The Trans Generation

This is a very thorough book that does an excellent job of accounting for the diversity of trans youth's experiences, especially those who are members of other vulnerable populations. I only wish more quotations from the kids themselves were included!

I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Trans Generation is a smart and compassionate book about various challenges faced by today's genderqueer youth. The heart of the book is comprised of a study concerning 20 young people from Canada and USA who are all, each in their own way, genderqueer (including, but not limited to, transgender and non-binary perspectives). The author interviews the kids and their parents, and uses the information gathered as a starting point to discuss issues connected with being genderqueer in Canada and the US, as well as ways, both legal and private, of overcoming some of these challenges. Travers uses gender studies, critical childhood studies and the discourse of precarity to showcase why genderqueer youth are particularly vulnerable members of society, while never losing sight of her interviewee's individuality and humanity.

It was a deeply informative and interesting read. Unfortunately (though not unexpectedly), it was also very upsetting due to the hardships the young people and the author describe (widespread bullying, to give one example). It is ever more so upsetting given the context of my reading, wherein the deeply conservative government of my country would never grant any of the (incredibly small) legal concessions the young people portrayed in the book might be able to experience.

This is a great book! I think it would be very useful for parents and teens to read.

I 'm new to a lot of this info, so the book has been interesting for me to read. I'm still not sure I understand all the nuances out there, but this helped explain many of the questions I had concerning the LGBTQIA identity. There are other identities the book doesn't address that I am still seeking answers for. It's become a different world from when I was growing up. The gay/lesbian individuals I grew up knowing has branched out into more diverse groups than I could even imagine. It's fascinating to read about all the varieties of human sexuality. Very diverse.

"[I]ntended for a mixed audience of academics, students, trans people of all ages, family members and friends of trans kids, and those who care for and work with kids," this book is written in a tight, well-researched academic style that is clear, decisive, incisive, and practical.

Researched and written by an author who is themself trans, The Trans Generation cuts through a great deal of the mythology and seemingly endless debates about how to support trans and gender-non-conforming children by focusing on the systems of inequality that place so much pressure on them.

This requires an intersectional approach that spends time on disability theory, racial and class-based oppression, and the failings of educational and health care systems, with a primary focus on the United States and Canada. It also spends some time dismantling myths related to the gender binary, particularly in the realm of children's sports.

The overall logical progression of the book is straightforward—which is very good, given the scope and assertiveness of the author's stance. It's also hard-hitting. The obstacles placed in front of trans people, especially children, are incredible, and The Trans Generation addresses them head-on, with a clear eye and a refusal to shirk from accusations of injustice. This can sometimes make reading it upsetting, or even overwhelming.

Therefore, as excellent as this book is, it definitely isn't for anyone with psychological or emotional triggers related to transphobia/homophobia, self-harm, or suicide, as some of the interviews and anecdotes referenced discuss these topics in excruciating detail. (Racism and sexism are discussed prominently as well.)

This book is a fantastic academic resource, and I'm glad to have found it for the bibliography alone. It introduced me to some terms and concepts that I wasn't familiar with, two key ones being "precarity" and "necropolitics." Both are tied to the idea that, while life is inherently unpredictable and unstable, the current politics in the United States and Canada supports some people through difficulty and disaster more than others. The privileged are given as many chances as they need to recover and rebuild, while the "abject" (another term with which I was previously unfamiliar) are left to slip through the cracks.

These concepts are particularly important when it comes to trans activism as it is moving forward today. While medical treatment, changes to legal documents, and social acceptance are becoming more accessible to trans people as we become more visible, that access is uneven. Factors such as race, poverty, gender non-conformity, and family support have a huge impact on the opportunities open to trans children, and a lack of that access can have a huge negative impact on, if not outright endanger, their lives.

The biggest personal takeaway I got from this book is that It's profoundly helpful to put transness into an appropriate context, as one axis among countless intersections of identity and injustice. It honestly just makes so much more sense that way than when it's analyzed in isolation.

At the same time, providing a theoretical framework doesn't mean that there can't be a focus on specific, concrete events and experiences. The author's outlines of legal court cases are detailed and timely, and the personal stories gathered from their interviews hammer home the point that these aren't just abstracts and technicalities. Lives hang in the balance—not only ours, here and now, but those of all trans and gender-nonconforming children to come.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain an understanding of what trans people in North America need, both now and for the future, and why it is we need it.

This book expertly navigates the trans conversation through a lens that we don't see often- the eyes of children and adolescents who identify as trans, nonbinary, or have gone through a gender transition. I live in Western Pennsylvania so most of the time this conversation is shut down a reference to religion or children not being old enough to think for themselves. This book was a refreshing change of pace.

The children and parents interviewed for the book have different opinions and perspectives. Some of the children had loving, supportive family members during their transitions, while others faced intense humiliation and shame.

Each person has had a unique journey and there are not a lot of neat, black and white answers to the questions society is asking. Should we have gendered bathrooms or non-gendered? Can someone identify as trans and nonbinary? How should schools respond to children and adolescents who are going through a transition?

Ann does a phenomenal job covering many different issues that children and teens who are trans deal with. Highly recommend this book if you are interested in doing more research on this topic.

I received a copy of "The Trans Generation" from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Trans Generation is an excellent resource for anyone looking to educated themselves about the trans community. It is written by a trans person, with a lot of research done, interviewing many people and families. It provides clear examples of the obstacles faced by trans people, especially children. It is not meant to be a fun or easy read, but rather informational.

As a parent of a trans young adult who is just beginning to face the hurdles that life in America as a trans person currently means, this book was so important for me to read. While I considered our family to be supportive and loving, I realized there is so much more we can do. My child has continually told me how lucky she is to be the white child of a middle class family, especially one with good health care coverage, and after reading this book, my heart breaks for those children who come out amidst fighting cultural and economic battles as well. The book is a challenge to read, often so full of data that it feels more like a textbook than a book. But, the effort is worth it to help support our children and being armed with facts and information is essential to changing the discriminatory paradigms in the US right now. I do wish that the narratives of real individuals had been “more”—longer, more detailed and more of them. These personal stories will be how we connect, support and hopefully make change in our society. Reading this book is important!

Knowing nothing about "the Trans generation" and what it might be like growing up different in the current times, I wanted to read this to understand more and it certainly delivered. The book is educational and at times haunting, but I wouldn't say it is an "easy read". The stories are at times heart breaking and the book definitely makes you think about the fight these young people have to be accepted as how they choose/need to live. The fact that some identify as "other" from a very young age indeed, makes you think about how we gender our children - the whole pink/blue thing.

Given how important school is in setting up a child to earn a good living, it is a difficult time to be fighting for your identity. The bullying and appalling behaviour by adults and children in these stories will make you angry. And I think that is a good thing - maybe if more people tried to understand why these young people need to be helped and protected (however that is manifest) the world would be more sympathetic. I can't pretend to be enlightened after reading one book, but it has given me plenty to think about in the future when I see stories of trans people in the media.

I was given a free copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.