10 Best Transgender Books in 2023 (Janet Mock, Julia Serano, and More)

Written by transgender and genderqueer authors, this book is a great look at the diverse trans community. It contains insights from experts and tackles a range of issues like religion, race, culture, mental health, sexuality, and gender-affirming medical treatment. 

Readers loved the well-rounded subject matter of the book as this is accessible for all types of people, whether they are in the trans community or not. They also loved the wide range of advice that the book has to offer and say it touches almost every facet of the transgender community.

Being filled with a lot of information, some readers found it hard to search for a specific topic about the transgender community with this book. Readers have stated that it lacks organization, but agreed that it is still a great book for learning about the experience of being transgender.

This book tackles transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to the present day. It discusses monumental moments such as trans movements, events, and important writings of influential transgender figures. It includes discussions on how transgender issues and people are being treated in today's media and pop culture.

Readers loved the well-compiled information of the book which includes the stories of several transgender heros who inspired great change. Reviewers appreciated the attention given to each historical account and the perspective of the author which added more depth. 

Some readers pointed out that they wanted to hear more about the contributions of other transgender people like non-binary individuals and trans men. They felt that the book focused mainly on trans women. But readers generally agreed that it is a great starting point to learn about transgender history.

Written by a social worker and a member of the transgender community, this book offers insight into psychological, physical, and social issues. It tackles the process of coming out and its effect on the transgender person and their friends and family. It also explores the different types of trans identities. 

Readers loved the book's readability and the way it was written for readers to easily grasp concepts. They also loved that their own questions about the transgender community were cleared up and answered by the book.

Some readers found this book to be too basic. They felt that the book lacked substance. It's better viewed as a beginner's guide to all things transgender and is a perfect starting point for people who are new to the subject.

This book is a manifesto on the misconceptions of transsexuality. It discusses the author's experiences with her transformation and the challenges she had to face before, during, and after her transition. It talks about how feminists and transgender activists have to work together to achieve a common goal.

Some readers found that the book became a little technical and used a lot of jargon that they found boring and difficult to get through. 

But other readers loved the thought-provoking topics that were tackled in this book. They liked how historical, sociological, and psychological aspects were taken into account to expound on transgender issues.

After coming out in 2011 in Marie Claire, Janet Mock has since become a well-known activist, writer, and director. Here, she recounts her journey of transformation. Drawing from personal experience, she recalls the challenges she faced growing up as a multicultural transgender child living in America.

Readers appreciated the memoir's unflinching honesty when discussing sensitive transgender issues and the role of gender in society. Readers found the memoir to be inspiring and filled with great insights that anyone can learn from.

This book is for the families of transgender people. It specifically targets questions on the upbringing of trans kids and answers questions on how to help guide them as they grow up. It also discusses the issues surrounding gender identity to help parents understand this more.

Readers were able to find valuable advice and appreciated the well-thought-out discussions. Reviewers found it very comprehensive and were generally satisfied with the way it handled sensitive subjects.

It helped parents understand their transgender children more and they found it a great companion in journeying with their children as they discover themselves.

This memoir tackles gender and transgender parenting. The author has been both a mother and father for years and has experienced parenting from both perspectives. She talks about how gender plays a part in parenting and offers advice on what it means to be a parent.

Some who had read the author's first book said this didn't offer new stories, details or insights. The main difference, they say, is this includes interviews with other parents and examines the connection between parent and child and how each family is unique in its own circumstances.

Readers found this book to be well-written and full of heart. They say it's hard to put down, funny, and eye-opening.

This critically-acclaimed young adult novel centers on the themes of self-identity and coming of age. The protagonist, Amanda, falls for Grant in her school but fears that he won't accept her if he finds out she used to be called Andrew.

There are some readers who felt the book was unrealistic and a bit like a fairy tale. Overall, reviewers commended this book for giving representation to transgender teens.

Readers said they resonated with the main character and her struggles to fit in. They found the story to be beautiful, compassionate, and heartwarming.

This is a collection of poems from more than 50 transgender writers. It includes a short message from each writer talking about the inspiration and the story behind the poem they wrote.

Readers felt inspired by the poems of the book. They loved that each author was given enough pages for their work to shine through. The messages from the authors also added depth to their poetry and gave context to their work.

A lot of readers loved the poetry collection as they got to empathize and understand the personal thoughts of the authors. They found it engaging and worth reading because of its messages about identity, gender, and the many facets of being trans.

This is a memoir is a story of a Filipino boy with albinism who had to cope being an immigrant in America while growing up transgender. This book tackles several issues such as disability, race, and gender identity and the struggles that come with it.

Some readers say the writer seemed obsessed with beauty and a bit shallow. However, others loved the riveting story of the author's background. They appreciated the coherent way the author talked about their trials. Reviewers stated that this book brought a powerful story because of this.