Trans Books for Tweens

In this class, learners will read three middle-grade books featuring transgender characters and will discuss the ways that trans characters are written in fiction. Students will have a chance to discuss the different stereotypes discussed in the books and the ways that gender shapes our perceptions of characters.

Week 1, An Introduction to Transgender Issues: Our first course will serve as an intro to transgender topics, from the definition of different terminology, to a brief summary of pronoun usage, all the way to some great representation of transgender characters in the media. Learners will have an opportunity to talk about their experience with transgender people, either in the real world or in the media they consume, and can take the time to ask the teacher any basic questions about gender that they would like answered as it pertains to trans issues. 

Weeks 2-4, Gracefully Grayson: These weeks will be spent reading and discussing the book Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky. The themes that will be discussed as a part of this unit are othering, grief, and social interactions. We will use this text as a way to assess how transgender characters are often excluded from their communities, whether it be friendship, family, or intentional isolating. 

Weeks 5-7, George: Our second book unit will center around the book George by Alex Gino. The themes we will discuss for this section are creativity, bullying, and self-actualization. We will talk about outlets for stress and emotions, and how transgender kids need sometimes need to explore a variety of presentations in order to accept themselves and feel accepted by their communities. 

Weeks 8-10, The Other Boy: We will close out our readings with the book The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey. The themes to be discussed in this lesson include support, disclosure, and the medical side of transition. We will think critically about the struggle of revealing one's transgender status versus keeping it a secret, and talk about the value of a warm, supportive environment for transition.

Week 11, Applying What We've Learned and Prompt Questions: Learners will take this class section as a forum to talk about the texts as a whole and the different threads that connect their content. We will talk about the general struggles that our trans protagonists faced and how these struggles translate to real life. Students can also take time in this class to ask any questions about their final paper. 

Week 12, Sharing Circle and Closing Comments: In this final class, students will be encouraged to share what they wrote their paper about and discuss the takeaways from the class. We will also talk more openly and less critically about how gender issues affect us in the real world, and how we can make the world a safer and more welcoming place for transgender people.