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American Boys
American Boys is a book of portraits capturing the trans-masculine community across the United States. The young Americans featured in these pages are united through their proud embrace of gender identity. Both tender and exciting these portraits are evidence of the rapidly expanding conceptions of gender sweeping the country.
188 pages, Flexibound
Published April 2, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 18, 2019
my only qualm is that I wish this book featured more (and by more i mean ANY) fat people! fat trans people exist :) Otherwise, what a great photobook collection. Stunning photographs and the mini-essays were beautiful.
October 1, 2019
What an amazing book! A portrait book - some very intimate - with small profiles of young trans-men (all late teens to early 30s) from across the United States. Urban/rural. Black/white. Native & two-spirit.
Absolutely personalizes the trans experience and makes it abundantly clear, at a very individual level, that our concept of "men" must encompass these folks. Struck me as less of a "challenge" to outdated concepts of sex/gender and more of a simple recognition of the reality/humanity/existence of people as they are.
Absolutely personalizes the trans experience and makes it abundantly clear, at a very individual level, that our concept of "men" must encompass these folks. Struck me as less of a "challenge" to outdated concepts of sex/gender and more of a simple recognition of the reality/humanity/existence of people as they are.
July 1, 2019
Seeing so many people who looked like me gave me such joy. This book is a gift.
August 12, 2019
This one's a keeper, I read the intro and cried, so now I own it. Welcome to the wide wide world of transsexual and transgender people, living their human lives by being true to themselves first.
January 24, 2020
For a book with so few words, it was a challenging read for me. The first time I picked it up, right after the book came out, I just wasn't in a place where I could look at guys like me (below the waist) without feeling hugely dysphoric. I'm glad I gave it another shot.
I enjoyed the variety of expression and backgrounds in the book, including the map in the front that located them in an incredibly diverse array of places. Too bad there wasn't anyone from Montana; we have many hot trans men here, although I don't think they'd be easy to find via social media.
I wish the book had included more guys who had had lower surgery or were willing to talk about it. Those of us pursuing that option don't often have as many reference points or resources, compared to top surgery, and have to push back against a lot of negativity for wanting what we want. I'm glad the one guy was willing to talk about his arm scar.
The timeline in the back was also great. The perspective...very good to have.
Overall, definitely an important contribution to trans literature/art. I hope all trans masculine guys know that this book exists, even if they aren't ready to read/see it yet.
Pairs well with the book, To Survive on This Shore.
I enjoyed the variety of expression and backgrounds in the book, including the map in the front that located them in an incredibly diverse array of places. Too bad there wasn't anyone from Montana; we have many hot trans men here, although I don't think they'd be easy to find via social media.
I wish the book had included more guys who had had lower surgery or were willing to talk about it. Those of us pursuing that option don't often have as many reference points or resources, compared to top surgery, and have to push back against a lot of negativity for wanting what we want. I'm glad the one guy was willing to talk about his arm scar.
The timeline in the back was also great. The perspective...very good to have.
Overall, definitely an important contribution to trans literature/art. I hope all trans masculine guys know that this book exists, even if they aren't ready to read/see it yet.
Pairs well with the book, To Survive on This Shore.
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August 6, 2025Not rating this one cause woof it wasn't the right pick for me where I am in my gender journey. Made me feel invisible instead of seen like I had wanted it to as a fat, femme, nb person seeking T. And that intro by Buck Angel started me out with a bad taste in my mouth.
July 9, 2020
A collection of essays and portraits of transgender, non-binary and genderqueer people talking about their lives, achievements, identities and hopes for the future.
This quote from Teddy captured the essence of the collection for me: “I see people wherever they are in transition as not a linear journey but rather the expansion of a person in whatever direction they want that to look like.”
No content warnings for this book, but a note to reader that this collection does include nudity.
This quote from Teddy captured the essence of the collection for me: “I see people wherever they are in transition as not a linear journey but rather the expansion of a person in whatever direction they want that to look like.”
No content warnings for this book, but a note to reader that this collection does include nudity.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews