Queer Adolescence

Understanding the Lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual Youth

Charlie McNabb

Find out what it’s like to go through puberty as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or asexual teen.

What do you do when Mom says, “You’re a woman now!” but you know you’re not a woman? Or when Dad keeps asking when you’re going to bring a girlfriend home, but you’re not interested in girls?

Puberty is an awkward and confusing time for anybody, but for queer youth, feelings of social and physical discomfort can be heightened. Adolescence should be a time for making social connections and exploring new ideas, but many queer youth must also wrestle with complicated identity questions, familial and social bigotry, and difficult decisions about whether to be safe or authentic.

In this accessible book, personal accounts mingle with factual information and sensitive analysis to provide a snapshot of the joys and concerns of American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual adolescents. Whether you’re a parent, a clinician, a teacher, or a queer person, this book will answer many questions and offer a way forward.

Includes:

Personal narratives and discussion about the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth in adolescence
Concrete action plan for parents, teachers, and clinicians to better support the queer youth in their lives
Vital glossary of up-to-date LGBTQIA+ and puberty terms
Highly recommended queer-inclusive sex education materials

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 196 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9

978-1-5381-3281-4 • Hardback • September 2020 • $41.00 • (£35.00)

978-1-5381-9219-1 • Paperback • February 2024 • $25.00 • (£18.99)

978-1-5381-3282-1 • eBook • September 2020 • $39.00 • (£30.00)

Subjects: Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural, Social Science / LGBT Studies / General, Social Science / Human Sexuality

Queer Adolescence

Understanding the Lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual Youth

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Find out what it’s like to go through puberty as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or asexual teen.

What do you do when Mom says, “You’re a woman now!” but you know you’re not a woman? Or when Dad keeps asking when you’re going to bring a girlfriend home, but you’re not interested in girls?

Puberty is an awkward and confusing time for anybody, but for queer youth, feelings of social and physical discomfort can be heightened. Adolescence should be a time for making social connections and exploring new ideas, but many queer youth must also wrestle with complicated identity questions, familial and social bigotry, and difficult decisions about whether to be safe or authentic.

In this accessible book, personal accounts mingle with factual information and sensitive analysis to provide a snapshot of the joys and concerns of American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual adolescents. Whether you’re a parent, a clinician, a teacher, or a queer person, this book will answer many questions and offer a way forward.

Includes:
- Personal narratives and discussion about the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth in adolescence
- Concrete action plan for parents, teachers, and clinicians to better support the queer youth in their lives
- Vital glossary of up-to-date LGBTQIA+ and puberty terms
- Highly recommended queer-inclusive sex education materials

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 196 • Trim: 6⅜ x 9

978-1-5381-3281-4 • Hardback • September 2020 • $41.00 • (£35.00)

978-1-5381-9219-1 • Paperback • February 2024 • $25.00 • (£18.99)

978-1-5381-3282-1 • eBook • September 2020 • $39.00 • (£30.00)

Subjects: Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural, Social Science / LGBT Studies / General, Social Science / Human Sexuality

Author

Charlie McNabb was a queer adolescent. When they entered puberty, Charlie was told that they was “a woman now” and it was made clear that there was an expectation of eventual heterosexual union and childbearing. That was uncomfortable! Charlie has been fascinated by queer puberty experiences ever since.

Charlie started doing research on queer and transgender menarche experiences in 2010. They’ve surveyed over 150 people and done in-depth one-on-one interviews with a few dozen more. In addition, they have been collecting puberty accounts and ephemera from both popular and DIY culture (advertisements, fiction, zines, and so forth). This research has produced several conference papers and zines as well as a growing archival collection.

Charlie’s background in anthropology (BA 2005), folklore (MA 2011), and library science (MLIS 2013) has given them experience with large-scale surveys and interviews, library and archival research, and sensitive analysis.

Rowman & Littlefield published Charlie’s previous book, Nonbinary Gender Identities: History, Culture, Resources in 2017.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: What is Queer Adolescence?
Chapter 2: Who We Are
Chapter 3: Sex Education
Chapter 4: Going Through Puberty
Chapter 5: Parental and Peer Involvement
Chapter 6: Exploring Gender
Chapter 7: Exploring Sexuality
Chapter 8: Coming Out
Chapter 9: Transition
Chapter 10: What We Wish Had Been Different
Appendix A: Glossary
Appendix B: Recommended Reading
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

Reviews

Librarian McNabb (Nonbinary Gender Identities) delivers a useful clinical guide to interacting with and understanding queer youth . . . McNabb reports on respondents’ experiences of sex education in schools (largely abstinence-only), gender dysphoria, coming out, transitioning, depression, and increased sexual health risks, as well as relationships with families, friends, and peers . . . school administrators and clinicians interested in improving their outreach to queer youth will benefit from this evidence-based study.

— Publishers Weekly

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