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About a Girl: A mother’s powerful story of raising her transgender child. With a foreword by Georgie Stone
In 2000, Rebekah gave birth to twin boys, George and Harry. But as they grew older, their preferences began to show, and by the age of three it was clear Georgie was drawn to anything that was pretty or had a skirt that could swirl.Before long Georgie was insisting that she was a girl and became distressed that she had to hide who she really was when she began school. Soon the bullying started and she would come home in floods of tears, begging her mother to help her.Rebekah and her husband, conflicted about how to proceed and overwhelmed by fear, united in their determination to help her live freely and fearlessly. To ensure Georgie had access to medical support they sought permission for her to begin puberty-blocking medication. Their case was the start of the long road to justice for transgender children in Australia and became the basis of the 2013 landmark decision to remove the Family Court’s jurisdiction.Georgie has gone on to become one of the brightest stars of the Australian youth leadership landscape through her advocacy work. And Rebekah founded Transcend, a support network for transgender kids and their families in Australia.Part memoir and part inspirational message of hope for those navigating a similar path, About a Girl is a thought-provoking and profoundly moving true story. Above all, it is a celebration of family and the values that unite us all.'A remarkable document of an Australian civil rights landmark and a moving testament to the ferocity of parental love.' – Benjamin Law
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
December 26, 2019
When Rebekah Robertson gave birth to twin boys it was the happiest time of her life. It became obvious once the boys grew older that one of them had a particularly liking for anything pretty and this is where the story of Georgie begins.
This is a well written memoir on transgender a subject I must admit I didn’t know a lot about, but I do know. This is one special family who went through so much so that Georgie could become the beautiful woman she is today. A truly amazing and moving story. Recommended.
This is a well written memoir on transgender a subject I must admit I didn’t know a lot about, but I do know. This is one special family who went through so much so that Georgie could become the beautiful woman she is today. A truly amazing and moving story. Recommended.
March 16, 2020
I went into this not actually knowing who Georgie Stone is, so I found the whole story very compelling (both Georgie’s and Rebekah’s). There were a couple of things that really let this book down though.
The very average writing bothered me the entire way through, and while I eventually gathered that it’s simply just the author’s style, I still think it could have been tweaked for more impact.
The content editing (or lack thereof) made this book a bit of a struggle. It felt like the author went back with a calendar or diary from those years and checked off every day with anything written on it and made sure to include it in the book. Whether it was a random Pink concert or drive to the shops, it’s all in there. The book would have benefitted from pulling out those moments that had more impact (even if was just a drive to the shops) and delving into them a little more deeply to really tease apart what Georgie was going through (where permitted) and what Rebekah was going through as a parent.
The book claimed to be a story of ‘parenting’ a transgender child but I didn’t really get much of the parenting stuff come through - parenting is a tough gig and a roller coaster of emotions and she never really articulated that particularly well. This was especially disappointing for me as a new parent hoping to learn a thing or two.
I also generally felt like the whole book had some slightly rose tinted glasses on, painting their family life as wonderful and supportive and always coming out of adversity stronger. Yes they generally do have a wonderful supportive family, but their marriage fell apart and they had financial struggles and both their children suffered through some deep issues as a teenager (setting aside anything to do with gender), and a lot of that was glossed over or covered in a very short paragraph, as though the author was making a halfhearted attempt to say ‘Look I’m not trying to pretend it’s all wonderful!’ but even the bad stuff is not that bad. Like when a job applicant says in an interview that their greatest weakness is perfectionism.
That all aside, this 2.5 stars is rounded up to 3 because I’m so glad I read it - I found it eye opening and educational about transgender Australians (particularly young ones) and our legal system, and I think it’s worthwhile reading for anyone.
The very average writing bothered me the entire way through, and while I eventually gathered that it’s simply just the author’s style, I still think it could have been tweaked for more impact.
The content editing (or lack thereof) made this book a bit of a struggle. It felt like the author went back with a calendar or diary from those years and checked off every day with anything written on it and made sure to include it in the book. Whether it was a random Pink concert or drive to the shops, it’s all in there. The book would have benefitted from pulling out those moments that had more impact (even if was just a drive to the shops) and delving into them a little more deeply to really tease apart what Georgie was going through (where permitted) and what Rebekah was going through as a parent.
The book claimed to be a story of ‘parenting’ a transgender child but I didn’t really get much of the parenting stuff come through - parenting is a tough gig and a roller coaster of emotions and she never really articulated that particularly well. This was especially disappointing for me as a new parent hoping to learn a thing or two.
I also generally felt like the whole book had some slightly rose tinted glasses on, painting their family life as wonderful and supportive and always coming out of adversity stronger. Yes they generally do have a wonderful supportive family, but their marriage fell apart and they had financial struggles and both their children suffered through some deep issues as a teenager (setting aside anything to do with gender), and a lot of that was glossed over or covered in a very short paragraph, as though the author was making a halfhearted attempt to say ‘Look I’m not trying to pretend it’s all wonderful!’ but even the bad stuff is not that bad. Like when a job applicant says in an interview that their greatest weakness is perfectionism.
That all aside, this 2.5 stars is rounded up to 3 because I’m so glad I read it - I found it eye opening and educational about transgender Australians (particularly young ones) and our legal system, and I think it’s worthwhile reading for anyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2019
I’ve read a few biographies and stories around gender diverse issues from people who are not necessarily the one who has walked their path. This from the position of parent is such an inspiration of doing everything you can for your children and celebrating all the families successes (and stumbling blocks) highlights in the end how little impact supporting people to be themselves has beyond their own lives actually is. Hating someone for who they are only diminishes those that hate. Love wins!
July 4, 2020
Great book, well written and easy to read even though it is not an easy topic. It made me think and we had a great discussion about it at book club today. Highly recommend this book.
September 10, 2019
I don't usually rate books because I don't exactly consider myself critical enough of them for my ratings to have much weight, not to mention anything I actually manage to finish is going to have a 4-5 anyway. I'm even more out of my depth here, this being only the second biographical book I've read (and the first wasn't exactly high art; sorry, Abigail). But I know I need to here. I know this deserves it.
The absolute strength of Rebekah's writing is her ability to pull you into the emotion of any point in the story. At the beginning her proclamations of incredible love should have turned off a cynic like me, but I could feel that love pouring into everything she was describing. And when the going began to get tough, when courts start being visited and time starts running out, the sheer stress of reading it made me physically sick. I can only imagine what living it must have felt like, and over months and months, not just the few days I read this for. Anger, elation, pride, exhaustion, you can feel everything that's being described here. This book is an intensely dense whirlwind of feelings that barely even scratches the surface of what must have been felt.
It stands out as an amazing resource for people unfamiliar with the intricacies of being transgender; I'd consider myself more knowledgeable than a great deal of cis people and it still managed to reframe or reinforce things I was unsure on or didn't know as much about. I can only imagine how useful it would be to someone who knew little but was open-minded enough to learn.
Admittedly, some of the extended courtroom descriptions, while understandably necessary, can be somewhat hard to wrap your head around and are somewhat devoid of the close, personal connection that the rest of the book has. Granted that's exactly how court probably feels like, so perhaps that's a win too; I was certainly never totally bored by these moments because by then I was so utterly invested in Rebekah and Georgie's fight.
You almost feel like a part of the family after you've read this, knowing so many details about this life that's been lived, everything they went through, and the descriptions of year 12 woes and VCE results that make you feel like you're right there anxiously hoping things will be okay. It was quite the personal trip for me to be reliving anything related to VCE, but the happiness that comes with Georgie and Harry's scores is absolutely shared by the reader.
In conclusion, powerful, emotional, and an incredibly important story to know and to learn from, as individuals and as a society.
And Aussies, remember to tune in to Channel 10 at 6:30 to catch Georgie on Neighbours! The true power of this book is its incredible ability to make me watch a goddamn soap opera. What am I, ninety?
The absolute strength of Rebekah's writing is her ability to pull you into the emotion of any point in the story. At the beginning her proclamations of incredible love should have turned off a cynic like me, but I could feel that love pouring into everything she was describing. And when the going began to get tough, when courts start being visited and time starts running out, the sheer stress of reading it made me physically sick. I can only imagine what living it must have felt like, and over months and months, not just the few days I read this for. Anger, elation, pride, exhaustion, you can feel everything that's being described here. This book is an intensely dense whirlwind of feelings that barely even scratches the surface of what must have been felt.
It stands out as an amazing resource for people unfamiliar with the intricacies of being transgender; I'd consider myself more knowledgeable than a great deal of cis people and it still managed to reframe or reinforce things I was unsure on or didn't know as much about. I can only imagine how useful it would be to someone who knew little but was open-minded enough to learn.
Admittedly, some of the extended courtroom descriptions, while understandably necessary, can be somewhat hard to wrap your head around and are somewhat devoid of the close, personal connection that the rest of the book has. Granted that's exactly how court probably feels like, so perhaps that's a win too; I was certainly never totally bored by these moments because by then I was so utterly invested in Rebekah and Georgie's fight.
You almost feel like a part of the family after you've read this, knowing so many details about this life that's been lived, everything they went through, and the descriptions of year 12 woes and VCE results that make you feel like you're right there anxiously hoping things will be okay. It was quite the personal trip for me to be reliving anything related to VCE, but the happiness that comes with Georgie and Harry's scores is absolutely shared by the reader.
In conclusion, powerful, emotional, and an incredibly important story to know and to learn from, as individuals and as a society.
And Aussies, remember to tune in to Channel 10 at 6:30 to catch Georgie on Neighbours! The true power of this book is its incredible ability to make me watch a goddamn soap opera. What am I, ninety?
January 11, 2020
My New Year's resolution was to read at least one non-fiction book a month and this was my first for 2020. So informative and well-written, it gave me a better understanding of what it means to parent a 'different' child (though in actual fact, all children are different).
July 9, 2019
I received an ARC of this book.
About a Girl is a powerful and moving story about a family. It is about how that family accepts with open arms the beautiful daughter who came to them. It is about the fight for that same daughter to keep her safe, protected and loved during a time when it wasn't necessarily so.
Rebekah is one of those mothers who is fiercely protective of her children. The fact that one of them was in a body that was foreign and alien to them was something new that Rebekah experienced. There was no support group and limited assistance. She had to fight for every medical and non-medical protection for her daughter. This included changing schools, going to court and heading off to Canberra. In doing so, Rebekah has fought for transgender kids all over the country. It was her hard work and persistence that led to legal reforms in Australia that have given kids the ability to say 'This is my body. I am in control.'
The book, however, is not just about Rebekah and it is not just about Georgie. It is about their family as a whole. How Georgie's twin, Harry became lost before finding himself. About Rebekah and her husband Greg, how they coped with their children's struggles to get through life. It is about coming together and supporting each other 100%. No Matter What.
There are some scary statistics and issues raised within these pages. I am a member of the LGBTQI+ community myself so I understood some of the struggles and issues faced by this community. I will be honest and admit that I was aware of some issues faced by the transgender community but definitely not how deep some of the psychological and esteem issues run. Children have a basic right to safety and to having complete dominion over their bodies. It is hard to believe that it has taken this long for these kids to have that right, in this day and age. Hopefully it is onward and upward from here.
I highly recommend this book for all parents across the board. There is a lot to be learnt within these pages, most importantly, how to love your children unconditionally. What Rebekah and Georgie have done for the transgender community within Victoria must be applauded. What they have done Australia wide deserves a standing ovation. Thank you for sharing this deeply personal story.
About a Girl is a powerful and moving story about a family. It is about how that family accepts with open arms the beautiful daughter who came to them. It is about the fight for that same daughter to keep her safe, protected and loved during a time when it wasn't necessarily so.
Rebekah is one of those mothers who is fiercely protective of her children. The fact that one of them was in a body that was foreign and alien to them was something new that Rebekah experienced. There was no support group and limited assistance. She had to fight for every medical and non-medical protection for her daughter. This included changing schools, going to court and heading off to Canberra. In doing so, Rebekah has fought for transgender kids all over the country. It was her hard work and persistence that led to legal reforms in Australia that have given kids the ability to say 'This is my body. I am in control.'
The book, however, is not just about Rebekah and it is not just about Georgie. It is about their family as a whole. How Georgie's twin, Harry became lost before finding himself. About Rebekah and her husband Greg, how they coped with their children's struggles to get through life. It is about coming together and supporting each other 100%. No Matter What.
There are some scary statistics and issues raised within these pages. I am a member of the LGBTQI+ community myself so I understood some of the struggles and issues faced by this community. I will be honest and admit that I was aware of some issues faced by the transgender community but definitely not how deep some of the psychological and esteem issues run. Children have a basic right to safety and to having complete dominion over their bodies. It is hard to believe that it has taken this long for these kids to have that right, in this day and age. Hopefully it is onward and upward from here.
I highly recommend this book for all parents across the board. There is a lot to be learnt within these pages, most importantly, how to love your children unconditionally. What Rebekah and Georgie have done for the transgender community within Victoria must be applauded. What they have done Australia wide deserves a standing ovation. Thank you for sharing this deeply personal story.
November 4, 2019
Great memoir of a mother bringing up a family with a transgender child. There is a lot of warmth in the telling but also a lot of battles and distress, simply because her child is transgender. This book is important because it details the challenges transgender children face and points out that they can be overcome. Wonderful read.
January 14, 2020
An eye opening and fascinating first hand account of the struggle of raising a child with gender dysphoria. That part I rate 5 stars.
Personally not as much a fan of the writing style.
Personally not as much a fan of the writing style.
February 12, 2020
Hard to rate. Really insightful.
May 10, 2020
Inspiring, heartbreaking and emotional - worth reading and learning a fair bit about what transgender kids/families go through.
August 23, 2022
Great information and very important reading.
As a mother of twins though I did find her way of talking about the twins rather patronising and often just plain incorrect. I have breast feed my twins past 3 years old with no support, no family and friends coming in to cook and clean, just me and my twins. Any thing is possible and with the overall theme of this book being that things that seem impossible can be conquered by perseverance and love I was disappointed with how dismissive some of her twin stories were.
However, the book wasn’t about the twins it was about Georgie’s journey and her mother’s impact on that. It is great to have these stories out there and I hope everyone takes the time to listen to these voices.
As a mother of twins though I did find her way of talking about the twins rather patronising and often just plain incorrect. I have breast feed my twins past 3 years old with no support, no family and friends coming in to cook and clean, just me and my twins. Any thing is possible and with the overall theme of this book being that things that seem impossible can be conquered by perseverance and love I was disappointed with how dismissive some of her twin stories were.
However, the book wasn’t about the twins it was about Georgie’s journey and her mother’s impact on that. It is great to have these stories out there and I hope everyone takes the time to listen to these voices.
September 15, 2019
Enlightening
May 17, 2020
First person narratives normalise the “other” and this memoir has done a fantastic job in educating the rest of us about trans kids. All Australians should read it.
February 1, 2020
Brisbane bookclub book 2 of 2020
January 15, 2022
An incredibly honest and moving portrayal of the challenges and discrimination faced by trans youth and their families, but also an uplifting tale of unconditional love and support.
February 26, 2020
A mixture of both biography and memoir, this is a brilliant insight into a family that has been at the forefront of fighting for transgender rights in Australia over the last decade. I've long admired Georgie Stone, so it makes absolute sense that her mother is a force to be reckoned with. I was the smallest bit apprehensive about reading a book that wasn't told by Georgie herself, but having her blessing in the foreward this feeling was allayed, and I'm grateful. Rebekah's done so much advocacy and work in supporting other families and agitating for systematic change for the trans community, while constantly acknowledging those that came before them, and this was great to learn about. I'd read Benjamin Law's Moral Panic Quarterly Essay, but that reminder of the Safe Schools and the conservative agenda was still a lot to process when you're reading about the direct consequence of that hatefulness on young trans kids.
About A Girl brimmed with love, understanding and searing honestly - Rebekah talking directly to parents about their responsibilities to love and cherish their children no matter what towards the end of this book had me undone.
Stellar book, wonderful audio narration.
About A Girl brimmed with love, understanding and searing honestly - Rebekah talking directly to parents about their responsibilities to love and cherish their children no matter what towards the end of this book had me undone.
Stellar book, wonderful audio narration.
June 3, 2021
When Rebekah and her husband Greg became parents to twins, Harry and Georgie in 2000, they could never have imagined what lay ahead, that they would end up having to go to court to fight to change the laws to get justice for Georgie and other children like her.
From the age of 3, Georgie was insisting that she was not a boy, the gender assigned to her at birth, but a girl.
Rebekah and her husband Greg didn't know where to turn or how to help, there is honesty in how the initial realisation that they were parents of a transgender child caused confusion and upset but was always surpassed by their love of Harry and Georgie and an absolute commitment to ensuring they were happy with themselves and within the world that surrounded them.
The book follows the journey from those early preschool days right up to the end of school before Georgie and Harry are to begin college. In between, there are issues with bullying, having to move schools, medical treatment and the amazing doctors who worked with Georgie and her family right from the beginning.
One of the striking parts of the book is when her parents had to go to court to get permission to access puberty blocking medication for Georgie, the sense of urgency in that, as time was running out if irreversible consequences were to be avoided, was immense. As Rebekah put it "Biology moves quickly and the courts move slowly". They would face the Australian courts several times as they challenged the system of requiring courts to decide on medical treatment for transgender children.
I think it's a very insightful book for the majority of us who know the basics but don't have a deeper understanding of what it means to be transgender. Georgie, throughout, is a loved and mostly happy child, though faced with bullying and fear of not being accepted by her peers or society in general. The standout message of her story is that, with love and support, even the most difficult journey becomes easier.
From the age of 3, Georgie was insisting that she was not a boy, the gender assigned to her at birth, but a girl.
Rebekah and her husband Greg didn't know where to turn or how to help, there is honesty in how the initial realisation that they were parents of a transgender child caused confusion and upset but was always surpassed by their love of Harry and Georgie and an absolute commitment to ensuring they were happy with themselves and within the world that surrounded them.
The book follows the journey from those early preschool days right up to the end of school before Georgie and Harry are to begin college. In between, there are issues with bullying, having to move schools, medical treatment and the amazing doctors who worked with Georgie and her family right from the beginning.
One of the striking parts of the book is when her parents had to go to court to get permission to access puberty blocking medication for Georgie, the sense of urgency in that, as time was running out if irreversible consequences were to be avoided, was immense. As Rebekah put it "Biology moves quickly and the courts move slowly". They would face the Australian courts several times as they challenged the system of requiring courts to decide on medical treatment for transgender children.
I think it's a very insightful book for the majority of us who know the basics but don't have a deeper understanding of what it means to be transgender. Georgie, throughout, is a loved and mostly happy child, though faced with bullying and fear of not being accepted by her peers or society in general. The standout message of her story is that, with love and support, even the most difficult journey becomes easier.
April 13, 2021
The memoir of the mother of transgender young woman, Georgie Stone, from the moment she said she was a girl, through the social and legal advocacy, through to the point of affirmation and adulthood.
Georgie Stone came into the spotlight through her advocacy work, her accolades and honours, and more prominently, her role as a transgender character on 'Neighbours'. Her story is told here, with her permission and Foreword, to inform us all of the journey.
From childhood, through schooling, bullying and ostracisation. Finding the right school, finding her path and confidence, and then coming out to her friends, community, and wider Victorian and Australian society as publicly transgender.
There is so much shared here I did not know, or had only a vague idea of. The legal battles needed for trans kids to access the medical support they need to be who they are - the processes and costs of this.
This is all told in a frank, honest, respectful way, honouring Georgie's story, and the experiences of transgender and gender diverse people. It also, of course, shares the personal experience of a mother of a trans kid - the unequivocal support, the battle to allow Georgie be Georgie in an often hostile or ill-informed community, and the triumph and pride in being the mum of that young woman today.
It's hopeful, informative, and a book to allow allies and others a deep insight into this often taboo subject of gender diversity.
Georgie Stone came into the spotlight through her advocacy work, her accolades and honours, and more prominently, her role as a transgender character on 'Neighbours'. Her story is told here, with her permission and Foreword, to inform us all of the journey.
From childhood, through schooling, bullying and ostracisation. Finding the right school, finding her path and confidence, and then coming out to her friends, community, and wider Victorian and Australian society as publicly transgender.
There is so much shared here I did not know, or had only a vague idea of. The legal battles needed for trans kids to access the medical support they need to be who they are - the processes and costs of this.
This is all told in a frank, honest, respectful way, honouring Georgie's story, and the experiences of transgender and gender diverse people. It also, of course, shares the personal experience of a mother of a trans kid - the unequivocal support, the battle to allow Georgie be Georgie in an often hostile or ill-informed community, and the triumph and pride in being the mum of that young woman today.
It's hopeful, informative, and a book to allow allies and others a deep insight into this often taboo subject of gender diversity.
June 3, 2021
Interesting mostly to understand what trans-gender means to the people living that life. Towards the end of the book it became too much for me when it changed from the personal to emphasise the organisations, the work put in by the Roberstson women and the laws relating to trans young people. Rebekah seems to be a remarkable mother and Georgie an amazing, high achieving and driven young woman. Strange that Rebekah states that being trans is just a part of Georgie's life, yet most of her achievements centre around it.
October 28, 2019
What a beautiful, insightful, amazing story. Broke my heart a bit. Cried a bit. Loved it quite a bit. A really well written, well told story about a subject that I can only imagine must be tricky to talk about.
December 12, 2019
I would reccommend this book to anyone, but especially to any genderist, sexist, misogynist person. I think of myself as a very open minded person however I was still making judgements about the 6 year old Georgie's ability to know herself so entirely at such an age. I have always said let children be children and let them play with whatever toy or outfit they connect with, no harm no foul. Kids have large imaginations and so if they want to be a fairy princess let them.
My mind is forever altered by this book. I am no longer a skeptic when it comes to child psychology. Georgie has taught me so many things, along side her mum Rebekah Robertson.
The difference between this book and so many other transgender stories that have been published you may ask? This book is written from the point of view of Georgie's mum Rebekah. Rebekah had twin boys George & Harry. She knew very little of the transgender community, apart from all the sad/bad things that had been reported by the media and the tough lives trans people lead. However what Rebekah did know was that there was something different about Georgie and that she would do anything to make sure Georgie was a happy child.
When a child knows in her heart of hearts that she is a girl and is not infact a boy people should listen.
How does the child know they aren't going to change their mind later down the track? What if they are just confused? I will admit I have asked this question myself, because really if you don't ask questions how do we evolve past our prejudice, kill ignorance with knowledge. For me there was no doubt of Georgie's certainty, she was a girl. As Rebekah narrates the story we learn and go through the processes and steps with Rebekah and Georgie. From when she says to her mum at age 3 (don't quote me on that), that she is a girl and she likes girl things, from always choosing to be the mermaid or the princess in dress ups, from crying her eyes out at the agony of begging her parents tocut her hair because she was being so brutally teased, when they did it removed part of her female identity. She knew she couldn't wear dresses outside because people thought it was wrong, so she never could be herself. She would have accidents at school because she didn't want to use the boys toilets and had to use the disabled.
The moment that broke me was when she came home from school crying that she did not want to live anymore at age 7. Her father went a brought her a dress and she finally went to see a proper psychoologist and was diagnosed. That was not even the beginning. Georgie started transitioning and at age 9 her doctor said she was starting to go through pubity. She was distraught she was the youngest person to be granted pubity blockers and her court cases became legend as did she.
Please read this book you have no idea the struggle transpeople suffer. I would read it again. In a heart beat.
My mind is forever altered by this book. I am no longer a skeptic when it comes to child psychology. Georgie has taught me so many things, along side her mum Rebekah Robertson.
The difference between this book and so many other transgender stories that have been published you may ask? This book is written from the point of view of Georgie's mum Rebekah. Rebekah had twin boys George & Harry. She knew very little of the transgender community, apart from all the sad/bad things that had been reported by the media and the tough lives trans people lead. However what Rebekah did know was that there was something different about Georgie and that she would do anything to make sure Georgie was a happy child.
When a child knows in her heart of hearts that she is a girl and is not infact a boy people should listen.
How does the child know they aren't going to change their mind later down the track? What if they are just confused? I will admit I have asked this question myself, because really if you don't ask questions how do we evolve past our prejudice, kill ignorance with knowledge. For me there was no doubt of Georgie's certainty, she was a girl. As Rebekah narrates the story we learn and go through the processes and steps with Rebekah and Georgie. From when she says to her mum at age 3 (don't quote me on that), that she is a girl and she likes girl things, from always choosing to be the mermaid or the princess in dress ups, from crying her eyes out at the agony of begging her parents tocut her hair because she was being so brutally teased, when they did it removed part of her female identity. She knew she couldn't wear dresses outside because people thought it was wrong, so she never could be herself. She would have accidents at school because she didn't want to use the boys toilets and had to use the disabled.
The moment that broke me was when she came home from school crying that she did not want to live anymore at age 7. Her father went a brought her a dress and she finally went to see a proper psychoologist and was diagnosed. That was not even the beginning. Georgie started transitioning and at age 9 her doctor said she was starting to go through pubity. She was distraught she was the youngest person to be granted pubity blockers and her court cases became legend as did she.
Please read this book you have no idea the struggle transpeople suffer. I would read it again. In a heart beat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2024
Rebekah Robertson is the mother of "trans woman" Georgie Stone, who was one of the first boys to be administered puberty blockers for "gender identity disorder" and given "gender affirming care" in Australia. There used to be a legal precedent that made it so that to administer puberty blockers for "gender identity disorder" (now known as "gender dysphoria"), you needed permission from the Family Court, which was obviously a major impediment and limited take-up in Australia until the law was changed. Robertson became a trans activist, arguing that the court process damaged the mental health of "trans kids".
At the age of 14 in 2014, Georgie was featured (anonymously) on Four Corners, a well known current affairs programme in Australia. That was important for raising the profile of the issue and getting politicians to take notice.
Robertson was motivated by a desire to protect her son from the vicissitudes of a cruel society. It is hard to be an effeminate boy. I blame the doctors and internet influencers who convinced her that the solution to her son's problem was to tell him he was "trans" and to try and get the rest of society to pretend he was a girl.
It seems blindingly obvious to me that the way to help effeminate boys is to teach children and society at large that it is acceptable and normal for boys to be effeminate. It is not kind to trick the other school children into thinking the boy is a girl, or telling children to pretend. We should teach children that it is OK if boys like Georgie want to have long hair and pink water bottles and play with girls all the time, but it does not make them female.
That is going to be a whole lot harder now that the "trans child" has conquered the zeitgeist and anyone who opposes the fantasy is framed as a bigot.
Writing style has a bland, saccharine feel. Does not get into the nitty gritty of what it means to be trans, other than a lot of talk of allowing people to "be themselves". What is the self, if not the physical body?
At the age of 14 in 2014, Georgie was featured (anonymously) on Four Corners, a well known current affairs programme in Australia. That was important for raising the profile of the issue and getting politicians to take notice.
Robertson was motivated by a desire to protect her son from the vicissitudes of a cruel society. It is hard to be an effeminate boy. I blame the doctors and internet influencers who convinced her that the solution to her son's problem was to tell him he was "trans" and to try and get the rest of society to pretend he was a girl.
It seems blindingly obvious to me that the way to help effeminate boys is to teach children and society at large that it is acceptable and normal for boys to be effeminate. It is not kind to trick the other school children into thinking the boy is a girl, or telling children to pretend. We should teach children that it is OK if boys like Georgie want to have long hair and pink water bottles and play with girls all the time, but it does not make them female.
That is going to be a whole lot harder now that the "trans child" has conquered the zeitgeist and anyone who opposes the fantasy is framed as a bigot.
Writing style has a bland, saccharine feel. Does not get into the nitty gritty of what it means to be trans, other than a lot of talk of allowing people to "be themselves". What is the self, if not the physical body?
January 28, 2024
I had been meaning to read About a Girl for sometime now. And now that I finally have read it, I can say I am better for it.
One girl who knows exactly who she is and is willing to fight a million battles to have others understand. And her mother, who stands up beside her with a sword and a shield ready to battle anything in their way.
About A Girl is truly inspirational, and if anyone gets close to being labelled a super mum, it's Rebekah. It was so fascinating to read about Georgie and Rebekah's journey and devastating to learn of what they had to endure. I've been a fan of Georgie ever since she joined Neighbours and always wondered how she came to be such an integral part of the show. I've seen her documentary and follow her on social media. But I never had the perspective of her mother. A perspective that's so powerful for cisgendered people as we cannot ever fully understand Georgie's experience but we can relate to the powerful love of her family.
What I love about this book is how affirming it is from the beginning, Rebekah refers to Georgie as a girl from the very first page. Georgie never changed, the world did.
I also had no idea the lengths Georgie and her mother had to go to affirm her gender identity, I knew Victoria sucked in many aspects of government, I didn't know this was one. It's incredibly inspiring to read about a normal girl and her mum changing laws.
The one pitfall of this book was how long the chapters were. They sometimes seemed to go on forever and changed topic a million times. But otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed reading About a Girl and would recommend to all people.
One girl who knows exactly who she is and is willing to fight a million battles to have others understand. And her mother, who stands up beside her with a sword and a shield ready to battle anything in their way.
About A Girl is truly inspirational, and if anyone gets close to being labelled a super mum, it's Rebekah. It was so fascinating to read about Georgie and Rebekah's journey and devastating to learn of what they had to endure. I've been a fan of Georgie ever since she joined Neighbours and always wondered how she came to be such an integral part of the show. I've seen her documentary and follow her on social media. But I never had the perspective of her mother. A perspective that's so powerful for cisgendered people as we cannot ever fully understand Georgie's experience but we can relate to the powerful love of her family.
What I love about this book is how affirming it is from the beginning, Rebekah refers to Georgie as a girl from the very first page. Georgie never changed, the world did.
I also had no idea the lengths Georgie and her mother had to go to affirm her gender identity, I knew Victoria sucked in many aspects of government, I didn't know this was one. It's incredibly inspiring to read about a normal girl and her mum changing laws.
The one pitfall of this book was how long the chapters were. They sometimes seemed to go on forever and changed topic a million times. But otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed reading About a Girl and would recommend to all people.
February 16, 2020
Georgie Stone was just three when she told her mum, Rebekah Robertson, her body wasn't right - that she should be a girl not a boy - and her conviction of that fact has never wavered.
This book should be subtitled Parenting Done Right. While Rebekah and Greg often felt they didn't know what they were doing and what the right thing was, every single decision they made had Georgie at the centre - parenting done right.
About a Girl is a raw, honest, generous account of Rebekah's journey in parenting, supporting and advocating for her transgender child. She makes it very clear at the beginning this is her story. Georgie's story is her own to tell if she chooses to do so. Having said that, Georgie has also given her blessing to the book and has written the introduction.
You so often hear parents of transgender children talking about the grief of mourning the child they thought they had. Mourning the son that identifies as a daughter, having to let go of what you thought you had and embracing what you do have. This grief is absent from this story and I wonder if it's because they accepted Georgie's belief of who she was from the beginning. Once it became clear Georgie completely and wholeheartedly felt she was female, they supported her with no doubt or question.
About a Girl is very readable. It's respectful and full of hope for those who are travelling a similar path. It's a great resource for discovering the facts and reality of transgender people and their families. It's a book that I feel many politicians and radio shock jocks should read.
This book should be subtitled Parenting Done Right. While Rebekah and Greg often felt they didn't know what they were doing and what the right thing was, every single decision they made had Georgie at the centre - parenting done right.
About a Girl is a raw, honest, generous account of Rebekah's journey in parenting, supporting and advocating for her transgender child. She makes it very clear at the beginning this is her story. Georgie's story is her own to tell if she chooses to do so. Having said that, Georgie has also given her blessing to the book and has written the introduction.
You so often hear parents of transgender children talking about the grief of mourning the child they thought they had. Mourning the son that identifies as a daughter, having to let go of what you thought you had and embracing what you do have. This grief is absent from this story and I wonder if it's because they accepted Georgie's belief of who she was from the beginning. Once it became clear Georgie completely and wholeheartedly felt she was female, they supported her with no doubt or question.
About a Girl is very readable. It's respectful and full of hope for those who are travelling a similar path. It's a great resource for discovering the facts and reality of transgender people and their families. It's a book that I feel many politicians and radio shock jocks should read.
February 23, 2020
There's no greater generosity on the part of a writer than to invite the reader into their world. I like to think of it as the gift of hospitality and Rebekah Robertson has it in spades. I've just spent the last few days totally immersed in her world as she chronicled her journey as a mother with her transgender daughter, Georgie. In doing so I learned much about the importance of taking the needs of trans kids seriously, affirming who they are with acceptance, compassion and respect. Georgie was born with the body of a boy, but even before she turned three she knew she should have been a girl, a conviction that never wavered, even in the face of bullying and other challenges, especially at school. Rebekah makes the reader feel her heartbreak, anger and frustration as she fights for the rights of her child, but we also get a strong sense of her delight and pride in Georgie and her gifted twin, Harry. This is a story of a remarkably accepting and courageous family and throws a spotlight on a very important issue - the needs and rights of children born with gender dysphoria as well as those who display gender diversity. It also highlights the need for better education in schools (and hence the Safe Schools program in Australia which has been so sadly controversial and divisive) so that these precious children can be free to flourish in an environment which is safe from misunderstanding and bullying.
June 10, 2023
Rebekah Robertson, has created such a well written memoir about her amazingly talented daughter Georgie Stone: actor, musician and advocate for the trans community. Not only is it about their journey as a family to protect and support Georgie’s right to body autonomy and personal identity, but the fact that they chose to fight beyond that and lobby for legal reform in Australia, to protect ALL trans teens. Absolutely incredible what Georgie and her mother achieved!
Georgie’s harrowing journey of getting bullied, the distressing nature of having to hide who she really was, fighting the Family Courts jurisdiction for permission to take puberty blockers, the lead up to her operation and then the post op recovery was such an emotional experience to learn about. But then to read about Georgie’s later achievements, just shows what a powerful, confident, empowering woman she is!
Rebekah was such an empowering mother, to have always supported her daughter from the early stages of Georgie’s life. Even when Rebekah was often overwhelmed by fear and unsure about how to properly travel down the channels to legally and mentally support Georgie, she always remained determined to help Georgie live as her best, authentic self.
I did find the initial chapters to be a little slow moving into Georgie’s life. I originally was a little disinterested in Rebekah’s pregnancy journey but later realised that this was written by parents, for parents and therefore wanted to share her personal experiences leading up to Georgie’s childhood; to show that she may have experienced similar things in the initial stages of the babies lives to other parents.
This was such an amazing read, a powerful eye opening experience. I strongly suggest all parents read this book!
https://instagram.com/belladonna_book...
Georgie’s harrowing journey of getting bullied, the distressing nature of having to hide who she really was, fighting the Family Courts jurisdiction for permission to take puberty blockers, the lead up to her operation and then the post op recovery was such an emotional experience to learn about. But then to read about Georgie’s later achievements, just shows what a powerful, confident, empowering woman she is!
Rebekah was such an empowering mother, to have always supported her daughter from the early stages of Georgie’s life. Even when Rebekah was often overwhelmed by fear and unsure about how to properly travel down the channels to legally and mentally support Georgie, she always remained determined to help Georgie live as her best, authentic self.
I did find the initial chapters to be a little slow moving into Georgie’s life. I originally was a little disinterested in Rebekah’s pregnancy journey but later realised that this was written by parents, for parents and therefore wanted to share her personal experiences leading up to Georgie’s childhood; to show that she may have experienced similar things in the initial stages of the babies lives to other parents.
This was such an amazing read, a powerful eye opening experience. I strongly suggest all parents read this book!
https://instagram.com/belladonna_book...
February 1, 2020
Important honest story
I have come from a strong feminist background and have been confused by all of the issues surrounding why some feminists might be anti trans. Purchasing this book was one part of my attempt to self educate about the issues from both sides. I have to say that the honest account provided here has really helped me to understand the issues in a way that goes beyond the short sound bites that you hear elsewhere. Personal experience is important and we will only ever understand what is right when we listen to the people involved and those that love them. Second hand stories from others are a poor simulacrum and it is not ethical or right to judge people based on them. This book shows that really clearly.
I have come from a strong feminist background and have been confused by all of the issues surrounding why some feminists might be anti trans. Purchasing this book was one part of my attempt to self educate about the issues from both sides. I have to say that the honest account provided here has really helped me to understand the issues in a way that goes beyond the short sound bites that you hear elsewhere. Personal experience is important and we will only ever understand what is right when we listen to the people involved and those that love them. Second hand stories from others are a poor simulacrum and it is not ethical or right to judge people based on them. This book shows that really clearly.
May 15, 2020
A emotional, brave, devoted and compelling account of a mother’s journey through her daughter’s journey through gender reassignment.
The journey not only includes Rebekah’s account of the medical journey but also the journey through the family law court to apply for hormone treatment. She also continues the journey further to abolish the soul destroying process championing law reform.
Rebekah also fought her way through the educational system to provide her child with the safest place possible to complete her education. The transphobia amongst her peers is absolutely heartbreaking.
This mum is amazing and has tried to pave a more positive experience for other families with trans children.
The journey not only includes Rebekah’s account of the medical journey but also the journey through the family law court to apply for hormone treatment. She also continues the journey further to abolish the soul destroying process championing law reform.
Rebekah also fought her way through the educational system to provide her child with the safest place possible to complete her education. The transphobia amongst her peers is absolutely heartbreaking.
This mum is amazing and has tried to pave a more positive experience for other families with trans children.
August 8, 2021
Such a powerful and inspirational book from the position of a parent dealing with a child with gender diverse issues. This is a story of a mother’s unconditional love and devotion like no other. Parenting done right! I have so much respect for @rebekah_s_robertson after reading this memoir. If I can be half as good a mother as she was, I will already be proud.
During the entire book I felt so sad for @georgiestone and her family. At some point I even had goosebumps and felt like my heart was being tugged away! Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions.
Very informative, enlightening and well-written, it gave me a better understanding of the topic and the law surrounding transgender people in Australia. Definitely an important story to read!
During the entire book I felt so sad for @georgiestone and her family. At some point I even had goosebumps and felt like my heart was being tugged away! Be prepared for a roller coaster of emotions.
Very informative, enlightening and well-written, it gave me a better understanding of the topic and the law surrounding transgender people in Australia. Definitely an important story to read!
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