Trans - A Memoir

**Moving memoir and insightful examination of transgender politics**__TRANS__ is the story of growing up, of finding an identity, and about the politics of gender. In July 2012, aged thirty, Juliet Jacques underwent sex reassignment surgery and felt for the first time that her body matched the person she felt she had been since childhood. Through university and then in a series of dead-end clerical jobs, Jacques felt out of place with her surroundings, and with who she really was. Living in Brighton, trying to launch a career as a writer, she navigates the hostilities and misunderstandings of growing up in a time where the mainstream media--and even feminism--fail to acknowledge transgender identity. Yet through films, music, politics and football she begins to find herself, and starts the process of transition, and life beyond. Through her memoir, Jacques interweaves the narrative with powerful explorations of many of the major debates surrounding... “Powerful and engaging.” — New York Times “Brutally honest and funny.” — Marie Claire “A lyrical exploration of [Jacques’s] gender journey.” — Guardian “A marvelously nuanced” transgender memoir, “brilliantly contextualized in the disparate worlds of pop culture, football, mass media, and the NHS” (Kate Bornstein, author of A Queer and Pleasant Danger ). In July 2012, aged 30, Juliet Jacques underwent sex reassignment surgery—a process she chronicled with unflinching honesty in a serialized national newspaper column. Trans tells of her life to the present moment: a story of growing up, of defining yourself, and of the rapidly changing world of gender politics. Fresh from university, eager to escape a dead-end job, she launches a career as a writer in a publishing culture dominated by London cliques and still figuring out the impact of the Internet. She navigates the treacherous waters of a world where, even in the liberal and feminist media, transgender identities go unacknowledged, misunderstood or worse. Yet through art, film, music, politics and football, Jacques starts to become the person she had only imagined, and begins the process of transition. Interweaving the personal with the political, her memoir is a powerful exploration of debates that comprise trans politics, issues which promise to redefine our understanding of what it means to be alive. Revealing, honest, humorous, and self-deprecating, Trans includes an epilogue with Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be? , in which Jacques and Heti discuss the cruxes of writing and identity. Moving memoir and insightful examination of transgender politics Six weeks before sex reassignment surgery (SRS), I am obliged to stop taking my hormones. I suddenly feel very differently about my forthcoming operation. In July 2012, aged thirty, Juliet Jacques underwent sex reassignment surgerya process she chronicled with unflinching honesty in a serialised national newspaper column. Trans tells of her life to the present moment: a story of growing up, of defining yourself, and of the rapidly changing world of gender politics. Fresh from university, eager to escape a dead-end job, she launches a career as a writer in a publishing culture dominated by London cliques and still figuring out the impact of the Internet. She navigates the treacherous waters of a world where, even in the liberal and feminist media, transgender identities go unacknowledged, misunderstood or worse. Yet through art, film, music, politics and football, Jacques starts to become the person she had only imagined, and begins the process of transition. Interweaving the personal with the political, her memoir is a powerful exploration of debates that comprise trans politics, issues which promise to redefine our understanding of what it means to be alive. Revealing, honest, humorous, and self-deprecating, Trans includes an epilogue with Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be? , in which Jacques and Heti discuss the cruxes of writing and identity. From the Hardcover edition. An extraordinary memoir of transition and transgender politics and culture “Six weeks before sex reassignment surgery (SRS), I am obliged to stop taking my hormones. I suddenly feel very differently about my forthcoming operation.” In July 2012, aged thirty, Juliet Jacques underwent sex reassignment surgery—a process she chronicled with unflinching honesty in a serialised national newspaper column. Trans tells of her life to the present moment: a story of growing up, of defining yourself, and of the rapidly changing world of gender politics. Fresh from university, eager to escape a dead-end job, she launches a career as a writer in a publishing culture dominated by London cliques and still figuring out the impact of the Internet. She navigates the treacherous waters of a world where, even in the liberal and feminist media, transgender identities go unacknowledged, misunderstood or worse. Yet through art, film, music, politics and football, Jacques starts to become the person she had only imagined, and begins the process of transition. Interweaving the personal with the political, her memoir is a powerful exploration of debates that comprise trans politics, issues which promise to redefine our understanding of what it means to be alive. Revealing, honest, humorous, and self-deprecating, Trans includes an epilogue with Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be?, in which Jacques and Heti discuss the cruxes of writing and identity. Moving Memoir And Insightful Examination Of Transgender Politics Trans Is The Story Of Growing Up, Of Finding An Identity, And About The Politics Of Gender. In July 2012, Aged Thirty, Juliet Jacques Underwent Sex Reassignment Surgery And Felt For The First Time That Her Body Matched The Person She Felt She Had Been Since Childhood. Through University And Then In A Series Of Dead-end Clerical Jobs, Jacques Felt Out Of Place With Her Surroundings, And With Who She Really Was. Living In Brighton, Trying To Launch A Career As A Writer, She Navigates The Hostilities And Misunderstandings Of Growing Up In A Time Where The Mainstream Media And Even Feminism Fail To Acknowledge Transgender Identity. Yet Through Films, Music, Politics And Football She Begins To Find Herself, And Starts The Process Of Transition, And Life Beyond. Through Her Memoir, Jacques Interweaves The Narrative With Powerful Explorations Of Many Of The Major Debates Surrounding Trans: The Uses Of Life Writing, The Relationship With Feminism, And The Before And After Images That Illustrated So Many Articles And Documentaries. Brilliantly Written, Revealing And Honest, Trans Also Includes An Epilogue With Award-winning Author Sheila Heti, In Which Jacques And Heti Discuss The Issues Facing Transgender People. "'Six weeks before sex reassignment surgery (SRS), I am obliged to stop taking my hormones. I suddenly feel very differently about my forthcoming operation.' In July 2012, aged thirty, Juliet Jacques underwent sex reassignment surgery...a process she chronicled with unflinching honesty in a serialised national newspaper column. Trans tells of her life to the present moment: a story of growing up, of defining yourself, and of the rapidly changing world of gender politics. Fresh from university, eager to escape a dead-end job, she launches a career as a writer in a publishing culture dominated by London cliques and still figuring out the impact of the Internet. She navigates the treacherous waters of a world where, even in the liberal and feminist media, transgender identities go unacknowledged, misunderstood or worse. Yet through art, film, music, politics and football, Jacques starts to become the person she had only imagined, and begins the process of transition. Interweaving the personal with the political, her memoir is a powerful exploration of debates that comprise trans politics, issues which promise to redefine our understanding of what it means to be alive."...From dust jacket In July 2012, aged thirty, Juliet Jacques underwent sex reassignment surgery-a process she chronicled with unflinching honesty in a serialised national newspaper column. Trans tells of her life to the present moment: a story of growing up, of defining yourself, and of the rapidly changing world of gender politics. Fresh from university, eager to escape a dead-end job and launch a career as a writer, she navigates the treacherous waters of a world where, even in the liberal and feminist media, transgender identities go unacknowledged, misunderstood or worse. Revealing, honest,humorous, and self-deprecating, Trans includes an epilogue with Sheila Heti, author of How Should a Person Be? Deep down, I feel just as genderqueer after the physical changes as before. I believe that there are as many gender identities as there are people; all unique, all constantly being explored in conscious and unconscious ways Based on the "Transgender Journey" series written for The Guardian newspaper between 2010 and 2012, the author chronicles her experience with sex reassignment surgery and examines (trans)gender politics