress feel.
February 18, 2019
As Jodie Patterson writes, "The world is unkind to people it doesn't understand." Compassion and love begin with understanding and acceptance, which Patterson sets out to achieve in her memoir The Bold World. While the crux of the book is about raising a transgender son and becoming an activist for the LGBT community, Patterson also spends a significant portion on detailing her childhood and how it shaped her into the woman she is today (Patterson comes from a long line of civil rights activists and strong role models; her grandmother protested segregation in the South and won against school boards and hospitals. Her father founded the first black brokerage firm on Wall Street). Patterson is a wonderful storyteller--her strength and charisma seep through the pages. She is also very honest about the mistakes (and lessons learned) throughout her journey. Overall, this is an emotional and powerful memoir. I highly recommend it, even to those who are not directly involved in the LGBT community.
Thank you to the publisher and author for gifting me with a copy of the book.
Thank you to the publisher and author for gifting me with a copy of the book.
April 5, 2019
This was a beautiful and bold journey of acceptance and love. Jodie is one badass, passionate mamma who had me jealous of her love. She fought a fiery, uphill battle against stigmas and ignorance once she found out her daughter identified as male, but her love towards him still illuminated every page.
It was inspirational to see her jump in wholeheartedly by learning as much as possible during this new development and having some very open and honest discussions with him and her other children, so they were all on the same page. I don't know how she did it because Jodie exhausted me with all the directions she was pulled. Motherhood is truly a labor of love. She made sure to be intentional with each one of her children separately, meeting each one where they were at and loving them for who they are and how they understand it. She showed a love and devotion that is hard to imagine and seems rare in the world these days. I want a mom who will fight for me and drag me out of town when she notices I've grown an attitude in order to discover the root cause.
It was inspirational to see her jump in wholeheartedly by learning as much as possible during this new development and having some very open and honest discussions with him and her other children, so they were all on the same page. I don't know how she did it because Jodie exhausted me with all the directions she was pulled. Motherhood is truly a labor of love. She made sure to be intentional with each one of her children separately, meeting each one where they were at and loving them for who they are and how they understand it. She showed a love and devotion that is hard to imagine and seems rare in the world these days. I want a mom who will fight for me and drag me out of town when she notices I've grown an attitude in order to discover the root cause.
September 13, 2022
The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation by Jodie Patterson is a book about family, gender identification, race, and self-identity. While much of the book focuses on how one family is faced with understanding and accepting a transgender member, the book also addresses many other issues facing society today. When Patterson's three year old daughter Penelope announces at the age of three that he is a boy, she must learn to reshape her attitudes, her beliefs, and her biases; she learns from her other children, from Penelope, and from the transgender community how to meet the needs of her son. Told with honesty and without sugar coating, Patterson discusses the issues that she, the other members of her family, and the community face in accepting Penelope for who and what he is. Above all, the book is about self-determination; Patterson's recollections and insights into her own life are an inspiration and a challenge to the reader to look inwardly to become our own best selves.
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