Obie is Man Enough – by Schuyler Bailar. Published by Crown Books for Young Readers, 2021

Obie is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar.

Published by Crown Books for Young Readers, 2021

As this novel begins, Thirteen-year-old competitive swimmer Obie must part ways with his closest friends on the only swim team he has ever known, because Coach Bolton, of Bolton’s Barracudas, doesn’t understand what it means to be trans.  Here is how the book begins, page one, Chapter One:

BEFORE

“You’re never going to be a real man, Sarah,” Coach Bolton says, using my old name.  He’s never really made the effort to use my new one, Obie.  I cringe.  It hurts every time.  It says: I do not see you; making you feel comfortable doesn’t matter to me….

“If you’re going to … to… “He falters, his face contorting.  “Do this … pretend to be a boy or whatever, I won’t coach you anymore.”  He rises from his chair as he talks.  Or growls, rather.  “Grab your snorkel and fins from the bin and leave before we start practice.  I’ll call your mother.”

I’d known telling him would be hard, but I hadn’t thought it’d go this poorly.  Today was supposed to be my last day in this suit – the one-piece that girls wear.

What will happen now that Coach just kicked me off the team?

Fortunately, Obie’s loving and supportive parents find a new swim team and coach for Obie at Manta Ray Aquatics.  Coach Larkin is compassionate and accepting, and Obie’s new teammates Mikey and Pooch are true allies and friends, who want to see Obie succeed and stay safe.  At school, Obie must face down transphobic class bullies, including Clyde, Coach Bolton’s son and a former best friend on the Barracudas Swim Team.  To be honest, these scenes which include sexual slurs and physical assault are disturbing and hard to read, though they are always counter balanced by scenes where Obie is supported by loving and caring friends and adults who understand Obie’s challenges and help him all along the way.  At school Principal Franklin makes it clear that no discrimination will be tolerated when it comes to Obie, and Mrs. Salmani, Obie’s English language arts teacher, is someone Obie can always turn to.  Obie also has a first crush, a cute girl named Charlie who believes in Obie, thinks he is adorable, and becomes a true friend as well as his first girlfriend.

This book is also about intersectionality as Obie is a proud transgender Korean American boy, carrying the love and heritage of his Western European ancestors on his mother’s side, including German survivors of World War II, and his Korean ancestors on his father’s side, who fled northern Korea and flew across the globe to find a better life in the United States.  Obie writes the following in an essay for school titled, “Living Proof.”

Many people use culture and difference as barriers to acceptance and love, saying that these identities cannot coexist in one person.  But I am living proof that they certainly can.  In all of my intersectionality, I am still here.  Alive.  And Korean. Alive.  And white.  Alive.  And an athlete.  Alive.

And transgender.   And alive.

This novel, written for tween readers, achieves a good balance of both empowering trans readers and educating cis readers.  At the back of the book, there are even two Author Notes by Schuyler Bailar: “For my cisgender readers, and “For my transgender readers.”  There are also additional sections including: Resources for Mental Health, Glossary of terms, and Further Reading.

Schuyler Bailar (he/him) is the first trans athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team, and the only to have competed for all four years.   His difficult choice – to transition while potentially giving up the prospect of being an NCAA champion – was historic.  Growing up, Schuyler never saw anyone else like him – not in media, not in sports, and certainly not in books.  He wrote Obie is Man Enough for all the kids who don’t know where or how to find themselves, either trans or not.  He is an internationally celebrated inspirational speaker and a respected advocate for trans inclusion, radical body acceptance, and mental health awareness.    Learn more by visiting Schuyler’s website: pinkmantaray.com.

This book review was submitted by Stand with Trans
advocate Barb Shumer, who is a past board member and retired public librarian..