Cover Image: Trans+

Trans+

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Member Reviews

Couldn’t get to this book on time, unfortunately. But I’ll definitely check it out elsewhere. I’m really interested to read own voices stories of people within the LGBTQ+ community.

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Trans+ is a fantastic resource for teens who are searching for information, encouragement, and advice on discovering how to live as the truest version of themselves. There are stories from other Trans individuals, chapters on topics such as transitioning, sex, relationships, coming out, what language to use, and gender affirming surgery. This is a great pick for teens who are questioning their gender identity and are not sure where to begin as well as cis individuals, or families members who are looking to learn more about the Trans community.

There are times when the language that is chosen seems condescending, and occasionally the author seems to over simplify some pretty important topics. Some topics seem to be over explained while others are rushed through. This is not a complete, all inclusive guide, however it is a really solid place to start.

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This book is perfect. For people questioning, for enbys, for trans people and, most importantly, for allies and parents. It wonderfully explains what being trans is about, it explains about gender and gender identity - it's the book I wish I could get for my parents and family but their English isn't good enough for that. It's the book I need right now while I am questioning who I am and I am sure there are many more people who do need this book and are happy to know this book exists.

I received a free ARC by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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It's pretty ambitious for a book's synopsis to claim that a book will answer all of someone's questions on a particular topic. Fortunately, for Kathryn Gonzales and Karen Rayne's <em>Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You</em>, I can honestly say that this book will at least answer a great many of your questions. Neither I, nor the book, can truly promise that the text within these pages will answer every question you have, of course. But the fact of the matter is that this is an incredibly informative and inclusive guide for navigating one's gender identity.

<b>There's so much I didn't know.</b>

At 300+ pages, <em>Trans+</em> really does its absolute best to educate its readers. This is something that I greatly appreciated as I picked up this book largely to develop my knowledge and understanding of this subject. As I do not fall into a category that would result in me identifying as Trans in any way, this is an area where my knowledge has been lacking for much of my life. And while this book is aimed at younger readers, teenagers who are in a period of their life where they find themselves uncertain and questioning about their gender identity, this book is still an incredibly useful resource for just about anyone.

I learned <em>so much</em> while reading this book. For that alone, I would say that this is an excellent read for literally anyone who is looking to better understand these topics. Whether you're someone questioning your identity--teen or no--or you're a parent trying to understand what your child is going through or even if you're just looking to learn more about gender, gender dysphoria, coming out, puberty, the process of transitioning, or how it affects sex, relationships, and family, this is a great book to pick up.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

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I was unable to read this book because the download expired. May I respectfully request that you make your ARCs available on Kindle so that this doesn't happen? Thank you.

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This book was very enlightening and insightful especially if your not quite sure where you fall on the lbtq+ side of things . would definitely recommend this to friends and family who may not understand it!

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[The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

What I liked:
- I love this book so much that I have already pre-ordered a physical copy of it after one chapter!
- Both authors are trans and know what they are talking about.
- The book is full of cute illustrations.
- I loved the list of nonbinary genders in other cultures!
- There are many diary entries by trans and nonbinary teens.
- The word definitions and info boxes were very helpful.
- At the end of each chapter there's a list of additional resources.
- The book talks about so many important topics: what is gender, gender dysphoria, coming out, bodies, transitioning, relationships, sex, family...

What I didn't like:
- I wish there was a bit more about questioning your gender. I would recommend this book to people who already know that they are trans.

This is one of my favorite trans books ever!

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*** I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review ***

This is a book that is definitely aimed towards teens and younger folks who are either questioning their identity or are looking to become more familiar with the wide range of people out there. It's an in-depth guide on coming out as a trans or non-binary person that is very inclusive of an array of family types, while not shying away from talking about issues that some might take as sensitive (e.g. body parts, dysphoria, physical changes, treatment). The authors discuss so many issues in this book that it really does feel like a well-rounded book that I could suggest to others who would also like to learn.

There's some commentary sprinkled throughout the book from a variety of people that add additional support for what's happening, their feelings, and helping the reader to understand that they're not alone. I wasn't always a fan of having the added commentary, but for the audience this is aimed at, it makes sense.

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Great basic resource about navigating the world as a trans person, aimed at teens but great for adults too!

This guide is expansive and acts as a resource itself as well as linking additional resources on each chapter. A variety of topics are included belonging in the categories of Body, Transitioning, Relationships, Sex and Life. It encompasses both standard information that can be found in most books aimed at teens in puberty, but this book examines it all from a trans perspective that I found refreshing and educational, even as a trans adult.
There is a ton of information, not just about coming out, transition basics, and safe sex, but also more theoretical topics like how the trans narrative is framed in media and how that affects trans people personally, how to recognise abusive relationships, and how to navigate school, work or faith as a trans person.

I found it easy to read while being very informative. It's definitely aimed at teens who already question their gender and/or have previously engaged with the idea of being trans, rather than being a Trans 101 guide. Still, there is a helpful glossary and the introduction explains basic terms and concepts.

The format is friendly and aids reading it easily. I do however question some of the colouring choices: light grey text on dark gray background and vice versa is hard on the eyes and I found it exhausting to focus on even for a short paragraph. A stronger contrast for these parts would have been appreciated. The parts do not make for the majority of the book, though. They are mostly called "diary entries" - short passages where trans teens and adults talk about their personal experience with the surrounding topic. I particularly liked those sections, as they add a personal touch and bring up different perspectives on the same issue.

Overall a great basic resource for trans people of all ages, particularly for teens but can be helpful for adults too!

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Trans+ is an extremely well-written guide to being trans. The language used is very up-to-date and as neutral as possible. Some of the definitions are not what I'd consider spot-on, but overall, the book lays a good basic groundwork for gender terminology. I liked that the authors offered snippets of personal insight throughout as extra guidance and included passages from a diverse pool of actual trans teens and young adults to provide perspectives coming from lived experience. I appreciated that the book was explicit in acknowledging the hegemony of the Western gender binary while providing examples of trans and/or nonbinary genders from non-white and non-Western cultures to showcase the gender diversity that has existed for thousands of years around the world. It also did not treat nonbinary people as an afterthought and recognized/mentioned asexuality and aromanticism, which was nice since those orientations tend to get sidelined or outright excluded from queer information guides and similar publications. Aside from discussing identity, coming out, and transitioning, the book also addresses parenting, reproduction, relationships, sex, and intimate partner violence, making it a pretty comprehensive guide. At the end of each chapter are links to helpful resources that expand on what is covered in the chapter. I would recommend this book to teens and young adults and even grown adults, as I found it informative and helpful even as a 26-year-old who has already begun transitioning.

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I enjoyed this book quite a bit! It was very informative and interesting. I would reccomend it to most people interested in the subject!

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My apologies for not reviewing this book. I was unable to download it before the archive date. I would in the future really like to read it

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First off, I'd like to thank NetGalley and American Psychological Association for providing me a copy of this book for an honest review!

This is a fantastic resource of information for someone who is or knows a Trans person. It's also fantastic if you're unsure of your gender identity, and provides a fantastic definition of most of the information you would need to kind of start figuring those things out for yourself.

As a Trans person myself, I was very interested in seeing what sort of information that the book provided - and it's really uplifting. Though the book is geared primarily toward teens, it has a plethora of fantastic information that can be utilized by adults as well. I also feel that this book, much like Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson's A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns, would make a great gift for someone in your life who may not fully understand Trans issues and lifestyle.

Kathryn Gonzales and Karen Rayne attempt to provide as much information as possible, while still acknowledging that in the future it may not be the most accurate of information. But right now? Right now this book provides fantastic information such as the expected results and how long those results take to come about when going through Hormone Replacement Therapy, or the various medical side effects you may have to look out for. Or what you should expect when changing your gender marker, and what else you'd have to update in your life after that's approved. It really covers a great deal, things that I'd never even thought of.

Even if you're not Trans, I'd recommend giving this book a read. Support your LGBTQIA+ friends and neighbors by keeping yourself informed!

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Trans+ is a wonderful book about all the amazingly difficult things that are involved in the status and representation of someone's non binary gender. The book has medical facts, personal stories (from the authors and others) tons of additional resources and a real clarity. It breaks a muddled, confused and often argued about issue into manageable pieces. This book gives advice that should be used for all teens, and specific advice that only applies to trans individuals. Amazing book that is definitely going on my mental health therapist bookshelf and I recommend that anyone else working with trans individuals read it and recommend it as well.

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Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You by Kathryn Gonzales and Karen Rayne is a young adult nonfiction book aimed at trans and nonbinary teens that covers a wide range of topics. The book is divided up into six main sections – introduction, body, transitioning, relationships, sexy times, and life – which are then further broken down; for instance, the “life” section includes chapters on family, school, work, and spirituality.


The text is broken up nicely with relevant illustrations, and a recurring feature throughout is sidebars by several trans and nonbinary teens relating their own experiences, or elaborating on some point brought up in the main text. Each chapter also includes a list of and links to additional resources, ranging from fact sheets to websites to YouTube videos.

Trans+ is written in an informative but engaging tone, and doesn’t talk down to its teenage audience. It takes a survey-style approach, aiming for breadth rather than depth in its coverage. There are pros and cons to that approach; it gives a little information about a lot of things, which allows readers to get a good idea of the “big picture”, but it doesn’t give a lot of detail about most topics. I lost count of the number of times I saw the phrase “for more information, see the additional resources at the end of this chapter”. On the one hand, it’s great that those resources are there, but on the other hand, sometimes you just want all the information in one place.

It’s definitely meeting a need, though, and even without the additional resources it contains a wealth of important information. The sidebars by trans and nonbinary teens are an especially nice touch, both to show the readers that they aren’t alone and to bring the information in the book to life. For instance, in the section about employment the book discusses the pros and cons of applying for jobs under one’s legal name versus one’s preferred name, we get the real experiences of two teens, one who used their legal name and one who used their preferred name.

Overall, this is definitely a good resource for trans, nonbinary, and questioning teens and their parents as well.

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A well written, factual account on different experiences in the trans community. I loved learning the different terms for non-binary folk from around the world and love how it worked as a way to make us feel less lonely.
The illustrations are simple and fun and few in between (I would have loved to see more!) and aided the narrative in an informative way!

I have a small group of teens who are starting to explore gender and their own identities and I can't wait to recommend this title. On par with other wonderful LGBTQ books such as "A Quick Guide to They/Them Pronouns" and "Queer"!

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I was so grateful to be approved a copy of this for review while wanting to be better educated in trans matters and opinions as both an ally and a questioning individual. I felt this was a really great intro! It was specifically geared to teens and I appreciated that the book covered such a range of topics: from transitioning and passing, to sex and dating, to signs of relationship abuse and birth control. It didn't delve as deep as I would've liked, especially at the end. Like it touched on religion so far too lightly (a huge topic right there; that needed more nuance in discussing as the church is notorious for disregarding queer/trans people but the book made it sound like it wasn't a big deal). And there were a few times when the language felt like it dumbed down teens too much (ie: explaining what the "adolescence" was a "fancy word for teenager"...like, c'mon. Teens are highly intelligent).

My very favourite parts were the frequent snippets from other trans and nonbinary individuals! Those were incredible as snapshots of experiences and opinions from a diverse spectrum of people. I also loved both authors' interjections on their experiences as FTM trans people.

Overall it was a very interesting and comforting read, good for young trans people (and also allies) and those who want details, pros and cons, and real life experiences.

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This book is phenomenal. While I am not trans, I do aim to be a solid ally for those who are. I really connected with the stories and am so inspired by the individuals telling sharing their lives. We are absolutely purchasing this book for our library's collection!

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I would like to preface this review by saying that I am not transgender, so please do not assign my opinion equal or higher weight than those that are since it is not my lived experience.

So this book makes me want to cry in the best way. I haven't cried yet but I think I might be getting very close. I chose this book because I am trying to be a better ally and, because of some physical disabilities, I cannot physically do supportive things like go to rallies etc so most of my advocacy occurs online.

I cannot stress enough how wonderful this book is-- the interwoven testimonials with the information about different terms and medical criteria is so brilliantly done. I am one of those people who tend to find that testimonials annoy me or distract me from what I am reading but this is so spectacularly not the case here. Everything is woven together so well and, even as someone who is mostly fine with their assigned gender, I felt seen and understood myself a bit better.

I really appreciate how this book includes how gender looks in different cultures. For years I have been responding about the Bugis society having five genders whenever someone says there are only two genders, and it so so nice to see other examples!

This review is definitely shorter and not as well-written as my usual because I am so emotional right now about how beautiful and needed this book is. I will be requesting it for every library I am in contact with as well as recommending it to everyone I can.

Thank-you for this. Everyone should read this (and I have said that about very few books in my life).

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