Trans Mission My Quest To A Beard

Alex, I've been watching your you tube channel for years and watching you grow and change into the person you are today. I was so excited to read this book, and to my joy it was as honest, friendly, informative and refreshing as your videos. To top it all off, I thought it was lovely and so important to have your mum's words and thoughts too. This is a brilliant book for trans people, and anyone wanting to understand trans people, covering all aspects of being trans, emotionally and physically, including health and important issues. Seriosuly loved it. Well done mate!

Absolutely loved this book. So well written with a awesome perspective that allows you to go on this journey with them. Rather it’s for someone you love going on a similar journey or for your own self awareness, you won’t be able to put this down

I’m an aunt of a FTM who is/was looking for information, trying to understand and be supportive. I loved this book and recommend any FTM, parent, sibling, aunt, uncle etc to read it! I may not have very answer but I feel more informed and when I tell my nephew I am supportive I feel like I really 100% can be because this book has helped me. It’s funny and serious and helpful so much more than I thought it would be... but it, read it!

I laughed, cried and loved the very candid look into his life and journey. It was extremely helpful.

I found it well written and that he was very straight forward with how things went and are going. After following him on You Tube the book fills in with information that he could or would not say on his channel. Very good reading.

Fans of Bertie's YouTube channel will not be surprised that his memoir of transitioning from female to male is open, honest, at turns funny and deadly serious. An excellent view, for those of us who are not trans but want to understand, of what one person's transgender experience has been like. (And to his credit, Bertie does not claim to speak for all transpeople worldwide; he doesn't even claim to be able to speak for every white FTM transperson.)

He described trans stuff really clearly and let us knew what like would be as trans, it's a good way to understand trans people by reading his book. Just buy it at once!

This is a very great informative book

I am a cis gay man, but wanted to know a bit more about life for trans people, trans men in particular … it is a small investment of time in trying to be more clear, kind, supportive to others in the wider community. Of course, I can ask trans friends and acquaintances some things from time to time, but I felt I needed something more like this. And asking people too many questions can be intrusive, and set entirely the wrong tone. A story, with some specific insights, beyond the “medical” side of it. Something integrated, holistic. The book is arguably a little “too” lighthearted for some people, but it works for me - that is part of what I mean by ‘balanced’. These ARE of course serious and important issues, especially for trans people and their families … BUT … it would perhaps not really help to treat absolutely everything in a very serious / formal way, all the time. I do have a MUCH clearer idea of “what it is like” now, and a better idea of what are some of the issues that trans people often go through … even though different people’s journeys are different. I will also be much more … considerate … I was going to say “careful”, but that makes it seem like everyday communications and interactions are somehow difficult. They aren’t, or needn’t be. We can all show respect and consideration, empathy, ideally … and perhaps just be quietly alert to some of the specific pitfalls around communication. That ought to be more basic than it is. People are equally people. I was interested to discover that not everyone’s desires / destinations in terms of transitions are necessarily the same … I knew that pathways / results might be different, but the idea that not all trans men even have the same “vision” is something of a novelty or nuance, which ought perhaps to be obvious, but wasn’t, at least to me. I will definitely find it easier to be more open / receptive / considerate going forward, and better able to engage with / encourage others to be more positive about trans people too. I think this book is an excellent package of kindness and care for the world, and I wish its author every happiness and success going forward.

Bon prix. Écriture et dessins, cadeau apprécié

Alex Bertie, Transmission. My Quest to a Beard, 2017. Alex Bertie, ein junger, ehrlicher, sympathischer Graphik-Designer und Youtuber blickt zurück auf seine Transition ftm (female to male). Dabei beschreibt er seine Gefühle, seine Situation in Schule und Familie durch alle Freuden (anfangs eher weniger) und Schwierigkeiten hindurch, an deren Ende ein fröhliches Leben im Einklang mit der eigenen Identität steht. Rückblickend wirkt dabei mancher Trans*Stress heiter, der im Durchleiden für Alex schrecklich war: bis er mit Hilfe seiner Mutter aus seinem letzten Badeanzug seinen ersten Binder nähte oder das zunächst nur halbgeglückte Outing bei seinen Eltern. Besonders wertvoll finde ich seine ehrlichen Berichte im Umgang mit Mobbing gegen ihn und die Art und Weise, wie er sich selbst aus der Schusslinie der Provokateure gebracht hat. Insgesamt wirbt Alex sehr dafür, gegen alle Widerstände - von denen es in seinem Erleben mehr als genug gibt - sein Leben selbst in die Hand zu nehmen. Und er hat die Größe, dabei nicht als Held rüberzukommen, dem alles geglückt sei. Alex wirbt für Verständnis für das zögerliche Mitfreuen der Eltern über die Transidentität ihres Kindes, wirbt aber zugleich dafür, dennoch mit ihnen gemeinsam auf dem Weg zu sein. Ich glaube, klammheimlich hofft Alex, dass viele Eltern von Transkindern und -jugendlichen sein Buch mitlesen. Er lässt darum auch am Ende seine Mutter unzensiert zu Wort kommen und hat sich entschieden, für ihn schmerzliches Bildmaterial vor- und während seiner Transition in den Buchumschlag zu packen. Sein abschließender Knigge im Umgang mit Transmännern und -menschen ist ein willkommenes Erste-Hilfe-Paket für verunsicherte Eltern. Das noch nicht übersetzte Englisch ist passend, weil die beschriebene Schullaufbahn und das Gesundheitssystem britisch sind.

I'm not transgender and I don't know of anyone in my life who is. But that doesn't matter. This book is a charming and insightful commentary on what its like growing up and finding the 'real you'. Alex tells his story in a light-hearted and relatable way while still managing to break my heart in places. You don't have to be transgender to connect with the words on these pages. And hopefully you will come away from this book more knowledgeable, more optimistic and with a better understanding of the *people* behind those cold labels we like to slap on everything.

Alex shares a whole lot of personal memories (many of which he never mentioned on YouTube) and gives a great insight into both the emotional and legal/ medical aspect of transition for people who know someone who is trans and very useful and motivating advice for (young) trans people (like me). There's even an additional chapter for parents written by his mom which has helped my family a lot in terms of communication and understanding each other. Furthermore, his writing is flawless and fluid, but for understandable and easy to read. As a little extra, he also provides many helpful sources, websites and explanations. Definitely worth buying.