Redefining Realness

Janet Mock's Redefining Realness is part memoir, part Intro to Trans Issues. It's an incredibly accessible primer on the struggles and barriers many trans people face, grounded by Janet's personal experiences.  She was incredibly lucky in some ways and unlucky in others, and she's quick to point out the factors that made her transition easier (a loving supportive family and access to resources at school) and the ways in which she fell through the cracks (a victim of sexual abuse, occasionally homeless). She does a good job of tying her experience in with research about trans people in general, and her story remains incredibly personal while also showing the reader a much wider world.

Redefining Realness tells the story of Janet's childhood and her slow but steady journey to womanhood. She continually references literature and authors she found comfort in over the years, particularly Maya Angelou's work and Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Being familiar with those works, and indeed with the entire pop culture background against which she grew up (from Rugrats to TRL) gave me an easy access point of identification. So many of our experiences are so different, but we had these common cultural signposts that make her easier to relate to, even when she's living a life that is completely foreign to my own experience.

This book is important. It's a wonderful introduction to the struggles that come with a trans identity, as well as the ways it can intersect with race and class. It lays everything out simply and compassionately and should definitely be read by everyone.

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