Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - A Year Without a Name: A Memoir

This memoir primarily focuses on the time leading up to when Dunham began transitioning, but includes many things from across their childhood and adulthood along this journey. It's a deeply personal and honest account of figuring out and coming to terms with their identity.

There were things I liked and didn't like, and things I related to, and didn't relate to. In my own process of exploring my gender identity, I definitely relate to the experience of not entirely feeling comfortable in a strictly feminine identity as assigned, but still hesitating over adopting masculine identity for a number of complicated reasons.

What isn't as relatable is their very privileged background. Though they're somewhat self-aware about it, it still suffuses a lot of their experiences. I didn't realize going in that Lena Dunham was their sister (this was a pick for a book club I wanted to read with), but learning that illuminated some things about them for me.

There's also a lot more than just gender exploration, as they deal with mental illness and trying to be less codependent on others, more independent in their own self determination. It's still a good read for folks curious about trans experiences. Its short length and pace make it a very fast read, too.

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emotional reflective

4.5

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