What's the T? The Guide to All Things Trans and/or Nonbinary

by Juno Dawson

Discover what it means to be a young transgender and/or non-binary person in the twenty-first century in this candid and funny guide for teens from the bestselling author of This Book is Gay.

In What’s the T?, Stonewall ambassador and bestselling author Juno Dawson is back again, this time with everything you’ve wanted to know about labels and identities and offering uncensored advice on coming out, sex, and relationships with her trademark humor and lightness of touch. It is informative, helpful, optimistic, and funny but with a good dose of reality and some of the things that can downright suck too.

The companion title to the groundbreaking This Book Is Gay, What's the T? tackles the complex realities of growing up trans with honesty and humor and is joyfully illustrated by gender non-conforming artist Soofiya.

This book is for:
Anyone with questions
Parents of trans and/or non-binary kids
Educators looking for advice about the transgender community

Praise for This Book is Gay:

A Guardian Best Book of the Year

2018 Garden State Teen Book Award Winner

"The book every LGBT person would have killed for as a teenager, told in the voice of a wise best friend. Frank, warm, funny, USEFUL."—Patrick Ness, New York Times bestselling author

"This egregious gap has now been filled to a fare-thee-well by Dawson's book."—Booklist *STARRED REVIEW*

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Queer, Transgender, Gender, Self Help, Mental Health

226 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2021

Reviews

[Emma Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mix of information and encouragement for trans and questioning teens. This book will probably be most applicable to binary trans people, because even though the author does make sure to include comments & stories from nonbinary people, there’s not as much info there.

A small quibble: This books defines asexuality as a lack
of desire to have sex, rather than what it actually is, a lack of sexual attraction. I hate to split hairs, but the two things really aren’t the same, and there’s just so little info about asexuality out there that I thought a note was merited.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of the book!

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thorough, funny and kind guide to the experience of being trans/non-binary. Would recommend this to everybody, trans and cis, young and old, to get a better understanding of what it's like to explore your gender identity.

[MossyMorels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellently written and informative. As a trans adult, theres wasnt much new information for me to take from here, but this is a book I will absolutely be buying to pass onto trans youth and guardians (including my own). This book provides lots of information on trans identity in a way thats approachable and easy to read

[Pamela Usai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can every school library please stock several copies of this?

Okay, thank you.

[Margo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative. I wish I'd had this book when my daughter came out but we had to learn the hard way.

Great narration by Juno Dawson.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

with the rampant negative depictions of trans lives in the press, amidst the furore of hatred, bigotry and transphobia, some would be surprised to learn that trans people have existed for, well, as long as any of us have really. the media and hate-fuelled town criers (read: transphobes online) feel the need to attach their diatribe to a plethora of historically oppressed minority groups and unfortunately trans people have borne the brunt of these attacks in more recent years.

in this remarkable follow-up to her recently revised debut, this book is gay, juno dawson breaks down every barrier of knowledge you could ever wish to know about trans lives. not only for cis allies, but primarily for fellow members of the lgbtq+ community and any questioning young queers or trans babies who are looking for solace, support and somewhere to turn to for help. dawson leaves no element of her own transition and life out of this memoir slash handbook, addressing her early realisations of her identity and sexuality, her romantic journey and even personal anecdotes from her parents and partner.

the vibrant colloquial cadence of dawson’s writing makes for compelling and heart-warming reading. she doesn’t shy away from the complications of gender, sexuality and trans life, nor censoring herself for parents or adults who may be reading to better understand their children. she considers every perspective carefully and ensures that young trans teens have a voice of reassurance and experience behind them as they read and embark on a journey that nothing can truly prepare them for. the value in this book cannot be understated and I would firmly encourage anyone and everyone to read and absorb it as just one of the few ways in which we can all do our best to support our trans friends and loved ones.

[HelloLasse · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOM!!

ELSKER DEN!

[Bente · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely a concise, engaging and accessible guide to "all things trans", but it's not perfect. Naturally, all trans people have different experiences and will also have different language preferences, so some of the language I found bothering in this book would be perfect for others and the other way around (apart from the actual Wrong bits that is, like some specific wordings especially around non-binary identities, or the incorrect definition of aromanticism and asexuality that was given in the book :/ it's really not that hard to do a good Google, Juno).

Also, for a book that claims to be a "guide to all things trans and/or non-binary" it really didn't discuss non-binary identities well enough. The mentioning of nonbinary-ness felt almost like an afterthought, and was never really a focus (or at least not for long). So, if you're looking for a book about binary transness then this book is great! However, if you're looking to be educated above the very minimum base level about non-binary identities, I'd suggest you read a different book.

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book is loaded with all kinds of information on the topic of transgender/nonbinary. I would probably have to read the book a couple more times to absorb all the facts & figures. If a reader is looking for a light, funny, entertaining read, this book is not. However, if one wanted to really be educated on transgender issues, I believe this is the right book to read.

[Debora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Credo che questo libro possa essere molto d'aiuto a tuttə quellə che stanno avendo dei dubbi sulla propria identità di genere o che magari già hanno capito di essere transgender, o ad amici e parenti di persone trans.
Il libro spiega molto semplicemente e in maniera diretta la storia dell'identità transgender (ho trovato molto interessante la presenza di un terzo genere in moltissime culture come quella dei nativi americani, o dei maori, giusto per citarne due, che il nostro colonialismo ha prontamente provveduto a cancellare e demonizzare), com'è la vita delle persone trans dai documenti, ai trucchi, vestiti, relazioni, famiglia e eventualmente terapie ormonali o operazioni chirurgiche, fino a dei consigli su come fare coming out.
Credo sia importante anche per le persone cis informarsi -soprattutto se parte della comunità lgbt+-, per capire meglio, per evitare di fare domande troppo intime o stupide -noi cis sappiamo essere davvero inopportuni- e per supportare al meglio la comunità transgender.

Felice Pride Month <3

[Ocean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an informative and educational book! If you're questioning your gender, this book is for you. If you know you're trans or nonbinary and just need some advice or want to know more about transitioning, the law, relationships, etc., this book is for you. If you are a friend, relative or co-worker of a trans person and you want to understand what they're going through, this book is for you. I genuinely believe that everyone will benefit from reading What's the T? regardless of their circumstances. There are many things to be learnt from this book, for both trans and cis people. A lot of the time hate comes from fear, which comes from misunderstanding. If the population read this book, they'd have a much better understanding of trans people and would almost certainly be more accepting of us. If this book had existed a decade ago when I first started questioning my gender, my life would have been a lot less complicated. I just hope this book reaches everyone who needs it.

[PleaseJustLetMeRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Først og fremmest tak til HelloLasse for at gøre opmærksom på bogen 😅

Jeg er vild med den.
Den er god til os, der ikke er cis.
Den er god til dem der er i tvivl om, om de er cis.
Og den kan være god til dem der kender nogen, der (måske) ikke er cis.
Man kan altid blive klogere, - både på sig selv og dem, man møder.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a deeply compassionate and very comprehensive book full of great info aimed primarily and trans and nonbinary youth as well as their parents, though I think absolutely everyone - trans and cis - should get themselves a hold of this!

[linda hole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, comprehensive but accessible resource for trans teens and their guardians.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Juno Dawson from both her YA novels and her other titles such as 'This Book is Gay' and 'The Gender Games' - her new book 'What's The T?' doesn't disappoint.

It is informative, helpful, optimistic, and funny but with a good dose of reality and some of the things that can downright suck too. I love this about Juno, she is HONEST, kind and supportive.

As a cisgender ally to the LGBTQ+ community Juno has taught me so much. This book has made me question things about my own gender identity (I've realised there is much about myself which is gender-nonconforming), made me think about how I can be a better ally and as a parent how best I could respond if one of my own children came out as trans.

It is rare for me to re-read a book but I feel this may be one of the few exceptions, I feel that I should, and need, to read it again! Both because it is amazing and because I want to make sure I have truly taken in everything Juno has to say and understand it in the best way I can.

I hope this book finds it's way into as many hands of young trans people as possible.

Being a school librarian I will be purchasing this book for our shelves and promoting it to all students to read (to be fair it will probably not need promoting, Juno's books don't tend to stay on the shelves long, I may need two copies)!

[Andrew Eder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! This Book Is Gay was a VERY important book for me in my adolescence and I’m hoping this book can do the same for others.

It’s very very very very introductory and basic information (which is the goal) so it’s perfect for people starting the Trans journey or people wanting to start their own education. I loved all of the different interviews and snippets of other Trans people around the world sharing their experience. It added a great element. I also love the writing style of Dawson as they talk at the reader and give information directly. It was a very easy and light read. Very very entertaining!!

My own gripe is that this book is all sunshine and rainbows. Again, I’m sure that’s the goal!! I think I was just thrown off because I’m not in the beginning steps and this book is for that. I would just be worried that there isn’t enough reality in the book. **The author does mention a few times that it’s not always easy in this journey, but leaves it at that statement. Perhaps that was the goal!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book to grab when trying to look into more research on Transgender people. I picked this up for a better understanding on what some one I love deeply is going through and felt like it could help me help them through their process. This book doesn’t go through the general negativity that Trans folk go through day to day though it does mention it. I won’t say that I didn’t cry, (honestly anything will make me cry) the author of this book had gone through the exact same thing that the person close to me is about to. But in many ways I now feel like I can some what understand where they are coming through and help better support and love them how they wish to be loved.

[beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for everyone

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so grateful this book was put into my hands. I learned so much. Incredible resource.

[Marcy Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I knew I was expecting something great after reading Dawson’s book Gender Games, and this met my expectations perfectly.

This book couldn’t be more timely, with transgender discussion taking centre stage, and Dawson takes the time to educate us on everything we need to know, with her signature style and wit.

She discusses everything from identity, transitioning, sexuality, gender politics, and battling all the misconceptions surrounding it all. It was great to read a clear and compassionate book on everything you need to know about being transgender.

It doesn’t matter if you’re transgender, a parent of a trans person, or interested in the topic, then this is perfect for you. It’s easy to read, it’s fantastic, and you can’t go wrong with Juno Dawson’s books.

Brilliant!

[Helen Swinyard · Rating 4 out of 5]

So - I'm reviewing this book for the SLA magazine, so it will be quite formal in the end.
But already one of my annoyances - the description here says 'for 14+' as many LGBT books do by default, but the author has already said “it’s a book of everything I wish I’d known when I was twelve” (p21) and it feels clearly aimed to be accessed by 11+ (and younger by artwork but not by language). It's one of those little things about LGBT books that publishers etc do that winds me up.

Review for 'School Librarian' magazine (SLA)

Essential addition to your library. Conversational style along with additional formal sections and referencing, this is Dawson’s honest and witty take on everything to do with being transgender and/or non-binary. Dawson has clearly done a lot of research to add to her own experience, and includes many quotes from other trans or non-binary people too. There is a LOT of information to take in, if this is the reader’s way of learning more about this, but this means everything is in one place.This book is the book version of a knowledgeable or helpful human ally, but easier to find, so is definitely recommended for your library, to sit alongside Dawson’s earlier companion boko ‘This book is gay’. It is a re-assuring and affirming book but does not shy away from the problems a transgender or non-binary person faces.

Includes hall of fame, history, further reading, glossary, index, advice for parents, transphobia, practical and emotional support/advice.

[Clara Leveugle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I did not like this book.

Firstly, the arguments in which the author was justifying their identity for being trans made zero sense and contradicted themselves at every point, which isn’t meant to be the basis of the book, it’s a ‘guide’.

Secondly, there is a strange crossover. They say that it’s offensive and disrespectful to have “concerns” instead of “questions”. When describing said “concerns”, the examples were used were quite literally questions. For example “What should I call them?”. That’s evidently a QUESTION not a concern.

The book states that it’s a ‘guide’ for queer people or those who have queer people in their lives, or simply for those who desire to understand more about it, but continues to litter it with weak arguments and comebacks that do not work together.

Aside from that, it was poorly written and did not weight both sides of the controversy of the topic equally.

[Alyx · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative, affirming, and handy guide to young trans people. It's an easy read and the illustrations also make it fun.

The only criticism that I have is that although asexual and aromantic identities are mentioned in the book, neither are described accurately, as both are referred to as the lack of desire for a sexual/romantic relationship rather than a lack of sexual/romantic attraction. I found this a bit disappointing as if those identities are going to be included, they should be researched and described accurately in my opinion, especially when there's a lot of people who equate being asexual with being sex repulsed when that is not the case and a lot of confusion generally around ace/aro identities.

Other than that though, like I said, a great read for young trans people and anyone who considers themself an ally of the trans community!

[miru · Rating 4 out of 5]

i saw this book a year ago in one of the bookshelves of my local bookstore, decided i wasn’t ready yet. a year later the book is still standing there, this time i take it home and reading this felt so nice. 🏳️‍⚧️
only read this book if you feel/are ready to read this book.

[Jessica]

Objectively, 5 stars. Personally 3 stars.

I won't give this a star rating on Goodreads bc that would feel unfair. Essential reading for young teenagers. Although I enjoyed parts, learnt new things and refreshed on others, I'm not the target audience.

Also there was a line that said something along the lines of 'triggering is another way of saying pissed off' I understand the tone of the book is light-hearted but this definition is false and devalues how upsetting or traumatic someone's experience of being triggered can be.

Glad I read it though.

[Meggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Easy to read and dip in and out of... Perfect for parents and young (on their journey) gender questioning people (and allies). Just a really good read which has made me understand transgender issues so much more! Would recommend

[Jackdaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's great. Not exactly written for me as I'm already well aware of the things mentioned in this book but still great all the same.

[Killian De Geest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eens een ander perspectief, wel meer gericht naar helpen dan verstaan maar dat is zeker niet erg.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, I love Juno Dawson