Today my copy of "Gender Explorers: Our Stories of Growing Up Trans and Changing the World" by Juno Roche @JustJuno1 arrived. I sat down and didn’t stop reading until the end. Here’s a short review. 1/10
I've chatted with Juno at a Mermaids residential. They are lovely. Yet I still opened the book with some trepidation. Books about trans children can be heavily impacted by an author's own agenda, & tend to pathologise either the children or the parents (or both). 2/10
This book is so different. Juno has very cleverly stepped back and allowed the voices of trans children & adolescents to take centre stage. And their voices shine. 3/10
The conversations resonate so clearly with many of the conversations that I have been privileged to have with trans children. They resonate with the conversations I have had with so many parents: confused & scared, but guided by their love for their children. 4/10
The trans children come through as the absolute heroes that they are. Completely normal crazy children (talking about their super powers), whilst also living with a level of self-awareness and strength that few adults ever manage. 5/10
The book is positive and affirming. The interviews avoid intrusive questions, the interviews are warm and always seem designed to ensure the well-being of the children and families being interviewed. I’ll try to learn from this in my PhD interviews 6/10
I have the privilege to know quite a few of the children, teens and families in the book. And their interviews made my heart swell, hearing the now confident voices of children and parents who, some years back, were in a much less secure space. 7/10
Trans children who are loved and supported are thriving. This book is a really special opportunity for those who do not get to spend time with trans children to hear their voices in an incredibly authentic way. 8/10
I hope everyone who even considers expressing an opinion on trans children reads this book. Listens to this generation of trans children. They give me hope for the future. 9/10
Thank you Juno, what an awesome job you’ve done with this book. 10/10
