International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event that occurs on March 31st. The day is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of transgender and gender nonconforming people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people in the United States and worldwide. Attacks on the rights of transgender individuals have risen alarmingly in 2023.
According to Tim Walker in his article, “Bill aims to establish Minnesota as a ‘Trans Refuge’ state” for the Minnesota Legislature, “Nearly 250 bills in 32 states are under consideration that would single out trans people for discriminatory treatment of their privacy, their family relationships, and their rights to access public accommodations and health care, said Christa Moseng, chair of MNclusive.” But push-back against hate is happening also! For example, Minnesota and New Mexico are two states that are trying to counter the legal wave of anti-trans hate by establishing laws to strengthen transgender rights. Currently in Minnesota, HF146, aims to establish Minnesota as a “Trans Refuge” state by preventing out-of-state laws from interfering in the practice of gender-affirming health care and New Mexico’s Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Freedom Act would make it illegal for public entities to discriminate against people seeking such care, or to interfere with their access.
For further information on the two laws affirming trans rights, read Walker’s article, “Bill aims to establish Minnesota as a ‘Trans Refuge” State” and Megan Gleason’s article for Source NM, “Bill to protect abortion rights and transgender healthcare in NM takes a step forward.” In support of our community’s transgender families and children, I have put together for all of us a reading list of excellent titles to celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility – enjoy!
The Pronoun Book by Chris Ayala-Kronos & Melita Tirado
(Preschool to Kindergarten)
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“Featuring plentiful speech bubbles, this spare board book enforces the message that gender identity and pronouns cannot be derived from appearance. The first two spreads make the premise clear: ‘How do you know what someone wants to be called?’ a light brown-skinned child queries. ‘Ask,’ Ayala-Kronos writes, as the child runs toward a variously inclusive crowd, members of whom relay their pronouns via subsequent spreads (on one page, for example, six people indicate themselves, each proclaiming, ‘They’). Portraying a cast of varying ability, age, hair color, hairstyle, religion, skin tone, and size, Tirado's boldly colored, smoothly outlined digital art, set against vibrant monochrome backgrounds, celebrates myriad ways people express gender across intersections. A concluding vision of unity (‘Us!’) involves a park party where everyone wears pronoun badges; while the neopronouns that many partygoers proudly sport aren't discussed, this straightforward handling capably introduces the youngest readers to pronouns and gender identity.” –Publishers Weekly
(Grades 4-6)
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“Moonflower wants to be happy, but it feels impossible when so many hate them without even knowing them. It is only when Moonflower journeys outside their body to the spirit world at night that they find peace. The spirit world houses their best friend and protector Wolf, as well as a tantalizing promise of a way out from all of Moonflower's pain and suffering. But when Moonflower makes a mistake, all things and creatures they love are threatened with destruction. In a tale that is a nuanced blend of otherworldly fantasy with the realistic inner struggles of mental illness, Moonflower's sorrows and triumphs will have readers weeping and cheering along. VERDICT Callender's latest is a powerful journey, teaching true self-love and acceptance in a way that is directly accessible for young readers. Highly recommended for purchase.” –School Library Journal
(Kindergarten to 2nd Grade)
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A young child's imagination runs wild before bedtime. It's lights out, but energetic Sweet Pea, depicted with light-brown skin and straight hair, isn't quite ready to go to sleep yet. Mama, a stout White woman, repeatedly tries to tuck them in, but they obstruct her attempts by chattering on about all the various ways they could sleep. Climbing up a bedpost, they declare that they want to sleep like koalas do, high up in trees. Hiding under their pillow, they pretend that they are dozing like a puffin in its burrow. Standing on their bed, they wonder if they can sleep upright like emperor penguins snoozing on rocks. After making their way through several more animals and their sleeping habits, Sweet Pea's stalling ends as they conclude that their bed is “the best bed for me.” Cornwall's art, rendered in pencil and watercolor with a digital finish, uses a restrained palette of minimal, muted colors that adds a soporific feel to the narrative. The text is dialogue-heavy but flows easily and combines the humor of Sweet Pea's bedtime antics with the tenderness of their relationship with their patient caregivers. The illustrations show that Sweet Pea has two moms, one of whom shares their skin color and hair color. A sweet, playful bedtime story with animal appeal. –Kirkus Reviews
(Grades 4-6)
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“When Staten Island (‘a place known for ways to leave it’) holds a contest for a new statue of a local historical figure, white seventh grader Sam Marino and their best friend, tan-skinned TJ, both nonbinary, design a statue of lesbian photographer Alice Austen, a turn-of-the-century Staten Island resident. As Sam researches Austen, they find another personal connection: not only was Austen queer, she once lived in Sam's apartment. It's proof that queer people have always existed, and Sam wants everyone to know–especially their history teacher, who only seems to be interested in DSCWM (‘Dead Straight Cisgender White Men’). With the help of their largely white neighbors, including femme 28-year-old Jess, with whom Sam discusses being ‘fat and fabulous,’ and 82-year-old lesbian Ms. Hansen, they gain a deeper understanding of queer community. Gino (You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P!) provides a memorable protagonist in confident, stubborn Sam, whose enthusiasm for Austen's legacy–and the importance of queer history–is infectious. Sam has a strong understanding of institutional racism, and conversations with their older queer friends often center around intersectional oppression. A late interpersonal conflict feels tacked-on, but the solid representation in this novel offers a testament to the power of intergenerational queer community.” –Publishers Weekly
(Preschool to 2nd Grade)
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“When a red-labeled crayon discovers he's actually blue, he finds joy, ebullience and acceptance.Red tries to be a quintessential red crayon, coloring fire trucks, strawberries, hearts and cherries, but no matter the object, they all turn blue. Fellow crayons begin to gossip. Some say he needs to press harder or grow out of it; others say he's lazy or unintelligent. The other art supplies offer a makeover, taping and snipping away. But all fail to look beyond Red's wrapper to what's inside. Until Berry asks him to draw something blue. When Red succeeds, he feels free! He feels himself, and drawing becomes a delight. The personified crayons change their tune, claiming to have always known his true color. Digital illustrations, done in a graphic, cut-paper style in a primary palette, pop on their white or black backgrounds. And while the crayons themselves are not expressive, Hall's compositions, manipulation of text, and simulated graphite and crayon markings convey a strong sense of emotion. Finding strength in his difference, Red captures that feeling of ease, self-acceptance and freedom in an exuberant, far-reaching sky. Smartly designed and appealing, Red's story offers much for discussion and affirmation.” -Kirkus Reviews
(Preschool to 2nd Grade)
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“There's no one way to be a person, Gehl and Heinsz suggest in this story about eschewing gender stereotypes. In bubbly art, children are seen first engaging in traditionally gendered activities: ‘Girls like pom-poms, / pink, and jewels./ Boys like fighting/ pirate duels.’ ‘Except,’ reads the text, ‘when they don't.’ A boy in a superhero costume is surrounded by the pink-hued trappings of a tea party; elsewhere, a girl with puffy pink pigtails runs with a football. The pronoun ‘you’ is used to convey that readers need not conform at all ( ‘You might play with swords and knights./ Maybe twirl in flowered tights.’). Gehl's text and Heinsz's artwork express the joy of individuality and personal choice: ‘be exactly who you are.” –Publishers Weekly
(Preschool to 4th Grade)
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“Some choices are harder than others. Growing up, student Gavin Grimm knew about choices. He knew whether to eat worms on a dare, whether to sneakily adopt a pet frog and hide it from his mother, and that he had to make a choice about standing up for his right to use the boys' bathroom at school. This last choice, however, was deemed controversial by a transphobic teacher and by students who bullied Gavin. But Gavin still had a decision to make: He could stay silent, or he could fight back. In this picture-book, trans activist Grimm, with author Lukoff, documents his early life and his role fighting for trans rights, a battle that sadly is far from over. The story's simple but direct text and vibrant digital illustrations work in tandem to create a beautiful, harmonious story that deftly documents Gavin's fight and explains why trans rights are basic human rights. While librarians and educators will find this an essential title for their shelves, book clubs and individual readers will equally find it useful for discussion, contemplation, and as an excellent introduction to the discussion of trans rights from a humanist perspective. While Gavin's story is far from over–and he may have many rocky roads ahead–this book will help readers and their caregivers better understand why it was necessary for him to make these difficult but vital choices. There's no choice here. Buy it! –Kirkus Reviews
(Preschool to Kindergarten)
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“With effusively inclusive rhyming language, Wai Lin crafts a promise of unconditional love from guardian to child in this board book. The narrator outlines many possibilities for their baby: ‘Maybe you like blue,/ maybe you like pink./ Maybe you believe/ gender/ is something to rethink.’ But whether they prefer dolls or trucks, or become an ‘engineer, activist, CEO,/ doctor, dancer, or a weirdo,’ the text notes that what matters most is the child's staying true to themself. Accompanied by Lopez's slickly rendered, fantastical illustrations–the book opens with two giant hands cradling a brown-skinned baby against a celestial background, and shows children of varying skin tones and gender presentations as they ride a unicorn, swim as a mermaid, and slide on a rainbow–this affectionate volume imbues a classic ‘be yourself’ narrative with gender-expansive affirmations, positioning guardians as partners in their children's journey to ‘find what's authentic & true.” –Publishers Weekly
(Grades 5 & Up)
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“Newbery Medal-winning author Lukoff brings a middle grade novel to warm the hearts of every rainbow family and ally. Annabelle enters sixth grade ready to make her final year at her small private school a great one–and the year starts auspiciously with a young teacher and a new friend, Bailey, who is nonbinary. All this good feeling begins to dwindle when Annabelle's father is inexplicably rude to Bailey, and the school principal allows an entitled mom to disrupt the class' plans to learn social studies by doing self-directed projects. Lukoff masterfully portrays the personalities, both child and adult, that Annabelle comes to know, believes she knows, and those whom Annabelle questions can ever know her. When she must handle the revelation that her own parents are queer and her transgender father gave birth to her, events could have become too big for the story. Yet Lukoff keeps them emotionally and narratively real, inviting empathy. VERDICT This one belongs in every library serving grade-school kids, and warrants booktalking and display to draw attention to the reality of the rainbow spectrum” –School Library Journal
(Preschool and Up)
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Bi-gender Charly is determined to find a Halloween costume that represents their whole identity, showing they're both a boy and a girl. Their Dracula costume makes their femme side feel erased, and the Little Red Riding Hood costume leaves their masc side in the dust. The only solution? Charly must get creative! They put their snipping and sewing skills to work and create a costume that makes them feel “joyfully jazzed, harmoniously hopeful, and one hundred percent Charly.” Cartoon-style digital illustrations are tinged with blue and purple Halloween hues and feature some whimsical, magical flourishes. When the time comes for the big reveal, Charly's mostly accepting friends think their costume is wacky but wonderful. Charly's refreshing confidence in their own gender identity is evident throughout the story, though the implication that a Dracula costume might only be for boys because Dracula was a male vampire may strike some readers as unnecessarily binary. Back matter includes information on bi-gender identity and select LGBTQIA+ resources. VERDICT Charly's joyous creativity and persistence will encourage trick-or-readers to think outside of the box this Halloween. –Kirkus Reviews
(Grades 5-8)
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An uplifting narrative about the freedom and clarity labels can offer. Gabriela is a middle schooler on a journey of self-discovery. As a Honduran child adopted by a White mom, they have never felt completely comfortable with their body or their community. But things start to change when Abbie and Héctor enter their school. Abbie is an Indian and Peruvian American trans intersex girl, and Héctor is a Guatemalan American bisexual genderfluid person. Together, with understanding, patience, and lessons in Queer 101, they invite Gabriela to start exploring words that could fit them. Though Gabriela's crush on Maya is a sweet addition to the story, it's the friendship between Gabriela and their two new friends that makes the book shine. With their acceptance and love, Gabriela navigates middle school classes and turmoil, their mother's depression, and a world that isn't always welcoming to queer folks. With stellar adult characters, accessible prose, a diverse cast, and an uplifting narrative, the book tells a quick-moving story that can serve as a guide for adults to explore the LGBTQ+ lexicon with young people and help middle-grade readers discover, like Gabriela does, the power of understanding and identifying themselves. Gabriela and their friends offer queer kids a story with a happy ending. A sweet book that's sure to spread love and hopefulness. –Kirkus Reviews
(Preschool to 1st Grade)
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“A snazzy kid throws a stylish party. Frankie is very excited about her ‘super deluxe garden party,’ inviting everyone in her class and decorating the backyard. Her supportive family–single mom, sweet brother, and slightly bratty sister, all White-presenting, like Frankie–help put together the special day, but there's a wrinkle: Frankie's mom picks out three dresses for her to choose from, but what Frankie really wants to wear is a suit. Via the succinct text matched with bold, robust, old-fashioned, yet immensely charming illustrations heavily weighted toward yellow, orange, and blue, readers learn that Frankie wants a suit made of ‘lightning bolts and stars and style.’ The pleasantly stocky child draws her ideal suit before giving up on her dream, but then her mother and siblings toil through the night to create it for her. There are some rough spots here and there–the reference to Frankie's ‘secret plan’ doesn't quite gel with the rest of the story–as well as some unexplained and uncontextualized anxiety she feels before showing off her new duds. But on the whole, this is a delightful, affirming story about finding your unique look without reducing it to simplistic, black-and-white, or reductive ideas about gender presentation. One of a kind.” –Kirkus Reviews
(Kindergarten to 3rd Grade)
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“A Tamil child finds love and solace in their grandmother's saris. The child watches as their paati opens her cupboard and out come tumbling saris in gorgeous colors, patterns, and weaves, each seeming to tell the story of where it comes from. Each sari beckons the young child as they and their grandmother explore different spaces–the market, the kitchen, festivities, and more. The book ends with the child–with Paati's help–donning a sari and proudly displaying it to the rest of the family. Though gender isn't explicitly mentioned in the text, the young narrator presents male, and the book seems to hint that the protagonist initially feels some hesitancy at wearing a sari in front of others; ultimately they're joyous when their family embraces them. (‘They see me. ME’). There's little tension in the story. However, the art makes up for the text. It's glorious, each sari resplendently rendered, the textiles telling a powerful story by themselves. The last sari, the one the child chooses for themself, is stunning. Tigers leap across the fabric as dazzling suns offer highlights to the blue and pink of the material, an invitation to the child to explore and be themself: ‘My paati's saris are my shelter, my home.’ Many readers will be especially heartened to see a tale of LGBTQ+ identity–and acceptance–in a South Asian setting. A simple yet empowering journey through a cupboard of saris and stories.” –Kirkus Reviews
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