18 November 2014

Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen


Andrews, Arin. Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen. Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2014.

Arin Andrews is transgender. He was born with a female body, but eventually realized that he is, in fact, male, and was able to transition while still a teen. This is his story, intertwined with that of his former girlfriend, Katie Rain Hill. The teens were the poster children of the trans* community and have worked hard for trans* awareness and equal rights.

Arin's story is uniquely his own, and as I read this book immediately after finishing Katie's memoir, it was interesting to note both the differences in their individual experiences and the different ways the two of them experienced the same event or same conversation. I am glad that Arin has been able to tell his story and give greater visibility to the trans* community.

Recommended for: teens, adults, those who work with teens
Red Flags: Arin discusses the options regarding his "bottom surgery" in fairly explicit detail; he also has sex with several people and gives a few vague details about those experiences
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition,Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out

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