Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Disclaimer x
Introduction xiii
Speaking 1
"You Can Call Me Mike!" 4
Not Twins, but Close 6
Cross Country Doesn't Feel Super Far (When You're Six) 9
Cool Bike, Yo 11
Talent Shows in 1999 16
Tomboy 18
A/S/L? 34
Cancer 40
Blending In 42
JX 46
Peter Pan 49
Sneaking to Youth Pride in Boston 52
You Can't Always Get What You Want 55
Ice Cracks, Hearts Break 63
Unitarian Universalism 67
The Word; Transgender 72
Thinking, Thinking, Crying, Thinking, Hoping 77
Dissection and the Construct of Gender 80
Questioning While Certain 84
What Is a Name? 87
Coming Out 89
Transitioning Seems Expensive 94
Sixteen 98
A Circle, a Bird 100
Listen Up? 101
Gender Therapy 108
Gym Class 110
Parental Involvement 114
On Birds and Bodies 117
Full Speed Ahead 119
2008 129
Have You Hugged Your Kid Today? 136
Bathroom Bouncer 139
Getting Accepted into College: A Casual Miracle 142
"I'm an Obama Baby!" 145
Day One-January 21st 151
YouTube and Community 153
As Our Lives Change, Come Whatever 156
Stealth 159
Skylar Tucker Kergil: Legalized 166
Top Surgery 169
Coming Out Is a Lifelong Process 173
Scars 175
Sophomore Slump 177
Some Days It Feels Like 179
Kissing Is just Like Falling Right on Someone's Face 181
Period 183
A Primary Care Physician, an Ultrasound Technician, and a Surgical Assistant 195
Bellybutton 202
Will I Die? 205
Daughters 208
Day of Silence 210
Why I Out Myself 213
Then Love Lets You Let Go 216
Re-Humanizing the Transmasculine Community 218
Inspiring Toward Wholeness 222
Moms 225
When People Aren't Kind 229
That Time I Almost Fist-Bumped Joe Biden 233
Tell Me a Story 237
Camping 239
"For a Moment, I Didn't Feel the Pain" 241
Conversation with Mom 244
Conversation with Dad 250
Conversation with JT 254
Resources & Inspiration 257