Trans Anthology Project, Reflections of
Self-Discovery and Acceptance

Website: https: //www.transanthologyproject.com

The Trans Anthology Project was founded on the principle that while education can change minds, personal stories can change hearts.  To that end, this book brings together the collective voices of almost 200 gender-diverse teens, young adults, and their parents.  It is the result of a community endeavor that involved 35 people who wrote stories or poems in reflection on their personal journeys, along with 150 people who contributed through an anonymous online survey, with educational insights provided by a therapist who works with trans youth and their parents.

This book has something for everyone.  Trans youth and their parents will find parts of themselves within the stories and poems of others who have navigated the gender journey.  Allies will find renewed hope and enthusiasm to continue their support of the trans community.  Those with little information or exposure will gain knowledge to better understand the challenges faced by trans youth and their families.

Through education and personal reflection, this collection touches on a wide range of topics:

• Gender vs Gender Identity vs Gender Expression
• Puberty and Gender Dysphoria
• The History and Biology of Gender Diversity
• “Coming Out” – To Oneself, To Parents, To Extended Family, At School, In the Community and Beyond
• The Spectrum of Transitioning – Social, Legal, and Medical
• Other topics including Mental Health, Autism, Religion, and Fighting for the Future

The poems and stories from personal experience are the heart of this book.  Educational content is provided at the beginning of each chapter to help place the personal stories in a broader context and support readers in better understanding and appreciating each contributor’s perspective.  Chapters also include sections titled “Teen Talk” and “Parent Perspective” with direct comments from trans teens and their parents that were obtained from anonymous online surveys, and “Thoughts from a Therapist” offering Heather H. Kirby’s firsthand clinical experiences from working with gender-diverse youth and their families.

Trans Anthology Project is not meant to be an exhaustive educational guidebook.  There are other resources, available that provide more in-depth education on the science, history, and medical aspects of gender and transition.  Many are listed in the “Resources” section at the back of the book.  Readers are encouraged to dive deeper into the topics that are of special interest.

About the authors:

Heather H. Kirby (she/her) is a therapist in the Washington, DC area with over twenty-five years of experience working with teens.  She specializes in working with gender-diverse youth and their parents.  She offers professional training and consultation to mental health providers interested in better supporting their gender-diverse clients.  She lives in Northern Virginia with her wife and two dogs.

Chrissy Boylan (She/her) is the parent of a transgender young adult, and a writer whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, and several other publications.  A graduate of the University of Michigan, she currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and three children..

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