Resources: Book Club
MORE: Diverse books supporting 2SLGBTQ
The Gender Quest Workbook: As recommended at the IWK Trans Health Symposium in 2019:
'If you are a transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) teen, you may experience unique challenges with identity and interpersonal relationships. In addition to experiencing common teen challenges such as body changes and peer pressure, you may be wondering how to express your unique identity to others. The Gender Quest Workbook incorporates skills, exercises, and activities from evidence-based therapies-such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-to help you address the broad range of struggles'
Transgender Children and Youth: As recommended at the IWK Trans Health Symposium in 2019:
'These days, it is practically impossible not to hear about some aspect of transgender life. Whether it is the bathroom issue in North Carolina, trans people in the military, or on television, trans life has become front and center after years of marginalization.
And kids are coming out as trans at younger and younger ages, which is a good thing for them.
But what written resources are available to parents, teachers, and mental health professionals who need to support these children?
Elijah C. Nealy, a therapist and former deputy executive director of New York City’s LGBT Community Center, and himself a trans man, has written the first-ever comprehensive guide to understanding, supporting, and welcoming trans kids.
Covering everything from family life to school and mental health issues, as well as the physical, social, and emotional aspects of transition, this book is full of best practices to support trans kids.'
Halifax Public Libraries: Great reads supporting gender creative and transgender youth
Canada-based Glad Day Bookstore
Welcoming Schools via Human Rights Campaign
Grade 4 to 6 curriculum books: George and Grade 6 to 8: The Other Boy are great
introductions for students if supported by gender related class lessons.
Or a younger read: A Normal Turtle
Great Diverse Children's Books with Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive Children:
Comic and Book Writer, Sophie Labelle: My Dad Thinks I'm a Girl, Translucid,
A Girl Like Any Other and many more!
More Children's Book here via The Youth Project.
Another informative Book:
The Gender Identity Workbook for Kids: A Guide to Exploring Who You Are
A new children’s picture book about human bodies includes transgender and gender nonconforming people as well as same-sex parents. That’s a rare and wonderful thing, making this a welcome book, despite a few caveats.
Books for Teens:
What If Someone I Know Is Gay?: Answers to Questions About What It Means to Be Gay and Lesbian
Eric Marcus
Simon Pulse, 2007
Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth and Their Allies
Ellen Bass and Kate Kaufman
Harper Perennial, 1996
GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens
Kelly Huegel
Free Spirit Publishing, 2003
The Gender Quest Workbook: 'If you are a transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) teen, you may experience unique challenges with identity and interpersonal relationships. In addition to experiencing common teen challenges such as body changes and peer pressure, you may be wondering how to express your unique identity to others. The Gender Quest Workbook incorporates skills, exercises, and activities from evidence-based therapies-such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-to help you address the broad range of struggles'
Fiction for Teens
Glaad Day Book Store: Novels for 12-18 year olds
The Vast Fields of Ordinary
Nick Burd
Dial, 2009
Boy Meets Boy
David Levithan
Knopf Books, 2005
Annie on My Mind
Nancy Garden
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007
Deliver Us from Evie
M.E. Kerr
HarperTeen, 1995
If I was your girl - 'A new kind of big-hearted novel about being seen for who you really are. Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret, and she's determined not to get too close to anyone. ...'
They both die in the end - 'Adam Silvera reminds us that there’s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.'
Gender Failure by Ivan Coyote and Rae Spoon provides
some real insight into life as a non-binary person
My Son Wears Heels: One Mom's Journey from Clueless to Kickass, by Julie Tarney:
"In 1992, Julie Tarney’s only child, Harry, told her, “Inside my head I’m a girl.”
He was two years old. Julie had no idea what that meant. She felt disoriented.
Wasn’t it her role to encourage and support her child? Surely she had to
set some limits to his self-expression—or did she? Would he be bullied?
Could she do the right thing? What was the right thing?"
Parents & Families
This Is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A Question & Answer Guide to Everyday Life
Dannielle Owens-Reid and Kristin Russo
Chronicle Books, 2014
Is It a Choice?: Answers to 300 of the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Gay and Lesbian People
Eric Marcus
HarperOne, 2005
Transgender Children and Youth: As recommended at the IWK Trans Health Symposium in 2019:
'These days, it is practically impossible not to hear about some aspect of transgender life. Whether it is the bathroom issue in North Carolina, trans people in the military, or on television, trans life has become front and center after years of marginalization.
And kids are coming out as trans at younger and younger ages, which is a good thing for them.
But what written resources are available to parents, teachers, and mental health professionals who need to support these children?
Elijah C. Nealy, a therapist and former deputy executive director of New York City’s LGBT Community Center, and himself a trans man, has written the first-ever comprehensive guide to understanding, supporting, and welcoming trans kids.
Covering everything from family life to school and mental health issues, as well as the physical, social, and emotional aspects of transition, this book is full of best practices to support trans kids.'
Always My Child: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Your Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, or Questioning Son or Daughter
Kevin Jennings
Fireside, 2002
Out of the Closet, Into Our Hearts
Laura Siegel and Nancy Lamkin Olson, ed.
Leyland Publications, 2001
Beyond Acceptance: Parents of Lesbians and Gays Talk About Their Experiences
Carolyn Welch Griffen, et al
St. Martin’s Griffin, 1997
Now That You Know: A Parents’ Guide to Understanding Their Gay and Lesbian Children
Betty Fairchild and Nancy Hayward
Harvest Books, 1998
Coming Out, Coming Home: Helping Families Adjust to a Lesbian or Gay Child
Michael C. LaSala, Ph.D.
Columbia University Press, 2010
Side by Side: On Having a Gay or Lesbian Sibling
Andrew R. Gottlieb
Routledge, 2004
Love, Ellen: A Mother/Daughter Journey
Betty Degeneres
Harper Paperbacks, 2000
My Child Is Gay: How Parents React When They Hear the News
Bryce McDougall, Ed.
Allen & Unwin, 2007
Something to Tell You
Gilbert Herdt and Bruce Koff
Columbia University Press, 2000
Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together
Robert A. Bernstein, Robert MacNeil and Betty DeGeneres
Da Capo Press, 2003
Helping Your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents
Irwin Krieger
Genderwise Press, 2011
Different Daughters: A Book by Mothers of Lesbians
Louise Rafkin
Cleis Press, 2001
My Son Eric: A Mother Struggles to Accept Her Gay Son and Discovers Herself
Mary V. Borhek and Christine M. Smith
Pilgrim Press, 2001
Finding Out: The ABC’s of Same Sex Relationships
Homer and Sue Spencer
Fithian Press, 2002
The Family Heart: A Memoir of When Our Son Came Out
Robb Forman Dew
Fawcett Books, 1995
Prayers for Bobby: A Mother’s Coming to Terms With the Suicide of Her Gay Son
Leroy Aarons
Harper San Francisco, 1996
Parenting & Raising Children
How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School and in the Community
Jean M. Baker, Ph.D.
Routledge, 2002
Sleepovers and Navigating Sleepovers and LGBTQ+ Youth
Sleepovers and questions around the do's and don'ts for protecting our LGBTQ+ children is something I hear often.
This article from the New York Times was helpful for a few people and I found it comprehensive and a great read.
Mom, I’m Gay. Can My Friends Sleep Over?
For parents of L.G.B.T.Q. teenagers, slumber parties can be complicated.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/well/family/mom-im-gay-can-my-friends-sleep-over.html
Coming Out
Outing Yourself: How to Come Out to Your Family, Friends and Co-Workers
Michelangelo Signorile
Fireside, 1996
The Way Out: The Gay Man’s Guide to Freedom
Chris Nutter
HCI, 2006
Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America
Mitchell Gold and Mindy Drucker
Greenleaf Book Group, LLC, 2008
The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man’s World
Alan Downs
Da Capo Press, 2006
Transgender Topics
Transgender Children and Youth: As recommended at the IWK Trans Health Symposium in 2019:
'These days, it is practically impossible not to hear about some aspect of transgender life. Whether it is the bathroom issue in North Carolina, trans people in the military, or on television, trans life has become front and center after years of marginalization.
And kids are coming out as trans at younger and younger ages, which is a good thing for them.
But what written resources are available to parents, teachers, and mental health professionals who need to support these children?
Elijah C. Nealy, a therapist and former deputy executive director of New York City’s LGBT Community Center, and himself a trans man, has written the first-ever comprehensive guide to understanding, supporting, and welcoming trans kids.
Covering everything from family life to school and mental health issues, as well as the physical, social, and emotional aspects of transition, this book is full of best practices to support trans kids.'
Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue
Nicholas M. Teich
Columbia University Press, 2012
Trans Forming Families: Real Stories About Transgendered Loved Ones
Jessica Xavier, Mary Boenke and Arlene Istar Lev
Oak Knoll Press, 2003
Transgender Explained For Those Who Are Not
Joanne Herman
AuthorHouse, 2009
Transitions of the Heart: Stories of Love, Struggle and Acceptance by Mothers of Transgender and Gender Variant Children
Rachel Pepper, ed.
Cleis Press, 2012
She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders
Jennifer Finney Boylan
Broadway, 2004
Becoming a Visible Man
Jamison Green
Vanderbilt University Press, 2004
True Selves: Understanding Transsexualism - For Families, Friends, Coworkers and Helping Professionals
Mildred L. Brown and Chole Ann Rounsley
Jossey-Bass, 2003
The Gender Quest Workbook: 'If you are a transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) teen, you may experience unique challenges with identity and interpersonal relationships. In addition to experiencing common teen challenges such as body changes and peer pressure, you may be wondering how to express your unique identity to others. The Gender Quest Workbook incorporates skills, exercises, and activities from evidence-based therapies-such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-to help you address the broad range of struggles'
Gender-Expansive/Gender Non-Conforming Children
The Gender Creative Child: Pathways for Nurturing and Supporting Children Who Live Outside Gender Boxes
Diane Ehrensaft, PhD
The Experiment, 2016
Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children
Diane Ehrensaft, PhD
The Experiment, 2011
The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals
Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel Pepper
Cleis Press, 2008
A new children’s picture book about human bodies includes transgender and gender nonconforming people as well as same-sex parents. That’s a rare and wonderful thing, making this a welcome book, despite a few caveats.
LGBT Families & Parenting
Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples
Eric Rosswood
New Horizon Press, 2016
Families of Value: Intimate Profiles of Pioneering Lesbian and Gay Parents
Robert Bernstein
Da Capo Press, 2009
The Complete Lesbian and Gay Parenting Guide
Arlene Istar Lev
Berkley Trade, 2004
A new children’s picture book about human bodies includes transgender and gender nonconforming people as well as same-sex parents. That’s a rare and wonderful thing, making this a welcome book, despite a few caveats.
Diverse Families: Children of LGBT Parents
Families Like Mine: Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is
Abigail Garner
Harper Paperbacks, 2005
Love Makes a Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Parents and Their Families
Gigi Kaeser, Peggy Gillespie, Kath Weston and April Martin
U. of Massachusetts Press, 1999
Out of the Ordinary: Essays on Growing Up With Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Parents
Noelle Howey, Ellen Samuels, Margarethe Cammermeyer and Dan Savage
Stonewall Inn Editions, 2000
How It Feels to Have a Gay or Lesbian Parent: A Book by Kids for Kids of All Ages
Judith E. Snow
Routledge, 2004
Books for Children - Diverse Families
Heather Has Two Mommies: 20th Anniversary Edition
Leslea Newman and Diana Souza
Alyson Books, 2009
How Would You Feel If Your Dad Was Gay?
Meredith Maran
Alyson Books, 2000
And Tango Makes Three
Peter Parnell
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2005
Who’s in a Family?
Robert Skutch
Tricycle Press, 1997
History & Society
Making Gay History: The Half Century Fight for Lesbian and Gay Equal Rights
Eric Marcus
Harper Paperbacks, 2002
Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U.S. Military
Randy Shilts
St. Martin’s Griffin, 2005
Positively Gay: New Approaches to Gay and Lesbian Life
Betty Berzon and Barney Frank
Celestial Arts, 2004
Religion
I'm Muslim and May Not Be Straight
God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships
Matthew Vines
Convergent Books, 2015
Judaism and Homosexuality: An Authentic Orthodox View
Rabbi Chaim Rapoport
Mitchell Vallentine & Company, 2004
What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality
Daniel A. Helminiak, Ph.D.
Alamo Square Distributors, 2000
Do’s & Don’ts of Dealing with the Religious Right
Marc Adams and Todd Tuttle
Window Books, 2000
Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America
Mel White
Plume, 1995
Videos:
Documentary: Trans
Music Video:
Grace Petrie's Black Tie Tonight breaks down society's narrow views on gender. Read an article about here.
