about the book
Arin is on a journey. A boy stuck in a girl’s body, he faces unrelenting challenges that lead this high school junior on a journey through gender reassignment.
The memoir begins with Jessica, who is bisexual. Arin met her when he was still going by his female birth name, Emerald. When Arin begins his first year of living in public as a male—required in order to be medically allowed to have gender reassignment surgery—Jessica complains, “Why can’t you be normal?” Arin bears the whining, hoping to educate her.
But soon the two are heading to prom together, and their story doesn’t look good. Jessica is acting weird, dancing with other guys, and not looking Arin in the eye. By the end of the night, their relationship is over. Arin notes, “Getting dumped at prom sucks.”
As Arin continues his memoir, he tells his story with insightful honesty. The events, the humiliation and anger of being kicked out of private school, the thoughts and emotions, the mental and physical changes—are all captured as Arin’s transition begins.
And as his journey continues, Arin begins learning that self-acceptance comes with “some assembly required.”
about the author
Arin Andrews, from Oklahoma, likes hiking, camping, and motocross. He graduated from high school in 2014 and now attends college, is an author and a model. He hopes to someday help “lead people to the tops of their mountains they want to climb.” He also has a fondness for animals and cooking.
As a transgender teen, Arin advocated loving through diversity and educating the world by example. He won the Carolyn Wagner Youth Leadership Award of Oklahoma Equality.
Arin first made headlines in July of 2013 when his romantic relationship with Katie Hill, a transgender teen, was featured on 20/20. He met Katie when he was 18 and she was 19, and the two supported each other through their transitions and fell in love. After the two broke up, both teens published memoirs sharing their stories.
After struggling with bullying, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts, Aaron hopes to use his book to “open the hearts and minds of those that just don’t understand and inspire those that do.”
Sources:
Author biography: Simon and Schuster
Author page: Facebook
Article: People
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