Transisteristhestoryofafamilyintransition.Notaprescriptivenarrativebutanaffirmingone.Araw,honest,sometimeshumorousaccountofauthorKateBrookes’sjourneyasheryoungchildgrappleswithgenderidentityandbecomesherauthenticself.Brookeshaslongedtobecomeamotherforaslongasshecanremember.Andforalmostaslong,shehasharboredafiercedeterminationtoparentherchildrendifferently--better--thanherownmentallyillmomparentedher.Tocreatethe“normal“familyshe’salwayswishedfor.Andwhenshegivesbirthtotwinsaftertwoyearsoffertilitystruggles,sheis,admittedly,hugelyrelievedthatshe’sfoundherselfwithtwoboys.Therewillbenoneedforher,adecidedlyun-girlygirl,tobraidhair,buyBarbiedolls,orpickoutpartydressesforherkids.Boys.Easy.Right?Butbythetimehertwinsareeight,Brookeshashadtworealizations:1)herobstetrician’s“it’sanotherboy“announcementwasflat-outwrong,and2)thereisnosuchthingasa“normal“family--andthat’sabeautifulthing.
