American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era by Nico Lang

American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era by Nico Lang

We were invited to an exclusive book signing event to celebrate its debut.
October 25, 2024 | BY DREW HIRSCHINGER

We were invited to an exclusive book signing event to celebrate its debut.
October 25, 2024 |BY DREW HIRSCHINGER

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On October 8, GWLA was invited to Skylight Books in Los Angeles to the launch of Nico Lang’s new book, American Teenager, which documents the lives of eight trans and nonbinary teenagers across the US. Our founder, Casey Weitzman, and one of our therapists, Drew Hirschinger, were excited to attend the event and have the opportunity to hear Nico’s inspiration for the book as well as the experiences of three of the book’s main subjects.

I had an incredible experience attending the launch of Nico Lang’s book, American Teenager. Nico (they/them) discussed their motivation for writing the book, which was to share stories of trans teenagers as teenagers, in opposition to the often popular narrative of trans youth as figures of inspiration or agents of change. Hearing Nico share their experience of living with the families portrayed in the book touched on an essential part of supporting trans youth – learning about their whole life, from the exciting to the mundane.

Panel at a Book Signing Event
Additionally, Nico had three of the book’s subjects participate in a panel moderated by Zeke Smith, who did a great job of balancing the seriousness of the reality of being a trans person while also incorporating the joyous aspects of life. I was on the verge of tears hearing two of the mothers speak about their experience raising trans children and trying to protect them from a world that is often unaccepting, verging on violent. There are countless stories of trans and queer youth being rejected by their families, and hearing two mothers share their deep devotion to their children was beautiful.

“This book is a gift to all the trans youth and parents of trans children who may feel alone in their journey. There are truly loving and committed parents out in the world who are fighting against the hate not just for their own children, but for all of us.”

Personally, my mother always made sure I knew that I was loved and accepted no matter what, and yet I still struggled with the possibility of coming out and having her feel like I had let her down in some way. I grew up knowing that my personal world might be accepting, but the larger world remains deeply terrifying. In that regard, this book is a gift to all the trans youth and parents of trans children who may feel alone in their journey. There are truly loving and committed parents out in the world who are fighting against the hate not just for their own children, but for all of us. I am so grateful to have met Nico and the panel participants and to hear about their lived experiences. The event was truly a celebration of the diversity of experiences that trans teenagers have and why their futures are worth fighting for.
Skylight Books Book Signing Event
Here are some thoughts from our Founder & President Casey Weitzman:
“I was so happy to be involved and to have gone. I didn’t know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised and touched by such a special panel and book signing for Nico Lang. My heart felt full, as I was able to experience two mom’s deep love for their transgender children. One mom, Molly, lives in Texas and is an Evangelist, Catholic and LGBTQ+ Advocate. She was joined by her daughter Ruby, and you could feel the love between them both. It was special to witness their loving bond. I felt inspired as someone who assists families navigate coming out journeys, especially when the result is one of loving and acceptance.”
Thank you Nico Lang & team for inviting us to your special book signing. American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era is available now for purchase on Amazon, Target, and at select local bookstores. Find more information on Nico and follow their latest work here.

Thank you for reading the GenWell blog. You can read more about our team here. If you or a loved one is struggling on the journey with gender identity, we ask you to reach out via our contact form or call our office at (818) 855-1105. Your journey to your most authentic self starts here.

—The Gender Wellness of Los Angeles Team

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