Ya books trans gay autism
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Did you know Autism Acceptance Month (also established as Autism Awareness Month or World Autism Month) is celebrated in April? Here are some books with autistic characters that we recommend checking out!
Children’s Picture Books
Charlie Makes a Splash!
by Holly Robinson Peete and RJ Peete; illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Charlie, a boy with autism, describes what his being is like with his twin sister Callie, who does not have autism, and explains how water–whether in a pool, a tub, or in the aquarium–is like a affectionate hug, which settles him down and calms his mind, allowing him to focus and cope.
It Was Supposed to be Sunny
by Samantha Cotterill
Laila’s birthday party, perfectly planned with her autism in mind, goes awry due to a change in weather and an accident with her cake, but with the help of her mom and her service puppy, Laila knows she can handle this
It’s Me, Henry!
by Stéphanie Deslauriers; illustrated by Geneviève Després; translated by Charles Simard.
Henry, who is on the autism spectrum, struggles to connect with his classmates until they visit the botanical gardens, where his passion for botany make
Laura Kate Dale is the author of Uncomfortable Labels: My Life as a Gay Autistic Trans Girl and their second novel, for children, Me and My Dysphoria Monster. This beautifully illustrated book follows the story of Nisha.
Nisha’s monster follows her everywhere. It used to be small, but recently her monster has begun to grow. And as her monster gets bigger and bigger, Nisha feels more and more unlike herself.
When people refer to Nisha as a lad, or when she tries to hide her factual gender identity, Nisha’s dysphoria monster grows larger and larger. Until, one night, Nisha meets Jack – a trans man – who shows Nisha how she can shrink her dysphoria monster back down to size.We talk to Laura about her motivations for writing Me and My Dysphoria Monster – the first children’s publication to fully explore gender dysphoria and how to deal with it.
When I think back on my childhood, and the fact I didn’t appear out as a gender non-conforming woman until the age of 18, the biggest factors that delayed my coming out were a lack of positive visibility of trans lives, and a lack of access to language to properly understand my own identity.
Sure, there were other
by Shelley Charlesworth
What’s the injure in trans picture books for children? Many might argue they impart essential values of acceptance and understanding to a adolescent audience; values that fit into the popular narrative in children’s literature that they should ‘be kind’ and at the equal time ‘be yourself.’
There’s been a huge increase in such books recently in response to one of the most successful political campaigns of our time; to persuade the common that the interests of trans people are inextricably linked to those of lesbians, gays and bisexuals. The publishing industry has been happy to endorse and amplify this unthinking connection across all genres, YA, middle grade, fiction and non-fiction and the picture book market.
But measure the way gay and lesbian stories are written for children with those about trans characters and the faulty logic of equating sexual orientation with gender identity is exposed.
Books for children about existence gay or lesbian always feature recognisable adults, although sometimes in the build of kings, princesses or animals, as the main characters in the story. The gay parent storyline is popular with titles like My Daddies, Two Dads, Heat
Blurb
Bringing together a collection of narratives from those who are on the autism spectrum whilst also identifying as queer woman , gay, bisexual, gender nonconforming, queer, intersex and/or asexual (LGBTQIA), this book explores the intersection of the two spectrums as well as the diverse experiences that come with it. By providing information and advice based on in-depth explore and personal accounts, the narratives will be immensely valuable to teenagers, adults, partners and families. The authors circular these stories with a discussion of themes across narratives, and implications for the issues discussed.
In the closing chapter, the authors reflect on commonly asked questions from a clinical perspective, bringing in relevant research, as skillfully as sharing best-practice tips and considerations that may be helpful for LGBTQIA and ASD teenagers and adults. These may also be used by family members and clinicians when counselling teenagers and adults on the dual spectrum. With each chapter structured around LGBTQIA and autism spectrum identities, Gender Persona, Sexuality and Autism highlights the fluidity of gender individuality, sexual orientation and neurodiversity and provides a space fo