Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You

I got this book because I am curious. I have an older cousin who is transgender, and I hoped this book would answer my questions. In the end, I think reading it just made me more confused. The kids writing in this book agree that questions about sexuality and gender can be pretty complicated. The adult authors want to encourage kids who feel like the don’t fit in to be themselves. But maybe they forgot what being a kid is really like. They say: “So go forward … knowing that you are perfect, whole, and complete.” I think that is supposed to be a pep talk, but I don’t feel like kids are any of those things. Perfect, really?

Chapters cover topics like dating, sex, school, and work. They offer practical advice for problems trans kids may have. At the end of each chapter are lists of resources – books or websites for information or even legal advice. My favorite parts are the pages that kids contributed, when they write about their real problems and what has happened so far in their lives. Does not wearing skirts mean you’re not a girl? Does anybody actually want to have periods? What if you’re a girl and you just don’t want to be the kind of girl who worries about hair and makeup?

This book may not have answers, but it can give you a lot to think about.