#theartoftransliness

Your (Book) Questions, Answered: Week Four!

This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids comes out on September 9th! THAT IS LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY OMG OMG OMG OMG

Many of you, understandably (and awesomely) have questions about wtf this book is all about - sooooo, we are taking your questions in our Tumblr ask box, and will answer 4 every Saturday (**edit: we are a day late, it is Sunday, we knowwww**) until we answer them all!

TADA!!!!

Hi! Does the book have anything on gender identity/genderqueerness etc?

WHAT AN EXCELLENT AND IMPORTANT QUESTION.

YES! We would never have written a book that did not address gender identity and gender expression. However, we would also never be so presumptuous to write an entire chapter on gender identity/expression ourselves since we both identify as cisgendered. So, in the early stages of our writing, we formed a team of people who were either parents of transgender children, or who identified as trans* themselves, and they shaped the questions that are included in our gender chapter.  We then collaborated directly with Zak from The Art of Transliness and his mom Sherri (aka PFLAG Mom) to create the language that went into those answers. Zak and Sherri both also have their personal stories in that chapter!  The book's glossary of terms also covers many identities on the gender spectrum, and the gender chapter starts with a basic discussion on the difference between gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality.

You guys always seem to have cool stories about your life so far. Are there any of your stories in the book?

Yes! The book actually begins (after the introduction) with each of our personal coming out stories!

There is also at least one story from one or both of us in each chapter, tied into particular advice questions. For example, Dannielle has a small story that goes along with the question that addresses gender expression and clothing choices, and Kristin has a small story that goes along with the relationship between sexuality and faith.

Each chapter also has two longer stories that are not from us, but rather from one parent and one kid -- those stories also tie into the overall chapter theme (Gender, Religion, Telling Others, Etc)!! Stories, stories, galore!

Do you know if you will be supplying libraries in other countries apart from the US, so parents can find the book there as well?

We definitely have distribution in Canada, but past that we will be waiting to see what happens during the pre-order season (now!) and then after the official release. Those sales and that reception will determine a lot for the future of the book! That said, if you have a specific need, please email us at parentsproject (at) everyoneisgay (dot) com and we will always forward it on to our publisher / do our best to make things happen! 

About your new book coming out, if it becomes successful, are you planning on writing a sequel to it answering more parent's questions about this subject?

Oh man, yes and how. We'd love to write another book to help parents with even more questions, but there are also tons of possibilities on writing a book for LGBTQ young people. Personal stories from us, advice, drawings of cats WHO KNOWS YOU KNOW?!

It's probably the kind of thing where we will see what happens with this release and then talk and brainstorm and ask the universe what comes next. That's generally how we run the whole business sooooo...

Also maybe we could write a joint memoir. It could be titled “LOL YOU GUYS THO”

This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids comes out on September 9th (*more squeals*), and is already totally available for pre-order (*so many more squeals*)