Task 12: Read a Book By or About a Person Who Identifies as Transgender

[Jennifer]

I just finished The Child Eater by Rachel Pollack (the author is trans) and I highly recommend it, especially to people who enjoy fantasy/alternate worlds. I'm also reading Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive by Julia Serano (another trans author) for my feminism entry. If you like memoirs, another good choice by a trans author and a friend of mine isTiny Pieces of Skull by Roz Kaveney (who has also written loads of other books, including a great fantasy series, and several pop culture essay sets).

[Angela]

Would Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People by Joan Roughgarden count on this? I'm a science nerd and this book looks very interesting.

[Bea]

Terry wrote: "I was thinking of reading Brian Karcher's Almost Perfect since several of my students read it and reacted positively to it (even the student who said it was "outside of my comfort zo..."

Almost Perfect looks like it would fit from the description on GR.

[Bonnie G.]

I think I am going with Dress Codes: Of Three Girlhoods--My Mother's, My Father's, and Mine. Its one more book that has languished on my TBR for too long.

[Dhruv]

I'm torn between George and Gender Failure. What the heck. I'll probably read both.

[Danielle]

I, like many people, read George. I really enjoyed it. This also is my 4th completed task!

[Kds]

There seems to be some question about whether this is about Transgender exclusively or if it includes people exploring gender or of fluid gender?

[Karen]

I own The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer, who is now Zac Brewer, so I am going to read that.

[Jennifer]

Once I've finished the book I'm reading at the moment, I'm going to start The Danish Girl, and then I'm also going to see it at the cinema for my book-to-film challenge when it comes out over here in the Netherlands.

[Paulette]

Just finished Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "YA novel, If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo..."

Thanks for this! I hadn't heard about it but it's exactly the kind of recommendation I came here looking for.

[Courtney]

I think I'll read If I Was Your Girl which comes out in May.

Does anyone have a good book recommendation about the Stonewall Riots? I won't be seeing the movie though - whitewashed cisgendered Hollywood BS. >:(

[Bonnie G.]

Courtney wrote: "I think I'll read If I Was Your Girl which comes out in May.

Does anyone have a good book recommendation about the Stonewall Riots? I won't be seeing the movie though - whitewashed..."

I am a fan of Stonewall by Martin Duberman, which I first read 20 years ago or so. Of course I am just a cisgenered know-nothing, so take that with a grain of salt.

[Aisha]

I have a questions, does Adam count?
This main character pretends to be transgender...

[Nikki]

Karen wrote: "I own The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer, who is now Zac Brewer, so I am going to read that."

Oh! I wasn't aware of his transition and also own this book so this will be a great choice for the task. Thank you!

[Betsy]

Would Buffalo Girls by Larry McMurtry qualify? Calamity Jane claimed to have worn a man's uniform and served in the US Army. She openly wore men's clothes at a time when women did not wear men's clothing. Are we using a broad definition of transgender? Thank you!

[Lovisa]

Anyone know if The Left Hand of Darkness would qualify?

[Jennifer]

I read George by Alex Gino and thought it was lovely. I love that it didn't tie all of the characters' emotions and understanding up in a nice little package at the end.

[Bonnie G.]

Betsy wrote: "Would Buffalo Girls by Larry McMurtry qualify? Calamity Jane claimed to have worn a man's uniform and served in the US Army. She openly wore men's clothes at a time when women did not wear men's cl..."

Crossdressing is very different from transgender. Most crossdressers are not trans.

[Babs]

I've just finished The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff. Decidedly average and I didn't understand why all the hype. But it ticks the box for this challenge.

4/24 completed.

[Alissa]

I'm reading Trans: A Memoir. Really lovely so far! I've read Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More in the past and highly recommend it. Both seem to be good at looking at personal experience in the context of government policies that affect trans people.

And for those who are interested in the experience of those who are partnered with trans people, this has some nice pieces as well: Love, Always: Partners of Trans People on Intimacy, Challenge, and Resilience

[Nadia]

I'm currently reading Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock, and it's pretty great so far.

Here are some recs (YA) from a friend who's trans (they also talk about why books like Luna are problematic in regards of trans rep):

http://thegayya.tumblr.com/post/10413...

http://thegayya.tumblr.com/post/12544...

[Courtney]

Bonnie wrote: "Courtney wrote: "I think I'll read If I Was Your Girl which comes out in May.

Does anyone have a good book recommendation about the Stonewall Riots? I won't be seeing the movie tho..."

Thanks Bonnie! Wikipedia says that Martin Duberman was the founder and first director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at the CUNY Graduate School, so I don't think we have to worry. ;)

[Julia]

I plan on reading The Days of Anna Madrigal.

[Cheryl Daly]

very much enjoyed Arin Andrew's story Some Assembly Required. Very touching and real.

[Renee]

I read His Right Handit's a mystery, takes place in Draper, Utah, yes, among Mormons. It's different, Basically a murder victim is found in the church building , and at autopsy he is found to be a she.

[Courtney]

So American Library Association just came out with a list of 2015 LGBTQ+ books they recommend - A lot of these books would work for other challenge tasks as well: http://www.glbtrt.ala.org/overtherain...

[Lauren]

Andrea wrote: "I think I'm going to read The Danish Girl and check off this box as well as the book/movie category! Has anyone else read it?"

I was thinking the same thing. I haven't purchased a fiction book in years and I wanted to try to work off my shelves but for this one I need to purchase something and The Danish Girl seemed like the perfect fit. Fits my love of historical fiction as well.

[Lara]

Ideas here in Top 10 Transgender Books from an article in The Guardian : http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015...

[Book Riot]

Kdorman wrote: "There seems to be some question about whether this is about Transgender exclusively or if it includes people exploring gender or of fluid gender?"

Gender exploration and gender fluidity would fit, so if there's a book you're interested in that tackles either/both of those, you can count it toward this one.

[S.J.]

Sarah wrote: "I'm looking at one of these three
Nevada - Imogin Binnie
A Safe Girl to Love - Casey Platt
Trans - A Memoir - Juliet Jacques

Of course, if Laverne Cox's book comes out this year it goes to the a..."

I read Nevada at the end of last year, and just read A Safe Girl to Love for this slot in the Challenge, and both are absolutely great! Really vivid characters, great stories, and smart writing. I also read George by Alex Gino for my middle-grade slot, and would heartily, heartily recommend George as well!

[Teresa]

Lara, awesome resource, thanks.

[Karin]

I just finished Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family and it was excellent! Part family biography, part medical study of trans history and treatments in teens. Really well done by the author.

Last year I read Nevada, if you're more into fiction, this too is a great pick. It was one of my favorites last year.

[Viv]

I thought Beautiful Music for Ugly Children sounded quite an interesting read for this task.

[Sarah]

Catey wrote: "I've been interested in Beautiful Music for Ugly Children, mentioned in one of the BR posts linked above, for quite a while! Has anyone read this one?"

Read it last night. All of it. Ate it up with a spoon and didn't go to be til past 2am. Genuinely loved it to bits and I can see why it's so highly regarded. I'd absolutely recommend.

[KWinks]

Jaleenajo wrote: "I'm thinking about reading All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders for this challenge task. She's the editor of a blog I really like that has great book rec..."

Me too!

[Elle]

KWinks wrote: "Jaleenajo wrote: "I'm thinking about reading All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders for this challenge task. She's the editor of a blog I really like that ..."

I placed a pre-release hold on this book as soon as my library had it listed in their catalog in December. I get to pick it up this weekend! So excited. Glad to see others are considering reading it for this task too - or just considering reading it period.

[KWinks]

Elle wrote: "KWinks wrote: "Jaleenajo wrote: "I'm thinking about reading All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders for this challenge task. She's the editor of a blog I re..."

Confession: I was going to read it anyway. It sounds awesome and I've read her short fiction and it was really good.

[Beachesnbooks]

KWinks wrote: "Elle wrote: "KWinks wrote: "Jaleenajo wrote: "I'm thinking about reading All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders for this challenge task. She's the editor o..."

Lol, me too! Scifi/fantasy mashups are my weakness.

[Elle]

Jaleenajo wrote: "KWinks wrote: "Elle wrote: "KWinks wrote: "Jaleenajo wrote: "I'm thinking about reading All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders for this challenge task. She..."

Ditto on scifi/fantasy mashups. I'm there.

[Viv]

Ooh, I just bought All the Birds in the Sky last week as I'd seen so many of my fellow sci-fi/fantasy loving friends on Goodreads raving about it. I had no idea the author was transgender so all the more reason to read it thanks to this challenge!

[Lisa]

Robin wrote: "Betsy wrote: "Would Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides qualify for this category? Please forgive my ignorance- thank you!"

Absolutely, it was the first book I thought of."

It would definitely count! And it's a WONDERFUL book...read it several years ago. I'd read it again, but I'm only reading books that I haven't read before for the challenge.

[Liz]

Book Riot wrote: "This thread is for dropping ideas, questions, resources, comments, and discussion about Task 12: Read a Book By or About a Person Who Identifies as Transgender.

A few resources to get you started..."

The Guardian posted a list of YA and middle grade books by trans authors: http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-...

[Jenni]

Bonnie wrote: "Betsy wrote: "Would Buffalo Girls by Larry McMurtry qualify? Calamity Jane claimed to have worn a man's uniform and served in the US Army. She openly wore men's clothes at a time when women did not..."

Actually, even though many people who cross dress do not identify as transgender, crossdressing still falls under the trans umbrella, so a book like this could qualify. http://www.glaad.org/reference/transg...

[eHawk]

I'm thinking of reading A Queer and Pleasant Danger: The True Story of a Nice Jewish Boy Who Joins the Church of Scientology and Leaves Twelve Years Later to Become the Lovely Lady She is Today for this one...

[Kate]

Good to know that cross-dressing is acceptable for this category. Now I am tossed between "Underground Girls of Kabul" and "I Shall be Near to You."

[Maxine]

I read Nevada for this one and it wasn't for me. I really didn't like the writing.

[Belinda]

Jennifer wrote: "I read George by Alex Gino and thought it was lovely. I love that it didn't tie all of the characters' emotions and understanding up in a nice little package at th..."

I agree. A lovely story that makes you feel good.

[Megan]

Would a book with a main character thatis gender fluid work for this? In going to be reading Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin.

[Liz]

Babs wrote: "I've just finished The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff. Decidedly average and I didn't understand why all the hype. But it ticks the box for this challenge.

4/24 completed."

My understanding from friends is that the movie is better than the book.