Amanda Jette Knox

The subtitle of this book really sums up the whole memoir: A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family. I think the author carefully chose the verb "thriving" rather than "living" or "surviving" or "being". Thriving connotes a much more optimistic tone than those others and sets the tone for what would have been an upheaval.

Amanda Knox thought she had a pretty standard nuclear family: three sons, a father and a mother. She recognized that there were issues. Their middle child had problems at school and her spouse always seemed to be angry. She herself struggled with depression and anxiety. Turns out those were just symptoms of gender identity and sexuality factors. Within a few years her middle child came out as a girl, her spouse revealed he had always gender identified as a female and she recognized that she was a lesbian. The story of how the family got through these challenging times is very affirming and a great read. I would imagine that for parents and children facing similar challenges this book would be a lifesaver.… (mer)

Amanda Jette Knox has written this story of her family with the hope it will help other people and families deal with transgender issues. She has also written it with sometimes brutal honesty, some humour and always with love and compassion.

Amanda's middle child came out as transgender when she was 11. About a year later, the person Amanda always thought of as her husband also....after years of carrying a huge emotional and psychological burden...admitted that she was also transgender.

My son's best friend transitioned when they were in high school. I have three friends with transgender children or grandchildren.
So, I have people I care about in this group and I try to be supportive and respectful. Ms. Knox's book gave me some further insights in this regard. I am happy that things are getting better for all members of the LGBTQ community, but there is still a long way to go, making this an important (as well as entertaining) book.… (mer)