Free to Be: Understanding Kids \u0026 Gender Identity by Jack Turban

Free to Be: Understanding Kids \u0026 Gender Identity Reviews

• 
  Ali

  What an amazing resource! I would recommend this to anyone. A better understanding of those around us we may not understand is crucial for humanity. I learned so many things scientifically and personally of people from many different walks of life. Thank you for writing this! And thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review.
• 
  Lynsey Mize

  If you’ve spoken to or heard the story of a trans person in real life, most of this book will not feel new. But how important for those who haven’t had that privilege. I really loved the balance of stories, data, and logic in this book. So much will stay with me as important conversations take place to move us forward. ❤️
• 
  Sam

  I read this in hopes that it would be a good source of information that I could recommend to my trans clients' parents. Jack does an excellent job covering main discussion topics and concerns and frames trans kids' actual experiences and voices throughout the book. If you need a good book recommendation for family members of trans individuals, or if you want to learn more about gender identity and trans people yourself, I highly recommend it.
• 
  Bea Masters

  I was very happy to win this in a giveaway and read it! I wish I had more copies to hand out, but I’ve already promised this one to my grandma. If conservatives are making people’s private medical decisions and bathroom use a subject for legislation, then it seems important for all voters to know the actual science as well as the current practices of the medical and psych teams who work with trans youth. Dr. Jack Turban lays out research and case studies very clearly and with obvious care for his patients and their families. I would recommend this to people with any level of knowledge about gender identity who have trans loved ones, people confused about what they see in the news, or people who are worried about what their loved ones will read in the news.
• 
  Ben Xabouathone

  Jack Turban has written the ultimate support guide for transgender youth. I wish I had something comparable to this when I was a kid going through the motions and encourage EVERYONE to read this.
• 
  Mansoor

  
  
  ملغمه‌ی تهوع‌آوری از علم دروغین و ایدئولوژی جنسیت
  
  در ماه آوریل امسال، انتشار
  گزارش دکتر کاس و چندین ریویوی مرتبط، که نمایانگر دقیق‌ترین ارزیابی فعلی از علم پزشکی کودکان در حوزه‌ی جنسیتند، نشان داد شواهد موجود به نفع ترنزیشن* کودکان بسیار ضعیفند. پس کسانی که هنوز از این مقوله دم می‌زنند در حال ترویج علم دروغینند
  
  نمود دیگری از این علم دروغین مدعیاتی است که می‌گوید هر فردی یک هویت جنسی مشخص دارد و این هویت از همان سنین کودکی قابل تشخیص است. حالا اگر این هویت با جنسیت زیست‌شناختی کودک همخوانی نداشته باشد، آن‌وقت کودک تراجنسیتی** محسوب می‌شود
  
  طی سالیان اخیر، سازمان‌های اکتیویستی پدیده‌ی ملال جنسیتی*** را از یک اختلال روانی به ویژگی‌ای درونی با ریشه‌های زیست‌شناختی تغییر شکل داده‌اند، یعنی همان ترفند موفقی که زمانی جنبش همجنس‌خواهی به کار گرفت: این افراد اساسا همین‌گونه به دنیا آمده‌اند
  
  نویسنده‌ی این کتاب از پیش لکه‌ی ننگ انتشار
  پژوهش‌های پر از اشتباه و خطا را بر پیشانی دارد و از پاسخ‌دادن به انتقادها هم طفره می‌رود. با این حال، صاحب نفوذی چشمگیر در رسانه‌ها و نهادهای آموزشی است، که البته در زمانه‌ی ما اصلا چیز عجیبی نیست
  
  کتاب پر شده از داستان‌های سانتی‌مانتالی که نویسنده از کودکان تراجنسیتی گردآوری کرده تا روایت دلخواهش را شکل دهد، بی‌آن‌که بتواند تعریف درست و درمانی از هویت جنسی به دست دهد
  
  نویسنده ادعا می‌کند هویت جنسی ریشه‌ی درونی و زیست‌شناختی دارد. چنین ادعای بزرگ و عجیب و غریبی به‌رغم این واقعیت است که هیچ آزمایش مغزی یا خونی‌ای نمی‌تواند یک فرد تراجنسیتی را از دیگران تمیز دهد. هویت جنسی صرفا بر اساس گزارش فرد از احساسات و افکارش تعیین می‌شود
  
  افرادی مانند نویسنده‌ی این کتاب در پی آن نیستند که به شکل عینی مشخص کنند پدیده‌ای به نام هویت جنسی وجود دارد یا نه. در عوض، به سراغ مواد و مصالحی می‌روند که نتیجه‌ی دلخواهشان را تایید کند. این شیوه یکی از نشانه‌های بارز علم دروغین است. مثلا نویسنده می‌گوید شواهد علمی قوی نشان می‌دهند تراجنسینگی ریشه‌ی زیست‌شناختی دارد. ولی تمام شواهدی که می‌آورد مربوطند به پدیده‌هایی از قبیل گرایش جنسی، ناهمنوایی جنسیتی**** و اختلال تکوین جنسی*****. هیچ‌کدام از این‌ها ربطی به ملال جنسیتی و تراجنسینگی ندارند و بنابراین نمی‌توانند به ادعای هویت جنسی و ریشه‌ی زیست‌شناختی‌اش اعتباری ببخشند. ناهمنوایی جنسیتی عبارت است از ترجیحات و رفتارها و ویژگی‌های جسمی‌ای که از خصایص نوعی زنانه و مردانه فاصله می‌گیرد. پژوهشگران ایدئولوژیک هر علامت زیست‌شناختی از ناهمنوایی جنسیتی را گواهی می‌گیرند بر وجود هویت جنسیتی و ریشه‌ی زیست‌شناختی‌اش
  
  آن شواهد علمی قوی‌ای که نویسنده وعده می‌دهد فقط شامل دو پژوهشند و مشکلشان هم همان است که در بالا گفته شد. گذشته از این، یکی از پژوهش‌ها مشکلات روش‌شناختی زیادی هم دارد، از جمله تعداد کم شرکت‌کنندگان، نبود گروه کنترل و عدم توجه به گرایش جنسی شرکت‌کنندگان
  
  البته نویسنده اشاره‌ای هم به پژوهش‌های مغز/جنسیت می‌کند. اکتیویست‌ها و پژوهشگران ایدئولوژیک زمانی این پژوهش‌ها را اثباتی می‌دانستند بر آن‌که مغز افراد تراجنسیتی با هویت جنسی‌شان تطبیق دارد. یعنی همان مغز زنانه در بدن مردانه و برعکس. اما
  پژوهش‌های دقیق بعدی بر این مدعا خط بطلان کشید. این پژوهش‌ها دریافتند تفاوت‌های مغزی مشاهده‌شده ناشی از گرایش جنسی هستند، عاملی که پژوهش‌های بی‌دقت قبلی آن را به حساب نیاورده بودند
  
  
  *transition
  **transgender
  ***gender dysphoria
  ****gender nonconformity
  *****disorder of sexual development
• 
  Robyn

  ARC | Excellent and comprehensive coverage of gender identity in the present moment, though it's not clear who the intended audience is | This book really covers it all, from the medicine to the psychology to the history to the politics and the pseudoscience (hint: there's no such thing as "rapid onset gender dysphoria", tiktok isn't making kids trans, nobody is performing genital surgery on children, and cis athletes aren't having accomplishments "stolen" by trans folks). I requested the arc because this is already a topic I try to remain informed on, so there wasn't anything here that was actually new to me. But it does, with meticulous research and citations, address things I hear all the time, even from well-meaning people, so I know the contents are valuable. The question is, who is going to find the time for such a dense book if they're not already well-versed in these facts? Parents of trans youth, hopefully, and care providers (foster parents, teachers, social workers, etc), but will people who could have already learned this elsewhere and didn't even find this? It's hard to say. A little too much reliance on footnotes, it sometimes felt that most of the facts were contained there, but overall really an excellent book. Hopefully soon the sections discussing anti-trans rhetoric will be outdated. I will recommend this one.
  Appreciation to the publisher for the free ARC, my review was not affected by the gift
• 
  Mandalyn Castanon

  I loved this book! As a mental health clinician who works with trans and gender expensive youth and their families, I’m always looking for new books to recommend to clients and to expand my own knowledge. I thought that this book was thoughtful, well informed, and down to earth. I find that so many books focus on the clinical or jargony side of things, but this book focused on the real life experiences of trans youth while also incorporating scientific evidence and a wealth of citations. I really appreciated the mix of anecdotal and peer reviewed evidence! I’ll definitely be recommending this to clients!
• 
  Eric O

  A hopeful, journalist approach by an experienced MD. If you love a trans or NB person and want what’s best for them, or you just want to be better informed, give yourself a break from negative messaging and read this book.
• 
  Isabelle Agnew

  *As a Collections Management Librarian, I was given an ARC of this book for free for consideration for our collection.
  
  Wow. Wow. Wow.
  
  I am so grateful to have read this, and I can't wait for others to be able to access it.
  
  Dr. Turban's way of writing made very complex issues easily digestible. I think this book is a great resource for parents who's kids (whether they are actual children, or adult children) have come out to them, but also for anyone who is interested in knowing more about what it means to be transgender.
• 
  James

  At this point, a one-of-a-kind resource for people who want to know more about transgender kids and gender identity that provides insight into lived experiences without sacrificing medical or academic rigor AND and remaining readable for the average general reader.
  
  The author does a good job capturing the experience of both gender dysphoria and gender diversity in children while explaining the different pathways their lives could take, particularly with educated, supportive, loving families. Readers are offered few glimpses into what less affirming paths look like, but only that, because the focus of the book is primarily on achieving healthy outcomes (live kids, better mental health, academic success).
  
  The book is fast-reading and conversational, but with some heavy-lifting in terms of debunking common myths and misinformation surrounding transgender youth. It is especially useful for parents, although unlikely to be the only source of information parents of trans kids need. In that way, it might be a better resource for other relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins) or for teachers, neighbors, coworkers, etc.
  
  Overall, highly recommended. Only concern - it may go out of date quickly (within 5 years or so) - but for right now, the book is a unique and excellent read on the topic of young people and gender identity.
  
• 
  Davia Finch

  A wonderful antidote to the misinformation and misunderstandings surrounding transgender healthcare.
  
  This is a very accessible, very easy to read primer on all of the most important topics surrounding trans healthcare, particularly the care of children. There are quite a few sources for people to follow up on if they're more interested in the science behind it, but it is not (and is not intended to be) an exhaustive academic text on the subject. It's for trans kids and the parents of trans kids, for anyone who thinks they might be trans or have a trans child, and for anyone who is merely curious to learn more about what really goes on in trans healthcare.
  
  I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
• 
  Chris Witt

  Thank you so much to publisher for Advanced Reading Copy.
  
  Definitely would be a worthwhile read for those who are unfamiliar with some of the terms surrounding these issues. Well-meaning family members who have loved ones going through these things would find it particularly beneficial. People who are convinced of a national conspiracy involving the education system creating transgender children and believe that "genital mutilation" is an actual thing should read it, but who are we kidding here?
  
  My middling review is more based on a lack of any kind of nuance and being left with questions that I never seem to see covered in these discussions. At the same time, I can see that this is an advocacy book. A resource for people who have loved ones who are the subject of the book.
• 
  Lukas Stock

  Well written popular science book. I was disappointed in Turban’s interpretation of various data and his reasoning after hearing a podcast interview with him, and the book is very much the same. I just don’t think his conclusions hold as much water as he presents them doing.
  
  Additionally, shame on Atria/Simon and Schuster for a truly bewildering endnote system where citations are not marked in the text, so looking at a citation requires perusing the endnotes to see which sentences have notes, while having no idea in the actual text what’s being cited and what’s Turban’s own thoughts. Frustrating.
• 
  Lorna

  In this day and age, I can’t turn around without being confronted with an article about gender identity and trans people and the negative tones of many of these articles are disturbing and concerning.
  
  In Free to Be , Turban deconstructs what gender means and how being trans has no one way of looking. He discusses the science and pseudoscience behind how society views being trans, the treatments and the politics behind hot topic issues.
  
  This is a must read for anyone who knows or loves a trans person. It should be read by everyone, but we know that those that would most benefit won’t come within 10 feet of this book.
• 
  Christine LaBatt

  A look into transgender identity in youth from a doctor who works with transgender youth. I liked that this included a lot of real-life stories from youth and how their families either accepted them or not, or grew to accept them. This was definitely a good read, especially for families that might have a child who is transgender.
  
  I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Haley Kamikawa

  I started reading this book because I wanted to better understand transgender youth and what the research thus far can tell us. This book was incredibly accessible in discussing academic “jargon” and I feel really informed about all the nuances and experiences trans youth face. I loved all the resources and data the author included. Great starting point for anyone who is confused or uneducated about what it even means to be transgender.
• 
  Ali

  This was such an important book and I want to believe that it'll manage to do some good in the world. My only critic would probably be that it's very USA centred but it's a big world and a difficult topic to cover as it looks so different across the globe. This is a book I want to throw at people and force them to read, it's so important!
• 
  Laura

  An excellent, accessibly written book that humanizes what it means to be transgender and how best to support transgender individuals. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in better understanding gender identity, why and how the issues related to transgender people have become politicized, and why transgender rights are inherently human rights.
• 
  mikelhenson

  Up to date. Fact based. Important.
• 
  Ed

  More to come, I hope, if I find time/energy, but I would say 4.5 rounded up.
• 
  Dawn (d.f)

  Audiobook. Quick read. Great info. Dispels so many myths that are currently being used to demonize trans kids.
  
  The author is credible with a wealth of experience.
• 
  Billy

  Read read read this book! Definitive introduction to gender identity in a world that has so much information. Parents, teachers, researchers, politicians all could benefit from its wisdom.