Surviving Transphobia
Non-Fiction
edited by Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW
The transgender and gender nonbinary community is forever under siege. Institutional transphobia is enacted by those who would return us to the shadows, the closets, or worse.
Surviving Transphobia is an anthology by transgender and gender nonbinary celebrities and experts on endurance during times of severe hostility. We share the moments when we were vulnerable, were bullied, had needs dismissed, or were discriminated against, revealing our determination and how we have (sometimes) managed to thrive. We offer loving support as you brave agony and seek joy. We also speak to our allies.
We are activists, actors, athletes, authors, lawyers, doctors, nurses, therapists, sex workers, clergy, diplomats, and military veterans. We are of many ethnicities. We vary socioeconomically, educationally, and geographically. Some are neurodivergent. Several are disabled or have chronic illnesses. A few are HIV+. A small number were born elsewhere.
We have survived, here’s how. And if we can survive… so can you.
REVIEW
5 out of 5
I can’t overstate the importance of this book. It’s a collection of real experiences, written by real people who aren’t cis, and compiled by someone who is also part of the community. If we’re ever to take steps forward, and fight the waves of transphobia sweeping across the US, then people need to read this book among other resources. If you’re looking for a collection of upbeat, hopeful, sunshine and roses stories, then this isn’t what you’re looking for. If you want unapologetically real, raw experiences, then you’ve found the perfect collection. I really hope that this inspires change, and gives strength to those who need it, as they experience many of the same things shared in this book.
LEARN MORE
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura A. Jacobs, LCSW-R, (pronouns: she/he/they/none) is a trans and genderqueer identified psychotherapist, speaker, author, activist, and heretic specializing in transgender and gender nonbinary issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, and other forms of gender and sexual diversity. They recently concluded their four-year term as the first transgender and genderqueer Chair of the Board of Directors for the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, a nonprofit healthcare organization with the mission of providing quality, compassionate care to the LGBTQIA+ community of NYC regardless of ability to pay. Laura is a prolific speaker in the media, at medical and mental health conferences, in medical schools, and for other organizations, having been featured in the New York Times, NPR, MSNBC, NBCNewsOnline, SiriusXM, CBSNews, Mic.com, TEDx, and more.
Their upcoming book, Surviving Transphobia, will be released by Jessica Kingsley Press in September/October 2023. Laura also founded the Gender Dysphoria Affirmative Working Group and has authored or coauthored books, chapters, and articles on gender and sexual diversity.
Laura was presented the 2019 Standard of Excellence Award by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. They are a member of the Kink Clinical Guidelines Workgroup, a coalition which developed the first best practices document for the mental health care of those who are interested and/or involved in kink, BDSM, and/or fetish eroticism. As Lawrence Jacobs, he worked in the arts as a musician, composer, and photographer, as well as in less glamorous positions such as corporate middle management.