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Booklist for Trans Teens
Here is a list of young adult literature featuring trans* (including transgender, gender variant, two-spirit, genderqueer, aggressive and other gender non-conforming) characters or trans* themes. This list is measly, not because I have not been digging, but rather because so few titles exist, so please add books if you know of them (only YA books with trans*/gender variant/etc themes, as there are tons of booklists out there for LGBTQ youth already). While I researched the original list and continue to add to it, I have also used the crowdsourcing available thorugh Goodreads to build the list--this means that I cannot personally vouch for every item on the list, but it also has allowed the list to grow to at least 3 or 4 times its original size. On that note, I encourage you to add to this list, and if you have titles you are unable to personally add, message me or email me at jackson.radish@gmail.com
I also encourage trans* authors to write books for teens--if you do, let me know (and if you are trying to get it published, let me know too!)
I also encourage trans* authors to write books for teens--if you do, let me know (and if you are trying to get it published, let me know too!)
Tags:
aggressive, gender-non-conforming, gender-variant, gender-variant-youth, genderqueer, genderqueer-youth, lgbtq, lgbtq-teens, lgbtq-youth, lgbtqq, lgbtqqi, teens, trans, trans-kids, trans-teens, trans-youth, transgender, transgender-kids, transgender-teens, transgender-youth, transsexual, two-spirit
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Ifrah
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Apr 02, 2012 05:46PM
Yay, thanks for making this list. I've been trying to find more variety of books for the GSA at my highschool.
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Ifrah wrote: "Yay, thanks for making this list. I've been trying to find more variety of books for the GSA at my highschool."really glad you found it helpful and will be able to use it with your GSA! Back when I was in a GSA (er, like a decade ago!) the only lgbtq teen books I knew of were Annie On My Mind, all the Rainbow Boys books, and a couple books by Julie Anne Peters. I would troll the gay and lesbian section at the book store by my house for books to read and ended up reading Edmund White and some other stuff like that. Definitely no trans books (though I didn't know I was trans at the time and didn't know that trans men existed, I knew vaguely that trans issues were about me, if that makes sense, and wanted to read fiction about them) and basically no books with people of colour or people from working class families. It was dumb. I would reccommend "I Am J" to your GSA if you're just gonna look at one because there are strong CAFAB and CAMAB trans characters, most characters are people of colour and almost all characters are working class. It's also just a great story with good characters in general.
I hate Luna. It's full of misgendering and the narrator is awful.
Amelia wrote: "I hate Luna. It's full of misgendering and the narrator is awful."I agree it had major issues. It was more of a book with a transcharacter than a book about the transcharacter.
Amelia wrote: "I hate Luna. It's full of misgendering and the narrator is awful."yeah, I hated it too! It is also completely all about how much of a burden having a trans sister is for Luna's sister Regan. Snooze. But the truth is, I hate most of the books on this list, there are a few good ones, but mostly every single teen book with trans characters has a ton of problems.
Luna did certainly have its issues. I will say that I like Peters' writing, but Regan was an underdeveloped moron, and the narrative wasn't very interesting. I barely gave it 3.5 stars.Anyway, thanks for making this list. There are so few trans books, it's nice to have what few there are compiled into a convenient list.
I would love to see my novel, Run, Clarissa, Run get a few more reviews and maybe a little higher on the list. If anyone wants a review copy, feel free to send me a private message. I am always glad to give copies in exchange for honest reviews.
I would like to recommend adding books by Karin Bishop; they're at the Kindle store and maybe BN. Several of them are YA, although some have adult protagonists (haven't read them all), but they all seem to have at least one transgendered character, usually a teen and often the narrator. I've read a few so far and the characters are very real and treated with sensitivity--I mean all the characters throughout. And no porn, thank goodness! I like her writing style and she's gotten great reviews from readers (at Amazon, I mean.)
Her book "Ignorance is Bliss" was very good and led me to read "Luna" and "Almost Perfect" from this list. I think some "Luna" criticism is harsh as far as Luna herself is portrayed, but I felt it was about the growth and acceptance by Regan. In the same way, "Almost Perfect" dealt with the growth (and agonizing backsliding!) of Logan.
LGBT or straight or whatever--being a teen is tough!
I haven't read Ignorance is Bliss but I read Roommates by her. It was a little slow (not enough dramatic tension) but it was a good presentation of transition for a trans/intersex person. I'll check if it's on goodreads and add it if it is.
Sue wrote: "I would like to recommend adding books by Karin Bishop; they're at the Kindle store and maybe BN. Several of them are YA, although some have adult protagonists (haven't read them all), but they all..."Thanks for the suggestions--just FYI, this list is crowdsourced, meaning that anyone on Goodreads can add books to the list by "voting" on them so if you (or anyone) finds a book that is not on here, you can add it and are encouraged to do-so because people adding books to the list is how it got to be 51 books long and how it continues to grow and stay current!
Sue wrote: "I would like to recommend adding books by Karin Bishop; they're at the Kindle store and maybe BN. Several of them are YA, although some have adult protagonists (haven't read them all), but they all..."I did also see, though, that there was no record for Ignorance is Bliss on Goodreads so I created one since I am a librarian on here, just FYI. I am not sure if people who do not have librarian status on Goodreads can create new book records but I assume there's some way to suggest them if you can't find the book you are looking for (? does anyone know?)
There is a way to add books if you are not a librarian, but as far as I can tell it's basically sends the link to someone who is a librarian. I "added" Roommates but it may take awhile to actually show up.
Jackson wrote: "Sue wrote: "I would like to recommend adding books by Karin Bishop; they're at the Kindle store and maybe BN. Several of them are YA, although some have adult protagonists (haven't read them all), ..."People who are not librarians can add new book http://www.goodreads.com/book/new?boo...
Just a note, but "Debbie Harry Sings in French" isn't actually about a transgender teen. The main character dresses as a woman sometimes, but throughout the story it's made very clear that he identifies as male.
I read Coldest Girl in Coldtown, and I don't remember any trans relationof in it...but maybe i'm wrong.
I read Coldest Girl in Coldtown, and I don't remember any trans relationof in it...but maybe i'm wrong.
ToraBob.... wrote: "I read Coldest Girl in Coldtown, and I don't remember any trans relationof in it...but maybe i'm wrong."The character Valentina is MTF transgender.
Shayna wrote: "Just a note, but "Debbie Harry Sings in French" isn't actually about a transgender teen. The main character dresses as a woman sometimes, but throughout the story it's made very clear that he ident..."Unfortunately, since anyone can add books to this list, there is no way to keep titles that don't actually deal with trans stuff off of this list. Most of them do, but there are a few that don't, which is true of any listopia list on goodreads. A lot more good has come from the crowd-sourcing of this list than bad, though, since when I started the list there were something like 15 titles on it.
Rainbowheart wrote: "ToraBob.... wrote: "I read Coldest Girl in Coldtown, and I don't remember any trans relationof in it...but maybe i'm wrong."The character Valentina is MTF transgender
Oh yeah... now I feel stupid Lol. Thanks Rainbowheart for correcting me :)
I haven't visited here since last year, and I'm glad this list has grown. I'm the one that mentioned Karin Bishop's books and would very much like to see some of her titles listed here. I've read a few more of her books since I posted, and they all carry a sensitive and positive view for transgender teens.Some of her books have adult protagonists who may or may not be transgender, but these are the ones I've read (so far) that have trans youth, and I recommend them: Breath of Life, Dress Code, Fashion Class, Role of a Lifetime, The Network, and The XY Axis.
Every character, primary and secondary, feels real and I have a greater appreciation for the struggles of trans youth through reading these books.
I noticed someone changed the name of this list from Trans Youth to Trans Teens. Does that mean picture books should be removed? If the list creator wants, I can take them off.
I noticed that Almost Perfect is on here. I've read that book and I have to say it's not a book for any trans person until they feel safe. I made the mistake of reading it early in my transition and it scared me. It displays trans-women's lives as dim, painful, and with little hope. The main character was a bad person in my mind, and frankly was one of the trans-character's main problems. I know others feel differently, but I felt the book is not quite suitable for trans teens. Sure, I know first hand that everyday as a trans woman(or any gender non conforming person) is not all rainbows and sunshine given the way society acts, but the author made it seem like there was no hope. It should not be marketed for anyone who wants to read it while transitioning.
Hannah wrote: "I noticed that Almost Perfect is on here. I've read that book and I have to say it's not a book for any trans person until they feel safe. I made the mistake of reading it early in my transition an..."Thanks for your comment, I think you very eloquently expressed how a lot of people (myself included) feel about this book. At the time that this list was created, there were less than 20 books out there that even fit into this category, so as stated above, these are books that exist, not books that are recommended.
I think it is important for us to voice our opinions about this book on the list rather than exclude it, partially because it is a crowd sourced list and we really can't exclude ANY book from the list and partially because it won the Stonewall Book Award from the ALA and is one of the first titles that comes up when searching for books on this subject, so many people assume that means it is a good book for trans youth. Including it on the list gives us an opportunity to share our reviews on the book with people who are looking for books on the subject, so obviously we should keep posting reviews like this right alongside the positive ones!
Would The Fox's Mask count? It's YA but fantasy. Basically, the protag's clan can switch genders but are born as one. They were born a girl but prefers to live as a boy and is living on their own as one since their clan gives them shit over it, especially when it comes to "breeding". *shivers*
Golden Boy doesn't have any trans characters (to my knowledge, I haven't read it yet) though the main character is intersex. So it probabky has similar themes to a book with trans characters, but I don't think it actually has any.
I'd like to recommend A Girl Without a Name. It simply blew me away. A friend recommended it to me and it caught me by surprise.
Drew wrote: "Golden Boy doesn't have any trans characters (to my knowledge, I haven't read it yet) though the main character is intersex. So it probabky has similar themes to a book with trans characters, but I..."Intersex falls under the transgender umbrella!!
I don't think Sailor Moon should be on here, unless referring to the Starlights who are only in volumes 11-12.And unless I'm forgetting something, I don't think Utena qualifies either.
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