Informative and relatable, Juno Dawson has written a book about an aspect of identity that many still struggle to understand, and hopefully this can help them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I sadly lost interest in this book, I don't think the writing style if for me. As I was reading this I was loosing interest.

dnf @ 36%

this book was fantastic, and I was really enjoying it, however it is quite information heavy and intense so this is a dnf-for the time being; but I can see myself coming back to it at a later when I am emotionally and mentally ready to finish this, or I can see myself reading a chapter/section every once in a while to pace my way through this

Educational, influential, inspiring…great points every nonfictional book should provide and this provided all three points. So, from that I would give it 5 stars.

This was great! Super informative, and all of the information was super digestible and accessible. I will definitely be buying a copy to have at the youth shelter I work at.

In her companion book to 'This Book is Gay,' Juno Dawson provides a poignant guide to "all things trans and/or non-binary for teens" with 'What's the T?'

To me, Dawson has become the Queen of British YA and I'm happy she is finally getting recognition across the pond. This US edition of 'What's the T?' reflects the change in audience, drawing upon statistics, resources and politics in Northern America. What I enjoy about this non-fiction text is how Dawson weaves in her personal experience with scientific evidence and historic accounts as well as the voices of many other trans and nonbinary activists and individuals. While everyone's journey and circumstances are different, there are some common grounds and facts that should be universally known and acknowledged, and 'What's the T?' would be a good starting resource in this regard. As I've seen another reviewer say, this book does not include a lot of new facts if you are well versed in the LGBTQIA+ and trans/non-binary discourse, but it is meant as a first resource for teenagers and caregivers (and everyone, really), and it does this job really well.

Dawson writes in an accessible, humorous way while always acknowledging the difficulties surrounding coming-outs (to oneself, family, friends, and society) and issues such as the costs of and access to therapy and medical services. Knowing she cannot speak about all aspects of the trans and non-binary experience, the book includes a variety of voices that complement Dawson's experience as a trans woman. Directly addressing the reader, Dawson bridges a divide that might often make other people's experiences seem very far from one's own. Her way of address says: I see you, I hear you, you are valid and loved.

The book is enhanced by illustrations from gender non-conforming artist Soofiya, which I honestly would have liked to see more of throughout the book. I also appreciate the tables listing, for instance, cultures that recognise genders beyond the binary.

Furthermore, the book includes a transgender hall of fame, providing short bios of famous transgender people, such as Laverne Cox, Janet Mock or Thomas Beatie that have advocated for the trans community and contributed to the public's changed perspective on the trans community.

Through a clear chapter structure, with links to different chapters throughout, subheadings and sections, 'What's the T?' is easy to read and navigate. You can quickly look up a chapter or section on a topic that interests you most, or that you want to go back to. The chapter layouts work with fonts, sizes, and Soofiya's illustrations to break up the often not light fare. Dawson's complements her information with references and scientific evidence, which are easy to follow and look up.

A special section includes advice for parents and caregivers, although they also would benefit from reading the whole book, as does anyone, even if they are not looking for specific advice or information just yet.

This is a must-read for all teachers, educators and parents as well as teenagers, both those who question their gender identity and those who don't.

As someone who has been aware of the trans community, but not familiar with what that really entails, this book was very helpful! This is a good read for anyone looking for an introductions to the trans community and what it means to be trans.

I love everything Juno has done and this is no exception! Brilliant and informative without being patronising! Thanks Juno!

Juno Dawson provides a wonderful introduction to all things transgender. This book will help anyone who is beginning their own transgender or nonbinary journey. It will also provide essential information for caregivers and other supportive adults. I truly believe that this book should be required reading for everyone. I especially enjoyed the sections containing the history of trans and nonbinary folks.

Unfortunately, the audience that needs to read this book the most will most likely never even take it off the shelf. Ignorance has never been an acceptable excuse for transphobia. This is especially true now given the easy access to information. The time is long overdue for trans and nonbinary people to no longer be excluded and discriminated against. Cis allies, we must do better. The time to fight for our trans and nonbinary siblings is now!

Favorite quotes:
~"Being cisgender, white, straight, and nondisabled shouldn't be the default. Describing those attributes as 'normal' is [BS]."
~"There is NOTHING AT ALL wrong with being LGBTQ+."
~"There is a closet. It was built for us by straight and cis people, who also constructed a society that suited them."
~"No one chooses to be trans or nonbinary, but people choose to be transphobic."

{Digital copy provided by NetGalley}

This is certainly a valuable resource especially for young trans and nonbinary people as well as their families, friends, and partners. There is a lot of information included, frequently in-depth, but also a lot of cool illustrations and funny one-liners. I personally didn’t really connect with the writing style throughout most of it and as an older trans person who has been out for years most of the book’s contents I was already familiar with. Structure wise this was decent, however I found the asterisk system incredibly confusingly done at least in the ebook version. Using numbered footnotes would have been a lot easier to understand as well as keeping the notes on their respective page. I kept being confused what an asterisk what referring to by the time I got to them. Overall, this is definitely a book more targeted at those not quite familiar with trans and nonbinary issues and people and for that purpose it did a good job.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an advance copy of this book!
Thank you Juno Dawson for writing this book and educating me! As a parent I greatly appreciated this book as it taught me a lot. It was very easy to read and understand and I loved the humor in it too. It kept things interesting.
I’m so glad this book exists! I work in a high school library and I think this book is a “must have” to our collection! So many of our teens could gain so much from reading this. I would even recommend this to cis students as well because it’s important as Allies we take care of our transgendered/non binary friends and we always look out for them.

Another excellent book from Juno Dawson helping to explore and explain what it means to be trans. What I love about Juno is she never speaks down to her readers and thoughtfully explores all aspects of what it means to be trans for those questioning their own gender identity or just looking to educate themselves

As a cisgender woman, I found this book to be very informative and helpful in regards to having a better understanding and appreciation for the barriers, inequalities, prejudices, and abuse many (if not all) trans people face. This book also showed me that there is great variety, determination, bravery, creativity, and excellence within the trans community too (something I was already aware of thanks to being blessed with friends who are trans).

Dawson's open, honest, no-nonsense style is both refreshing and appreciated. I found myself fully engaging with what they were saying and may have even shared a mental high-five or two with them as I read.

Personally, this book has gone to the top of my list of books to recommend to and/or buy for young people who may be exploring their gender identity. I especially love that despite being upfront about all the trauma, hardship, and transphobia trans people will have to deal with, the overall message within the book is one of hope. Things *will* get better. Things *will* be okay. You *will* be okay.

I only have one criticism and that's the definition of 'aromantic'. The description given makes it sound like aromantic people enjoy sex but not relationships when it's really about us not wanting/enjoying romance. Lots of aromantic people are in relationships. Aromantism is, of course, a spectrum, but it didn't feel like that was made clear (or included) in the description in the book. This feels like a gross oversight especially since it was mentioned that some asexual people still have sex.

This really is a great book and I'm very thankful to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Juno Dawson for giving me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Links to reviews will be updated on publication date.

I loved reading this book! It was so informative and easy to understand. As a cis woman, I’ve never known nor will I know how it is to be transgender, so it was interesting to read how much goes into becoming your true self.

Juno Dawson writes this highly informative book with their distinct voice shiny through. They bring their own personal experience to bear on answering any and all things transgender and transsexual. This book is for everyone- those seeking help and advice, those who have questions, and those who want to be Allie’s. I highly recommend this book and will be purchasing a copy for my HS library. I’ve already been talking about this book with the GSA and our local support agencies.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Excellently written and informative. As a trans adult, theres wasnt much new information for me to take from here, but this is a book I will absolutely be buying to pass onto trans youth and guardians (including my own). This book provides lots of information on trans identity in a way thats approachable and easy to read

I really enjoyed reading this book! While I am not its target audience, I certainly found things I was unaware of and will help me be a better trans ally. The writing is humorous while still (for the most part) being serious and backed with sources. There was some discussion of how being Black and trans is different than being white and trans or disabled and trans but I really wish Dawson had included the topic of intersectionality (specifically the term) as it is so important and gets erased. I think this is a great resource for trans teens (especially explaining the nuances of sex that teens likely would not be comfortable asking about) and I love the charts and extensive lists of resources.

I have a couple concerns (not discussing race when talking about Caster Semenya, suggesting that the police will help with trans-related hate crimes, including Caitlyn Jenner as important but calling her controversial without talking about the very real harm she poses to all trans people and PoC) but overall I think Dawson did a great job of creating a teen-friendly handbook. I particularly love that Indigenous people are referenced as well as the chart of all the places and cultures that have more than two genders.

What's the T? is a follow-up to Juno Dawson's bestselling This Book is Gay. Dawson has written a "guide to all things trans and/or nonbinary for teens," and that's exactly how the book is laid out. The chapters are relatively short and interspersed with illustrations by Soofiya.

The language is certainly approachable and the book covers the widest range possible of the trans experience, from coming out to dating to dealing with transphobia. While no one book can do it all, and certainly not one written by a white, non-disabled woman, I thought Dawson did a great job offering an introduction to transitioning and trans life, while also acknowledging her shortcomings.

Throughout the book there are little vignettes from trans and non-binary people who do belong to some of the other groups that Dawson does not, and a lot of those folks provided some great anecdotes and insights into their experiences. I wish, however, that there had been a consistent voice of a trans person of color throughout--maybe a co-writer or a contributor for an entire chapter.

I think this book will help a lot of young people as they navigate their gender journeys and hopefully provide them with a springboard into learning more about themselves and the people around them. I think this is a must-have for high school libraries and teen collections.

Incredible read, so much information. As an ally I’m constantly in a state of learning, evolving & loving. Never stop moving forward. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has children, wants children, or is in a place around children. We must do better. Here’s a perfect place to start.