Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

Reviewed by Yusmibel L.
Grade 10

Beyond Magenta - Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin was an informative and perspective-challenging experience. Each section was thoughtfully written and the book contains a thorough explanation of its sources and the journey taken to create it. Although I felt quite positively about the book, each portion of it wasn’t equally enjoyable. It was easier to connect with some individual’s thoughts more than others. Despite this it definitely would provide a different experience to connect for every reader.

The book stars 6 teens--Jessy, Christina, Mariah, Cameron, Nat, and Luke. Each story was mostly written in a loose interview with an introspective take on their childhood. They all somewhat include the discovery of their gender, their personal and family relationships, and challenges they experienced throughout their life . Although these people identify as transgender, they each have vastly different experiences. Half of the participants fall within the binary of male or female; the other half fall somewhere between those two lines.

Quite possibly the best part of the book was the style in which it was written. It was easy to read. All of these people have vastly different relationships with their gender identity. Each ‘chapter’ reflects this by having a different flair to it customized by each subject. With a special distinction made with Luke’s chapter, his story is written more as a play to express his involvement in theatre and the arts. His chapter is also where the book gets its name. 

The comparison between each segment was subtle at points but gave some insight into the style and personality of each person that the writing couldn't. The use of photographs throughout the story helped create a connection between the contributors of the book. Although the book has some relevant resources in the final chapter of the book, some bits of the book do reveal it as somewhat dated. Although I feel this doesn’t detract much from the value of the book, it’s to be noted it interchangeably uses transsexual and transgender. Neither of these terms are inherently wrong in their meaning. However, transsexual can be considered a more specific term under the transgender umbrella. Transexual can also be considered an offensive term for some and has gone out of popular use in 2018. It also includes the term metrosexual, another term that has fallen in popularity and use.

Beyond Magenta is a part of the ALA’s top 10 most challenged books of 2021 for its LQBTQIA+ content and because it’s considered sexually explicit. Although both of these are characteristics of the book, they are both crucial to the book’s message and informative nature. Written in a subheading labeled “nut’s and bolts” in the Authors' note, Kuklin states the basic plan of the book was to write non-fiction about sex and alienation. 

Although the book is in part somewhat outdated, it’s written about a complex and evolving subject. I cannot step into the shoes of my transgender friends and, although I know some of their experience, I’m somewhat ignorant on the subject. I don’t know the nuance of their relationship with gender. This book was a fantastic chance to broaden my view on how complex that relationship is and can be. There is so much more to being trans than simply wanting to be a boy or a girl and being in the opposite body. The people in this book were messy, unique, and sincere in the telling of their story.

Several times did it make me want to step back and try to read the book as if I were different people. I recommend this book. It was a learning experience for me and the goal was definitely successfully achieved experience.