Tristan Silver LIS-60626

GENDER IDENTITY
Young adulthood is a time of questioning the beliefs that you grew up with, including
political beliefs, spiritual beliefs, and aspects of your identity. Gender identity can be
a big question to grapple with. Like many topics, gender is more complex than what
many people are taught in grade school. This toolkit will help broaden your knowledge
of the subject.

As of 2022, there are 300,000 teens

and 1.3 million adults in the United
States who identify as transgender
(Herman et al., 2022).
01
Transgender people live in all 50
states, including Washington D.C.
02
03
Many cultures around the world recognize
the existence of more than two genders,
including the Indigenous North American
two-spirit, the Native Hawaiian Māhū, and
Hijra in India.

04
Gender-affirming care has been found to
decrease depression & anxiety symptoms
and increase life satisfaction in youth
(Chen et al., 2023).

05
Very few trans people regret transitioning,
a review of 27 studies finding that only 1%
of people regret having gender-affirming
surgeries (Bustos et al., 2021).
 Community
Resources
Kaleidoscope Youth Center (KYC)

Open to those aged 12-20 years old, this drop-in community

space offers free programming including art clubs, movie &
pizza nights, and discussion groups about gender identity and
neurodivergence. KYC's Gender Affirming Project provides
FREE binder & gaffs to trans young adults up to age 24.

https://www.kycohio.org/

Equitas Health

A nonprofit community healthcare system with 22 Ohio

locations that serve the LGBTQ community. Offers gender-
affirming care, HIV/STD testing & treatment, and mental
health counseling in addition to primary care services.

https://equitashealth.com/

Mozaic

A community space by and for transgender, nonbinary, and

gender nonconforming people. Offers a free clothes closet,
name & gender change clinic and events including movie
nights, monthly yoga sessions, and self-defense workshops.

https://www.mozaicohio.org/
 Community
Resources
Black Queer & Intersectional Collective

A grassroots community organization of Central Ohio whose

focus is uplifting the voices and needs of Black LGBTQ people.
Hosts the Columbus Community Pride event, a Black Power
book club, and spoken word/open mic nights

https://bqic.net/

TransOhio

A trans-led organization that advocates for the rights of trans

people in legislation and offers emergency aid, legal information
for name/gender changes, and referrals to support groups.
Hosts a list of trans-inclusive doctors, therapists, and
pharmacies in Ohio.

https://www.transohio.org/

Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization

Support center for LGBTQ survivors of abuse, violence,

discrimination, and/or sexual assault. Hosts a helpline
available through phone, text, and chat and offers
referrals to legal services, mental health services,
support groups, and shelters.

https://bravo.equitashealth.org/
 A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities
by Mady G. & J.R. Zuckerberg
A short read and excellent guide to those seeking an intro to the LGBTQ
world. Vibrantly illustrated and written in language accessible to those
with all levels of familiarity to LGBTQ subjects, this book includes topics
beyond that of identity too, such as coming out and healthy relationships.

What’s the T? by Juno Dawson

With a humorous and casual tone, this book focuses on the lives and
experiences of trans people, featuring stories from real teens as well as
interviews from trans activists and celebrities. A down-to-earth, practical
guide for trans youth on coming out, transitioning, dating, and offers
advice to allies on how they can support the trans people in their life.

Gender: A Graphic Guide by Meg-John Barker

An intersectional history of gender told in a graphic

novel format, covering the development of modern
gender roles, an overview of transgender and
nonbinary identities, and how discussions of
gender figured into feminist movements.
Accessible language is used to break down complex
topics as gender is examined under the lenses of
science, psychology, and philosophy.

Trans+ Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You

by Kathryn Gonzales & Karen Rayne

Written by two trans women, Trans+ serves as a guidebook for trans young
adults on transitioning, relationships, and safer sex. Includes subjects that
you may find relevant to future you, like the process of legal name & gender
marker changes and having children/parenting as a trans person.
 Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression
by Iris Gottlieb
Poignantly described by the School Library Journal as “like a series of
informative Twitter threads compressed into a book,” Seeing Gender is a
valuable resource for exploring the complexities of gender identity and
expression whether you want to flip through it and read what grabs your
attention or read it cover to cover.

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out

by Susan Kuklin

A book featuring interviews with real trans, genderqueer, and intersex

teens from vastly different backgrounds and life experiences,
showcasing how there is no one way to be trans
and everyone’s journey is different.

Trans Teen Survival Guide by Owl & Fox Fisher

A guide to navigating life while trans written by two trans activists,

covering everything from style tips for experimenting with your gender
presentation and how to cope with the physical changes brought on by
puberty to building community and practicing self-care.

Fine: A Comic About Gender by Rhea Ewing

A graphic novel portrait of gender identity and expression across the

United States which began as a series of interviews conducted by the
author in the Midwest on a quest to understand their own gender
identity more completely.
 We’ve Been Around (YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/@wevebeenaround9910

5-6 minute short films about the lives of

transgender trailblazers throughout history.

Growing Up Trans (PBS)

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline
/documentary/growing-up-trans/

A 1½ hour documentary on transgender youth,

their families, and the choices they face regarding
social and medical transitioning.

Changing the Game (Hulu)

This 1½ hour documentary gives a voice to those most
affected by the bans on transgender inclusion in
sports—the athletes themselves. Told from the
perspective of three different trans high school
athletes across the United States.

Transhood (HBO Max)

Filmed over the course of 5 years, Transhood follows
the lives of four kids—aged 4, 7, 12, and 15 at the
beginning of the movie—as they navigate growing up
trans in the Midwest.

Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen (Netflix)

Featuring interviews with famous trans members of
the film industry, Disclosure offers viewers insight
into the depiction of trans people in American film &
television and the impact those depictions had on
real trans people and on American culture.
 Bustos, V. P., Bustos, S. S., Mascaro, A., Del Corral, G., Forte, A. J.,
Ciudad, P., Kim, E. A., Langstein, H. N., & Manrique, O. J. (2021). Regret
after gender-affirmation surgery: A systematic review and meta-
analysis of prevalence. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global
Open, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.1097/gox.0000000000003477

Chen, D., Berona, J., Chan, Y.-M., Ehrensaft, D., Garofalo, R., Hidalgo,
M. A., Rosenthal, S. M., Tishelman, A. C., & Olson-Kennedy, J. (2023).
Psychosocial functioning in transgender youth after 2 years of
hormones. New England Journal of Medicine, 388(3), 240–250.
https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2206297

Herman, J.L., Flores, A.R., O’Neill, K.K. (2022). How Many Adults and
Youth Identify as Transgender in the United States? The Williams
Institute, UCLA School of Law.
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Trans-
Pop-Update-Jun-2022.pdf

Waddell, H. (2019). [Review of the book Seeing Gender: An Illustrated

Guide to Identity and Expression, by Iris Gottlieb]. School Library
Journal, 65(10), 81.