Coping with Gender Dysphoria

Starred review from October 1, 2017
Grades 7-10 *Starred Review* This entry in the Coping series expertly addresses the issue of gender dysphoria, defined as a conflict between a person's physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify. Such conflict can cause significant distress and/or problems functioning. These are among the complexity of issues that the author, herself a transgender woman, addresses with insight and empathy. Despite the fact that there are an estimated 1.4 million transgender persons in the U.S., they remain often misunderstood and, as a result, excoriated, or, in the worst cases, are made victims of transphobia and violence. Such circumstances have the potential to generate self-harm. In fact, a staggering 40 percent of transgender people have attempted suicide in their lifetime. In one of the six chapters, McGrody demonstrates that this isn't the only mental health issue caused by dysphoria. Other chapters deal with such issues as gender presentation, medical care, and combating transphobia and cissexism. The text is expanded by numerous sidebar features addressing such ancillary issues as gender identities, myths and facts, pronouns, and more. Finally, to put human faces on the issues she addresses, the author includes numerous photos of transgender youth. Significantly, the author writes that everyone deserves a happy and healthy life. This book promises that transgender people may be among them.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)