Parking Lot Construction: As part of our ongoing work to maintain and improve Central Library, the parking lot will be closed for construction from Tuesday, July 28, to Saturday, August 1. Visit the Central Library page for more details. 

CLOSURE: Central Library will be closed Tuesday, July 21, through Saturday, July 25, while emergency repairs are made to the building’s cooling system. We expect to reopen Monday, July 27.

Notice of Public Meeting: Kalamazoo Public Library Board of Trustees | July 27 | 5:30 pm | Central Library/Van Deusen Room. The packet of information for the meeting can be found on the library’s website. 

Book

Free to be : understanding kids & gender identity

Call Number

  • 305.3 T931 (CEN, OSH)

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Edition

First Atria Books hardcover edition.

Publication Information

New York : Atria Books, 2024.

Physical Description

viii, 295 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Summary

"From an acclaimed expert on the mental health of transgender and gender diverse youth, an authoritative guide to understanding and navigating the landscape of gender identity -- for our children, and ourselves. Kids today are more fluent and expansive in their notions of gender than ever before. In America, around 2 percent of teenagers (more than 700,000) openly identify as transgender. As it becomes increasingly common for us to encounter trans and gender diverse youth, it is vital that we have the necessary tools in order to truly see and support them. In this groundbreaking book, internationally renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Jack Turban takes a deep dive into the science, medicine, and history that undergird our modern understanding of gender identity. We follow along with three trans and gender diverse youth -- Meredith, Kyle, and Sam -- as they navigate their gender identities, make critical decisions around gender-affirming medical and psychological care, and confront an overwhelming political and social environment. Compassionate, rigorous, and grounded in the latest scientific research, Free to Be is an essential road map for how we can best equip ourselves to help the kids in our lives traverse the complex terrain of gender identity, while gaining profound insight into what the nuances of gender can mean for ourselves and society at large." --

Contents

  • Prologue : Jumping into the gender wars
  • In the crossfire : meet Meredith, Kyle & Sam
  • A child by any other name : understanding the language of gender
  • Gender foundation : the biology of diverse gender identities
  • It's always the mom : the pseudoscience of blaming parents and social environments
  • Puberty blockers : buying time
  • Choosing puberty : estrogen & testosterone
  • Gender surgery
  • The science of gender politics : bathrooms, sports & legislating medicine
  • An eye on the future : how gender and society will continue to evolve.

Subjects