My very honest opinion on a trans book written by a cis guy
Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin (B+B, 2016)
I would like to begin by self-identifying. I am a trans-masculine person. I came out as non-binary at 17, as a transgender man at 18, and started HRT at 19. I am currently 21 and have been on testosterone for 1 year and 8 months. I have recently started to pass as a man in public, especially with a mask on, although the stares toward my body are instant the second I talk. Existing was a lot harder before HRT. I believe my lived experience as a high schooler in America, while being very openly a non-passing transgender boy, is of value when stating my opinion on this book.
The main character is a genderfluid kid. I can relate to many of the feelings they describe throughout the book, but it is, in my opinion, very clearly written by a cisgender man. It gets some things right about the trans experience, but so many wrong, that it becomes unbearable to read at times.
Their interaction with the world isn't realistic to my experience. People bullied them and made comments about their appearance without ever determining which gender they were assigned at birth. It is a very interesting concept, but a concept not based whatsoever in reality. The reality of the trans experience is in fact being constantly misgendered in public. Being continuously called the gender you do not identify with. There is no total androgyny in this so binary world we live in. There will (unfortunately) always be an assumption.
This is a book written by a cisgender man about transgender people for cisgender people to read. If not, who’s the audience for this? There are many quotable phrases that are relatable for the trans audience (which is, I assume, where the transgender people consulted had an input).
We, transgender people, experience many basic microaggressions on a daily basis that weren't mentioned. I understand this is because it is not the lived experience of the author. Coming out and ab*se are big things, but most of being trans are the stares, comments, or little things that trigger our dysphoria or discomfort every single day. A big one being pronouns.
Pronouns could've been a driving point to show Riley's gender discomfort or dysphoria. They are a pretty big deal in the transgender community if you ask me. There were many moments where the writer used “he -or she”, making the first-impression assumption on the other character's gender, instead of using gender-neutral pronouns. This is an interesting choice, considering the main character is never addressed by others with any pronouns. Not even they/them pronouns. I guess pronouns other than he/him or she/her were too progressive for our cisgender writer.
In conclusion, I just couldn’t be convinced that this book was written by a transgender or genderfluid person.
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I’m honored that THE LIGHTNESS OF HANDS has been chosen as a BANK STREET COLLEGE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR! . . Titles on this list are chosen by the Children’s Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education as the best of the best published in 2020. In choosing books for the annual list, reviewers consider literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers. Other criteria include credibility of characterization and plot, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, positive treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes. Each book accepted for the list is read and reviewed by at least two committee members and then discussed by the committee as a whole. . . . . . #jeffgarvin #thelightnessofhands #symptomsofbeinghuman #bankstreetcollege #BooksAreEssential #bookstagram #bookish #instabook #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #igreads #igbooks #bookaholic #bookaddiction #bookishfeatures #totalbooknerd #becauseofreading #bookcommunity #bookishlove #whattoread #bookrecommendations #booksofig #booksofinsta #currentread #bookobsessed #readabook #fortheloveofreading #toberead https://www.instagram.com/p/CTXum08vQBd/?utm_medium=tumblr
AT LAST! Author copies of THE LIGHTNESS OF HANDS have arrived at my house. Ah, that new book smell. It’s a beautiful edition, thank you @balzerandbray. Readers: if you won the contest, your book will be mailed out shortly! And if you didn’t win, check the link in bio and go get your own copy wherever awesome books are sold. . . . . #thelightnessofhands #symptomsofbeinghuman #Jeffgarvin #BooksAreEssential #kidlitquarantine #bookstagram #bookish #instabook #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #igreads #igbooks #bookaholic #bookaddiction #bookishfeatures #totalbooknerd #becauseofreading #bookcommunity #bookishlove #whattoread #bookrecommendations #booksofig #booksofinsta #currentread #bookobsessed #readabook #fortheloveofreading #toberead https://www.instagram.com/p/CTVKENqi22H/?utm_medium=tumblr
THE LIGHTNESS OF HANDS paperback spotted in the wild by my friend and brilliant author Brittany Cavallaro @skippingstones at @brilliantbookstc in Traverse, MI. Thank you, Bri! . . . . . #thelightnessofhands #symptomsofbeinghuman #jeffgarvin #yalit #kidlitquarantine #bookstagram #authorsofinstagram #instabook #igreads #igbooks #bookaholic #tbr https://www.instagram.com/p/CSmy7e8JzW8/?utm_medium=tumblr
DRIVE & SIGN continues at my favorite indie bookstore: ONCE UPON A TIME in Montrose, CA (near Pasadena.) It’s a beautiful store run by delightful people. Maureen and Jessica pictured here, but off-screen are Maddie and Pippi Longstocking (the cat.) They have a great online store, so if you’re not in SoCal and you want signed copies, check the link in my bio! . . . . . . #thelightnessofhands #yalit #jeffgarvin #symptomsofbeinghuman #BooksAreEssential #kidlitquarantine #cv19ReadAloud #bookstagram #bookish #instabook #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #igreads #igbooks #bookaholic #bookaddiction #bookishfeatures #totalbooknerd #barnesandnoble #bookcommunity #bookishlove #whattoread #bookrecommendations #booksofig #booksofinsta #currentread #bookobsessed #tbr (at Once Upon A Time Bookstore) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSh352SBXik/?utm_medium=tumblr
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The DRIVE & SIGN BOOK TOUR continues! Today’s stop was Barnes & Noble in Fullerton, CA, where I misspent much of my youth, and where a significant portion of SYMPTOMS takes place. Signed copies are here, but not for long! Go get ‘em, OC-ites. Special thanks to creative photographer and YA lover Victoria. . . . #thelightnessofhands #yalit #jeffgarvin #symptomsofbeinghuman #BooksAreEssential #kidlitquarantine #cv19ReadAloud #bookstagram #bookish #instabook #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #igreads #igbooks #bookaholic #bookaddiction #bookishfeatures #totalbooknerd #barnesandnoble #bookcommunity #bookishlove #whattoread #bookrecommendations #booksofig #booksofinsta #currentread #bookobsessed #readabook #tbr (at Barnes & Noble) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSe9CELJjSJ/?utm_medium=tumblr
THE DRIVE & SIGN BOOK TOUR HAS BEGUN! Signed copies of THE LIGHTNESS OF HANDS and SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN are in-store now at @bnranchocucamonga ! Thanks to Becca & Ally for a fun signing experience. (Also, Put Ally’s forthcoming novel SHIFT (Skin #2) on your TBR.) . . . . . . #thelightnessofhands #yalit #jeffgarvin #symptomsofbeinghuman #BooksAreEssential #kidlitquarantine #cv19ReadAloud #bookstagram #bookish #instabook #booklover #bookaddict #igreads #igbooks #bookaholic #bookaddiction #bookishfeatures #totalbooknerd #barnesandnoble #bookcommunity #bookishlove #whattoread #bookrecommendations #booksofig #booksofinsta #currentread #bookobsessed #readabook #tbr (at Barnes & Noble) https://www.instagram.com/p/CScukbJhEpV/?utm_medium=tumblr
🚨GIVEAWAY!🚨From the author of SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN comes THE LIGHTNESS OF HANDS. “A realistic, startling portrait of what it’s like for a high school girl with bipolar II…an unforgettable tale.”⭐️—School Library Journal. ENTER TO WIN books, swag, and a one-on-one zoom with me. (See link in bio.) . . . . . #thelightnessofhands #yalit #jeffgarvin #symptomsofbeinghuman #BooksAreEssential #kidlitquarantine #cv19ReadAloud #bookstagram #bookish #instabook #bibliophile #booklover #bookaddict #igreads #igbooks #bookaholic #bookaddiction #bookishfeatures #totalbooknerd #becauseofreading #bookcommunity #bookishlove #whattoread #bookrecommendations #booksofig #booksofinsta #currentread #bookobsessed #readabook #tbr https://www.instagram.com/p/CSccgVlJfG0/?utm_medium=tumblr
