Transitions of the Heart
Stories of Love, Struggle and Acceptance by Mothers of Transgender and Gender Variant Children
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
Transitions of the Heart is the first collection to ever invite mothers of transgender and gender variant children of all ages to tell their own stories about their child’s gender transition. Often “transitioning” socially and emotionally alongside their child but rarely given a voice in the experience, mothers hold the key to familial and societal understanding of gender difference. Sharing stories of love, struggle, and acceptance, this collection of mother's voices, representing a diversity of backgrounds and sexual orientations, affirms the experience of those who have raised and are currently raising transgender and gender variant children between the ages of 5-50. Edited by Rachel Pepper, a gender specialist and co-author of the acclaimed book The Transgender Child, Transitions of the Heart will prove an invaluable resource for parents coming to terms with a child’s gender variance or transition.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Edited by gender specialist Pepper (coauthor of The Transgender Child), this heartwarming collection features true stories of mothers of transgender children, and depicts their journey of understanding, acceptance, and love. Coming from all classes, races, and sexualities, and including adoptive, single, and stepmothers, these stories include a brief history of the mothers' upbringing, followed by their discovery of their children's transgender nature, and conclude with a description of the transition process (if any) and its after-effects. For Cheryl Kilodavis, her child's gender difference became obvious at a young age; as soon as her son, Dyson, could walk and talk, he "began gravitating towards all things pink, purple, and sparkly." Some mothers, like Michelle Schnur, must cope with their husbands' transgender issues in addition to their child's. Some mothers come to understand and support their children more quickly than others; one anonymous mother remembers her rudeness toward her son (now daughter's) future partner when they visited. Many struggle to give up their feelings of having lost a son or daughter during the transition, as well as their concern about possible side effects of hormone injections. This deeply personal book should prove an invaluable, inspiring resource.