"You're in the Wrong Bathroom!": And 20 Other Myths and Misconceptions About Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming People

Description

Debunks the 21 most commons myths and misperceptions about transgender issues. From Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner to Thomas Beatie ('the pregnant man') and transgender youth, coverage of trans lives has been exploding-yet so much misinformation persists. Bringing together the medical, social, psychological, and political aspects of being trans in the United States today, "You're in the Wrong Bathroom!" unpacks the twenty-one most common myths and misconceptions about transgender and gender-nonconforming people. Authors Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, a psychiatrist, and Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW-R, a writer and activist, address myths about trans identity (trans people are 'trapped in the wrong body'), sex and relationships (most trans people do sex work and have HIV), health and safety (trans people are mentally ill and therapy can change them), and history and community (trans people and feminists don't get along).

Laura Erickson-Schroth, MD, MA (New York, NY), is a psychiatrist working with LGBTQ people in New York City. She is the editor of Trans Bodies, Trans Selves, a resource guide written by and for transgender people. Find her at writerdoctor.com. Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW-R (New York, NY) is a trans and genderqueer-identified psychotherapist, writer, activist, and public speaker working with transgender and gender-nonconforming, LGBTQ+, and sexual/gender diversity issues.

"The writing is clear, honest, and sensitive to the transgender population...A timely and worthwhile purchase for libraries as well as middle- and high-school counseling offices, community centers, and places of worship." -Booklist, Starred Review "This timely publication addresses much of the misinformation about the trans community that persists despite increasing media coverage both popular and serious. The authors scrupulously present the range of different positions on each issue addressed, so anyone hoping for easy cut-and-dried answers will be forced to think again. The book, which will enlighten both general and specialist readers, includes a full range of documentary references, conferences, organizations, and sources of funding for the cause." -The New York Journal of Books "Erickson-Schroth and Jacobs tackle misinformation head on, and by providing an explanation as to how and why this happens, they humanize the issue." -The San Antonio Current "This is an ideal book to dispel many pernicious myths that prevent otherwise well-intentioned people from fully understanding the trans experience." -School Library Journal "This insightful and instructive primer clears up many common falsehoods about what it means to be trans or gender-nonconforming, without relying on dense political jargon or dry, specialized academic lingo. The book's clear, direct language and compassionate, no-nonsense approach helps dispel the confusion and bigotry that often overshadows public perception of transgender issues. . . .Buy this book and share it with our whole family." -Bust "A breath of fresh air. This book provides, with equal measures of scholarship and humanity, thoughtful pushback against the most common misconceptions, misunderstandings, and just plain lies about trans people and the people who love them. A book for everyone, You're in the Wrong Bathroom will open hearts, change minds, and save lives." -Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She's Not There and Long Black Veil "Amid all the misinformation about trans lives and people, this is a refreshingly accurate book that covers the most pernicious myths and also has the virtue of being written accessibly. Everyone from therapists and teachers to parents and young people will find the book invaluable." -Carol Bernstein, former president of the American Psychiatric Association