The Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens

by Stephanie Brill, Lisa Kenney

Overview

Is it just a phase, a fad, or a real issue with your teen? This comprehensive guidebook explores the unique challenges that thousands of families face every day raising a teenager who may be transgender, gender-variant or gender-fluid. Covering extensive research and with many personal interviews, as well as years of experience working in the field, the author covers pressing concerns relating to physical and emotional development, social and school pressures, medical options, and family communications. Learn how parents can advocate for their children, find acceptable colleges and career paths, and raise their gender variant or transgender adolescent with love and compassion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627781749
Publisher:	Start Publishing LLC
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Pages:	355
Sales rank:	255,668
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Brill is a leading expert on a broad range of topics related to gender diversity. She is the author of landmark books including The Transgender Child and The Transgender Teen. She is the founder and Board Chair of Gender Spectrum, an organization at the forefront of work related to children, youth, and gender. She is also co-founder and Board Chair of Reimagine Gender, an organization working with corporations, NGOs, legislators, and policy makers to open a world of possibilities for all people to realize their potential by addressing and expanding today’s limiting concepts of gender.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Chapter 1 Being a Parent of a Transgender or Non-Binary Teen 1

Chapter 2 Understanding Gender and the Gender Spectrum 29

Chapter 3 Embracing the Complexity 57

Chapter 4 Achieving Gender Identity Consolidation 91

Chapter 5 Goals of Adolescent Development 115

Chapter 6 What Keeps You Up at Night 141

Chapter 7 Supporting Your Teen in Their Gender Journey 159

Chapter 8 Understanding How Minority Stress Impacts Your Teen 185

Chapter 9 Professional Support and Mental Health Considerations 203

Chapter 10 What You Can Do to Improve the Odds 227

Chapter 11 Nurturing Your Teen's Resilience 263

Chapter 12 Conclusion 303

Glossary 307

References 321

Additional Resources 335

Acknowledgements 337

Editorial Reviews

This book is the perfect follow up to The Transgender Child. It gently guides readers through the steep learning curve that often comes with supporting a transgender or non-binary teenager through their gender journey and helping them navigate their daily lives. Thoughtful and thorough, this book is a certainly a must read for parents and professionals.” -Asaf Orr, Transgender Youth Project Staff Attorney, NCLR

"As a health educator and as a parent, I can't think of a better resource to help adults navigate their relationships with the transgender teens in their lives. Stephanie Brill and Lisa Kenney do great job of providing a valuable roadmap both for adults new to the experiences of transgender teens as well as for those more seasoned." -Ellen Friedrichs, Sexual Health Educator and Writer

“Cutting edge, The Transgender Teen, written by two of the most esteemed experts in our field, compassionately brings this exciting group of young people into focus like no other book ever has. In our new world of gender expansiveness, it is a must read for everyone.” -Diane Ehrensaft, Ph.D., Author of The Gender Creative Child and Director of the Mental Health, Child and Adolescent Gender Center, University of California San Francisco

"Our daughter transitioned in her teens, seven years ago. This book speaks openly and clearly to all the issues we grappled with in ignorance and darkness. It’s an honest, straightforward, and important work that will help light and ease the journey for many families." -Catherine V. Hyde, Board Member
PFLAG National

"For some parents, learning that your child is transgender can be overwhelming, often with a sense of confusion, anxiety, fear, and helplessness. This comprehensive guide, written by experts whose work is dedicated to celebrating and honoring gender diversity with the recognition that positive mental health outcomes are likely when people have the courage to be their authentic selves and are respected for doing so, is invaluable. With a focus on adolescents, this book gives parents the resources to support their transgender teens. The information provided is nuanced, yet practical. It anticipates the readers' questions, and addresses them with facts, depth, and insight. With the recognition that everyone has a gender and that more and more individuals are recognizing their own gender diversity, this book is of value to any parent and to all health care providers who care for teens." - Dr. Stephen Rosenthal, Director of the Child and Adolescent Gender Center, Benioff Children's Hospital

"The Transgender Teen is monumental in the progression of human rights, acceptance of difference, and explanation of how society influences one’s view of gender. It not only reveals the complexity of gender, but also dispels the common myths and misconceptions about those who don’t fit perfectly in society’s gender categories. As the mother of a transgender child, I am relieved to have a resource that offers clear, practical solutions and strategies to help my child in the upcoming adolescent years. This book is a magnificent starting place to help guide any caregiver on the unknowns of raising a transgender, non-binary, or questioning teenager."
- Hillary Whittington, parent to a transgender teen

From the Publisher