General Resource List
Whether you yourself are transitioning or your loved one is transitioning, it can be profoundly helpful to learn more about the transitioning process and about the experiences of other trans folks.
We find that books are often the avenue for introductory resources as the internet can be an overwhelming place due to resource density. We have opted to list only non-fiction books. There are a growing number of fiction books, particularly books for young children through young adults. If you would like resources on how to explain gender to young children or for fiction recommendations, please e-mail us at [email protected]. These categories are not exclusive- read from many sections to get the best understanding. Let us know if you have other resources folks should hear about- we are a sharing community |
For partners
I Know Who You Are but What Am I? A Partner's Perspective on Transgender Love
Ali Sands Written from the perspective of a cisgender lesbian woman whose partner transitioned to male. Love, Always: Partners of Trans People on Intimacy, Challenge and Resilience Jordon Johnson, Becky Garrison This is an anthology of stories written by partners about the experience of being in relationship with a trans person. Housewife: Home-Remaking in a Transgender Marriage Kristin K Collier Written from the perspective of a cisgender wife of a transwoman. "Getting Back to Me": from girl to boy to woman in just fifty years Scottie Madden "Just Because My Husband's A Woman...": Marcy's side of the story Marcy M. Madden This is an interesting pair - a book from each side of a marriage where the husband transitioned. For parents
Trans-Kin: A Guide for Family & Friends of Transgender People
Eleanor A. Hubbard and Cameron T. Whitley Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children Diane Ehrensaft and Edgardo Menvielle Helping Your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents Irwin Krieger Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel Pepper The Sexual Spectrum: Why We’re All Different Olive Skene Johnson Transitions of the Heart: Stories of Love, Struggle and Acceptance by Mothers of Transgender and Gender Variant Children Rachel Pepper |
for Trans* Folks
She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders
and Stuck in the Middle with You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders Jennifer Finney Boylan Explores gender in an open way and she and her cisgender wife have been together for a long time. Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community edited by Laura Erickson-Schroth This is a mega-resource book for the trans community. Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us Kate Bornstein This is a bit of a classic and good for the fluidity and expansiveness pieces. It remains cutting edge even with its 90s date, and pretty radical and irreverent. Becoming a Visible Man Jamison Green A good exploration of what “manhood” is, that helps with the internal interrogation of what gender means to a person. As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl John Colapinto This is not a trans book and yet…it’s also kind of a transbook. It’s the story of a botched circumcision wherein the doctor decided to just assign the child “female” instead. Good exploration of biology and identity. Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity Julia Serano for Trans* TEENs
Beyond Magenta, Transgender Teens Speak Out
Susan Kuklin Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family Amy Ellis Nutt Some Assembly Required, The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen Arin Andrews The Full Spectrum David Levithan and Billy Merrell Tomboy Liz Prince Nina Here nor There Nick Krieger The Gender Identity Workbook for Kids Kelly Storck |