Non-fiction - Beyond Magenta - Kate

                                                                                                                                                Kate














































Summary:
    

      Beyond Magenta Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin is an eye opening work of non-fiction, which tells the story of six transgender or gender neutral teenagers.  Each person tells their story of first realizing when they were different, coming out, interactions afterward with friends and family, difficulties they endured, and how they came out on the other end.  The author portrays how each person’s story is different, especially when it comes to how they identify themselves. For example, Nat grew up as a female, but prefers not to specify as male or female. “For years I was she, so it’s time to switch. I gave it a run. It didn’t work.” (Kuklin, 2014, p. 81). Nat didn’t speak until age seven and had a great deal of trouble relating to other girls, especially when it came to being attracted to boys in middle school. In health class in high school, Nat realized their body was not developing as a typical female and they went to a number of endocrinologists, which determined that Nat was intersexed. Nat had their first kiss with a girl as a sophomore, but word got around and their parents were furious to the extent that all privileges were taken away and they had to be home a half hour after school.  After that, Nat stopped fell into a deep depression, attempted suicide twice in their junior year, and went to a psychiatric hospital. Now, Nat has moved out, is in hormone therapy and mindfulness support group, but keeps his mom at a distance and doesn’t speak to their father or brother anymore.     

Critique:
 

            The author interviews and tells the stories of Jessy, Christina, Mariah, Cameron, Nat, and Luke using their preferred gender pronoun.  This can create some confusion for the reader at times, but Kuklin provides enough background information to clear it up. The author uses italics to transition from one topic to the next, as well as sub-headings to reveal the upcoming subject.  However, each story is mainly each teen telling their story from when they began to feel different through where they are in transition presently.  The topics of sexual abuse, suicide, self-harm, and prostitution call for a recommended audience of high school. However, teachers could use portions of the book that aren’t quite so graphic to explore the diversity of the LGBTQ community, connect it to the hardships the all teens endure, and the need for people to feel accepted. After reading all or portions of this book, it will hopefully shed some light for teens to see how their reactions large and small affect others. 

Susan Kuklin's website: http://www.susankuklin.net/

Educator's Guide http://www.susankuklin.net/wp-content/uploads/BeyondMagenta_DiscussionGuide.pdf

Callen Lorde Community Health Center http://callen-lorde.org/transhealth/

The Year's 10 Best Transgender Non-fiction Books http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2014/11/05/years-10-best-transgender-non-fiction-books

 

 

Bibliography

 

 

Kuklin, S. (2014). Beyond Magenta Transgender Teens Speak Out. Candlewick Press.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

Kuklin, S. (2014). Beyond Magenta Transgender Teens Speak Out. Candlewick Press.