March 31st is the International Transgender Day of Visibility. This is a day to highlight the accomplishments of the transgender community and increase awareness of transgender rights and issues. In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, here are some great memoirs written by trans people,
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To my trans sisters
by Charlie Craggs A collection of letters written by successful trans women sharing the lessons they've learned on their journeys to womanhood, celebrating their achievements, and empowering the next generation to become who they really are. |
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Some assembly required : the not-so-secret life of a transgender teen
by Arin Andrews Seventeen-year-old Arin Andrews shares all the hilarious, painful and poignant details of undergoing gender reassignment as a high school student in this winning teen memoir. |
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She's not there : a life in two genders
by Jennifer Finney Boylan A remarkable memoir that chronicles the life of James, a critically acclaimed novelist, who eventually became Jenny, a happy and successful English professor. |
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Being Jazz : my life as a (transgender teen)
by Jazz Jennings The author recounts how her public experiences have influenced her attitude towards the transgender community, as she works to educate others about transgenderism while navigating the challenges of being a teenager. |
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Before I had the words : on being a transgender young adult
by Skylar Kergil The transgender activist and YouTube personality discusses his life, his relationship with his family members, and how he finally found self-acceptance. |
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Rethinking normal : a memoir in transition
by Katie Rain Hill A personal account by a college student who endured years of bullying and disapprobation describes how after numerous failed therapies she accepted her transgender status and began learning how to be a girl while pursuing surgical gender reassignment. A first book. |
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Man alive : a true story of violence, forgiveness and becoming a man
by Thomas Page McBee On the cusp of a life-changing decision to transition from female to male, the author focuses on two of the men who impacted his life, seeking to understand what it truly means to be a man. |
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Redefining realness : my path to womanhood, identity, love & so much more
by Janet Mock A journalist and activist who was profiled in a 2011 Marie Claire feature outlines bold perspectives on the realities of being young, multi-racial, economically challenged and transgender in today's America, recounting her disadvantaged youth and decision to undergo gender reassignment surgery at the age of 18 before pursuing a career and falling in love. |
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Becoming Nicole : the transformation of an American family
by Amy Ellis Nutt The Maines were a middle-class, hard-working, politically conservative New England couple whose lives felt complete when they adopted identical twin sons. As toddlers, Jonas was the son Kelly and Wayne Maines expected, but Wyatt was only interested in girls' clothes and toys. By age five, this conflict was tearing Wyatt--and the family--apart. Today, Wyatt is Nicole. She and Jonas are now graduating from high school. This is the story of a journey that could have destroyed a family, but instead united them. It's the story of a mother whose instincts told her her child needed love and help. It's the story of a Republican, NRA-member father who overcame confusion and fear to become a vocal advocate of trans rights. It's the story of a brother who always loved and accepted his sister. And, especially, it's the story of a young girl who found the courage to be herself. |