Stuck in the middle with you by Jennifer Finney Boylan

[suzifrommd]

Has anyone read this book?

It's supposedly about parenting as a transgender woman.

I just finished reading it and I wondered if anyone had the same reaction as I did.

I was disappointed. It talked a lot about parenting, but it seemed like 95% of what happened in the book were things that would be experienced by any parent, male, female, trans, or cis. I didn't find anything unique or original about the sort of events depicted in the book. There's nothing wrong with what she chose to recount. But this book claims to distinguish itself by being a memoir of transgender parenthood. Instead, I could have read these sort of stories in any of thousands of other parenthood memoirs.

Did anyone else have this reaction?

[ZoeM]

Maybe... That's the point? That it's possible to be a parent - a good, normal parent - no matter who you are?

Or maybe that's too deep. I dunno. I like her writing style - witty and breezy.

[suzifrommd]

I like her writing style - witty and breezy.

That's true. It was an easy read and had it's funny moments.

[Tanya W]

Hi Suzi, I have to admit to being a bit puzzled by this one also. I really enjoyed her two earlier books: 'She's Not There' and 'I've Just Seen a Face'. As a result, I was excited about 'Stuck' but...

Two things have crossed my mind about this. First, perhaps Zoe is accurate in suggesting the point may be the universality of the parenting experience. At some level, anyways, it doesn't matter if you are X, Y, or Z - being a parent is being a parent. Second, I wondered if perhaps Boylan has reached the end of the thread that started with 'Not There'. The string, as they say, has run out.

All this considered, though, she's got an engaging writing style and, taken chapter by chapter, bit by bit, her tales are always enjoyable journeys.

[Vera]

perhaps Zoe is accurate in suggesting the point may be the universality of the parenting experience. At some level, anyways, it doesn't matter if you are X, Y, or Z - being a parent is being a parent.

I'm the spouse of a transwoman and for me, this is exactly how I felt reading the book. I think it's a big part of what made it such a compelling, encouraging read for me.

[suzifrommd]

Maybe... That's the point? That it's possible to be a parent - a good, normal parent - no matter who you are?

I'm the spouse of a transwoman and for me, this is exactly how I felt reading the book. I think it's a big part of what made it such a compelling, encouraging read for me.

I'm a transgender parent of two. My experience has been different. There have been any number of problems and issues that are totally unique to the fact that I am transgender. I was actually hoping to learn how Boylan solved or avoided a lot of those.