Review by Hooria Bilal
Orca Book Publishers, August 17, 2021
176 pages, paperback, $29.95 CAN, 978-1459831377
Ages 10+ Grades 5-7
Middle Grade, Non-Fiction
They’re right about one thing: I am not simple. At best, I am a question that begs asking; at worst I am that brick that toppled their masterpiece. When I see it through their eyes, I realize their mourning not just a convention of biology, but something sacred, something they could understand without effort and trust and without risk. They found comfort in simplicity—simple men, simple women—and I cut it to swathes.
— Christopher.
TW/CW: multiple works in this anthology cover topics like bullying, misgendering, suicide, and transphobia.
Growing Up Trans: In Our Own Words provides a space for transgender and non-binary youth to share the experiences and challenges they face growing up.
This anthology features poems, essays, stories, letters, memoirs, and art by transgender and non-binary youth from across Canada. The editors facilitated workshops run by adult trans mentors for kids ages 11-17 from transgender and non-binary communities. The participants share personal pieces about childhood experiences, relationships with family, school, mental health, acceptance, and how these different aspects have shaped their lives and personhood.
These workshops produced pieces that express so much talent and heart. For instance, “Dysphoria” is a humorous piece by a teen sharing how he copes with his body dysphoria and voice dysphoria. “The Plan” is a powerfully written work from a young individual about how their life goes against what has been considered “normal.” “Student Letter Responding to the Backlash on the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Curriculum” is a plea from an anonymous trans youth, simply asking for the same acknowledgment and respect every cisgender student receives. These are only some of the amazingly written works that convey so much emotion and depth. Additionally, the visual and illustrated contributions are just as incredible and provide a different medium to showcase the participants’ talent and creativity. “Isolation” conveys the shifting social changes trans people experience during and after transition. “The Prejudice Candle” is a scratch art piece depicting a fire-breathing dragon destroying a metaphorical ship of discrimination into flames. “Queer, But Still a Christian” depicts the artist’s struggle of being caught between two communities and feeling isolated from both. These art inclusions showcase the broad range of perspectives, themes, and ideologies found in this anthology.
While there are contributions from various authors and artists with different perspectives and backgrounds, I appreciate that the introduction acknowledges that this book only represents a small fraction of the trans youth experience and not every reader may see themselves reflected. With the amount of diversity in the transgender community, no single story can encapsulate the entirety of the trans experience.
Each chapter section also provides resources and advice from adult scholars in transgender studies including doctors, therapists, and social workers for allies and cis-gender readers on how to advocate and show support. I especially appreciated the advice from a social worker that “You don’t have to be an expert to support your trans friend—chances are they aren’t either!” This anthology reminds readers to acknowledge mistakes, apologize, and move forward, but also that making an effort to understand and listen is the most important step in supporting your trans friends.
Overall, I feel this anthology is a great resource for transgender and non-binary youth as well as young allies. This novel validates young trans readers’ experiences and offers cis-gender readers guidance to understand and empathize with their perspectives.
Hooria Bilal is an undergraduate at UBC majoring in Biology and minoring in Creative Writing. She enjoys reading middle-grade and YA books in her spare time, her favourite genre being fantasy-adventure.
YOUNG ADULTING 