Trans Teen Survival Guide

My teen found it a little unrelateable. It's ok.

I wish I had this book when I was growing up. Even as a person transitioning in my 30s I learned a lot from it, Its an important read for everyone. It's informative but also witty, and it's packed with so much - coming out stories, what to do if you have unsupportive friends or family, navigating pronouns, what to do if you are approached by the media, making sure you take time to switch off and have fun, as well as a wealth of info on how to navigate transitioning. One of the things that struck me the most is that at no point in this book did I feel like it was "encouraging" teenagers to transition for the sake of it (some of these reviews are calling this book propaganda? I don't see that at all. It's just an informative guide for a section of society who have equal rights which are protected under the equalities act...). It encourages people to take time figuring out who they are, how they feel comfortable, what makes them feel confident. Fox and Owl talk about how you don't have to have surgery or hormones if it's not right for you, and that doesn't make you any less trans. They talk about how to access help from medical professionals if that's what feels right too, and there's a lot of information on organisations who can offer support for the trans community listed in the back of the book. There is a LOT of information in here that will help trans teenagers make more informed, safer choices and give them the confidence to seek support to navigate their journey, if transitioning is what they want to do. Honestly, if I had this book when I was 15 my life would have been very different and I feel like I missed out on a lot (and spent many years in distress) throughout my teenage years and my 20s because I had no frame of reference for what I was going through and it wasn't safe for me to come out when I was a kid. If anyone is looking at this book and wondering if they should buy it, you definitely should. Trans or not, it is full of information that will help you or someone you love to feel more empowered and confident in a world that too often tries to make trans people feel bad for just existing.

Weather your a parent trying to support your child, questioning if your trans or lgbtq in general this is a great and informative read that talks about, being you, figuring out who you are, supporting your peers, and great gender affirming care (primarily Uk) would recommend.

I came across this book as a friend had told me she was upset due to it getting lots of negative reviews, from people who clearly hadn't read it, and were trying to get their personal views across. Her child had found it very helpful, and she thought it a shame that people who when seeking help, and coming across that book would encounter that negativity. So I decided to read the book for myself. I am very glad I did. It gave me a different perspective, and I learnt things that I am glad I did. I hope that I would now be less likely to upset a trans person by being ignorant. It also became very clear to me that it was very unlikely that any of the mean reviewers had actually read the book, because it was full of positive messaging and definitely not pushing any agenda - just offering insight, information, sign posting and sharing experiences. Some quotes that stood out to me: "Just be you. Your identity is yours and yours alone and you don't owe it to anyone to confirm to what they believe you should be" "There is no right way of being a man or a woman" "All kids should be free to play or do whatever feels good to them without ideas of gender and sexuality being pushed on them". I shall be passing this book on to my local secondary school library.

Wonderfully and thoughtfully written. I really loved this book for its comprehensive and supportive approach. I make sure to always have a copy in my office for reference or for others to use.