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laurel_k's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Minor: Suicide attempt
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Transitions. A Mother's Journey is a true story, although true names have not been used. It follows Anne for a couple of years as she comes to grips with the news that her child whom she knew as a daughter named Lucie was, in fact, a boy and wished to be known as Alex. It's a change that Anne really struggles with, and this made for some uncomfortable reading. So much dead naming and misgendering. I really admire the real Anne for allowing her story to be shared and for the research she undertook that eventually enabled her to understand Alex's transition and provide him the support he needed. I loved the inclusion of so much scientific, biological, and historical information showing that the conceptualisation of two binary sexes correlating with two binary genders is neither universal nor immutable; but rather a relatively recent conceptualisation that's not applicable to all species nor used in all parts of the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, and Transphobia
bleepbloop2022's review against another edition
emotional
informative
fast-paced
3.0
Better than what I was expecting, given it's a book about transitioning from a parent's perspective and not the person transitioning.
This book was included in a grab bag and not one I chose myself. I gave it a chance, and it could be good for parents who are struggling with their child's identity.
I was expecting a very self-indulgent book, and don't get me wrong, a story from a parent's perspective is innately that. But it includes a lot of information that made it clear to me that it's purpose was to try and educate parents by tapping into their potential POV.
Dunno that I'd really recommend it to anyone. But I imagine it's helped some people out there.
This book was included in a grab bag and not one I chose myself. I gave it a chance, and it could be good for parents who are struggling with their child's identity.
I was expecting a very self-indulgent book, and don't get me wrong, a story from a parent's perspective is innately that. But it includes a lot of information that made it clear to me that it's purpose was to try and educate parents by tapping into their potential POV.
Dunno that I'd really recommend it to anyone. But I imagine it's helped some people out there.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Grief
Minor: Suicide and Medical content
goose_bowomp's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing, Mental illness, and Dysphoria
hsteel's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
bhrtng's review against another edition
2.0
This graphic novel follows a mother's journey to acceptance after her child comes out as a trans man. I picked this up because the cover grabbed my eye and I enjoy trans stories, but it was a bit of a disappointment. The mother spends about 90% of the book rejecting her son's identity, deadnaming and misgendering him constantly. She makes his transition entirely about herself and what it means to her as his mother and what it says about her. When she finally does accept his identity, she almost does it begrudgingly and it takes a long time for her to correctly name and gender him. At the end, it feels like she pats herself on the back for her allyship...there wasn't any time given to a heartfelt and thoughtful acknowledgement of wrongdoing. It's wild how her son is basically a background character to the mother's internal dialogue. Even her husband felt like a more significant character than her actual child. Like, she was just a bad mom. I know this is a story that might be impactful for parents of trans kids who have also struggled with their child's identity, but I don't know, it didn't sit right with me. The story is also interspersed with random facts about gender diversity in the animal kingdom and in other cultures but it just feels performative. It also feels sad that the mother seems to rely on these examples for why trans identities are normal rather than just trusting the lived experience of her child. I don't know who I would recommend this to honestly, if anyone. It doesn't feel like it serves the trans community at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
autumnruth's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
barefootbetsy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
This was a difficult read, but I appreciate that some of the things that made it most difficult are probably true things as they happened. The deadnaming and pronoun difficulties were heartbreaking to read, but my guess is that the author truly did struggle with those things for that year. To rewrite that story with her accepting her son immediately and not struggling would not have been accurate.
I hope that this book is helpful to all the parents who are similarly struggling. It shows how someone can go from having difficulties with acceptance to being fully supportive to the point of activism and writing an honest book about their struggles initially.
I recommend this book to struggling parents and that's who I read it for/gave it to (my struggling parent). I am a parent myself who is agender and I am not struggling with my children's gender identities.
I hope that this book is helpful to all the parents who are similarly struggling. It shows how someone can go from having difficulties with acceptance to being fully supportive to the point of activism and writing an honest book about their struggles initially.
I recommend this book to struggling parents and that's who I read it for/gave it to (my struggling parent). I am a parent myself who is agender and I am not struggling with my children's gender identities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Misogyny
rainbowbrarian's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
2.0
This felt like a book for straight people. I strongly disliked Anne for the constant misgendering and hurt she was causing. And at the end it sort of congratulating herself on how far she’d come. But without really acknowledging the harm she’d done to Alex.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
jessereadsthings's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Misogyny and Sexism