Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I thought I'd list a few trans books I'd recommend, and ask if anyone likes anything else they want to share, especially those from the female to male perspective.

I've read -

Stone Butch Blues  - fictional account of life and eventually transitioning by Leslie Feinberg, an activist and writer. Simultaneously heartbreaking and empowering. It gives a really good perspective of what people had to go through 30 or so years ago, in rural areas, while being seen as a gay female.

Testosterone Files - biography of Max Valerio.  This book was instrumental in helping me decide I want to start hormones. His description of his experiences, though nothing like my own life, resonated with me, helped me look forward to transitioning, and gave me hope in a really dark time of my life.

Both of these books made me realize how lucky I am to be transitioning now. The process they had to go through to get surgery and hormones was dangerous and isolated. We are so lucky to have the internet to get support from others.  Current trans health care has its hoops and shortcomings, but it has come such a long way  and only keeps getting better.

I also liked Nobody Passes - it is a collection of essays from a variety of people with different identities, gender, sexual, and otherwise - including female to male trans people.

Other books -
Normal Life
Captive Genders

These two are about the social justice side of being transgender. They talk about reforming institutional systems to make life better for trans people. Captive Genders is a collection of submissions from trans prisoners, activists, and others.

Testosterone Files definitely sounds like something I want to read! I'll definitely take a look at these other ones as well :)

I just posted this on another thread, but I just finished 'Whipping Girl' by Julia Serano. It's geared towards MTF, but the book is brilliant, and relevant to all trans folks, especially if you have an atypical narrative, and you struggle with guilt and doubt because of it. Overall it was a pretty empowering read.

I also read Trans Heroes by Leslie Feinberg (author of Stone Butch Blues). A really interesting look at ->-bleeped-<- throughout history (would be helpful for those people who complain that trans issues just suddenly cropped with the advent of the internet).

And finally, 'True Selves' by Brown and Rounsley. A good primer for people just getting to understand transsexualism. Sympathetic and easy to read. I bought a few copies for family members that I intend to give to them when I come out.

Testosterone Files sounds really interesting...I'm planning on checking that out.

I've read "Testosterone Files" and he is an excellent writer. Also read "Stone Butch Blues" liked it but found very heavy. Also liked Jamison's book (can't think of title) and "Just Add Hormones". Loved this one, kind of identified with the most.
BTW, some people around here have met Jamison and say he is awesome.

--Jay

Oh that's right. I did read 'True Selves' and 'Stone Butch Blues'. Don't remember much of either; it was years ago when I first came out. But 'True Selves' seemed ok. And you're right Jay, 'Stone Butch Blues' was heavy. What those lesbians went through at the hands of the police...  :( It's good for a historical like perspective of what it was like for lesbians and trans masculine folk.

Both Sides Now by Dhillon Khosla was a very good read - really related to me & my personal story. The others mentioned above are all worth a read too :) I also have Chaz Bono's book but thus far I've found it quite hard to get in to...