Top 5 books about trans lives, chosen by Matt Bates

Matt Bates, editor of anthology Queer Life, Queer Love, picks five books about trans lives.

Trans, A Memoir by Juliet Jacques

Already a classic, Jacques’ 2015 memoir is a brave, hard-hitting and emotional tour-de-force, charting her own gender journey through a personal, political and cultural lens.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters 

Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021, this super-smart, witty, compassionate and compelling novel follows the highs and lows of Reese, Ames and Katrina in their quest to form – and their right to have – a very modern family.

The Transgender Issue: An Argument For Justice by Shon Faye 

A timely and powerful critique of trans lives now in which Faye examines the realities of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society.

What’s the T? by Juno Dawson 

This straight-talking, humorous, and inclusive book is aimed at 14+ teens and tackles the complex issues of growing up trans, with uncompromising advice on how to deal with them.

Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution by Susan Stryker

A chronological study of transgender history from the mid-20th century to
today by renowned academic Professor Susan Stryker.

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