Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More

"Redefining Realness" stirred up memories of my freshman year in college. During the spring semester, my English professor introduced the class to books by authors of subjects many of us had only heard of, but never even remotely experienced. Authors like E. Lynn Harris. His book "Just As I Am" sparked a fire in us that made us trample over other students hanging out in the quad, just to make it to the classroom in time to dissect the more than 380 pages of fictional sizzle. As we talked about the book and the issues it brought to the forefront, our discussions were filled with joy, anger, curiosity, and just a flat-out appreciation of Harris' writing skills. This is how I felt while reading "Redefining Realness" - even before completing the first chapter. With my excitement level on "high", I wanted to immediately hightail it to someone's book club and talk about what I had just read! This book is awesome. Janet Mock takes readers on the journey of her life as a trans woman of color - a journey that was as foreign to me as a map of the streets of Djibouti City. I honestly did not realize that the lives of transgender people were that intense (especially poor trans people of color). Thanks to media portrayals of trans men and women over the years, I likened them to "drag queens" and reduced their lives to simply being "people who like to play dress-up." To me, a person was either gay, lesbian, or straight. Nothing else. However, Mock's experience, passion, rawness, statistics, and transparency, taught me that the world does not fit neatly into compartments. "Redefining Realness" evoked thought, compassion, and awareness - everything I expected based on the title of the book, as well as the publicity which has surrounded it over the last few months. I thoroughly enjoyed Mock's storytelling (story within a story), particularly the imagery she used to tell her story. Much like her "shero" Zora Neale Hurston, Mock's descriptive writing engaged all of the standard senses and more. I felt the winds and humidity of Oahu. I saw Charles, Sr.'s gold tooth with the Cowboys' shout-out. I touched Keisha's hair right along with Jamie. I heard conversations in Hawaiian pidgen on the streets as Janet and Wendi pooched. I tasted grandma's gumbo while eavesdropping on family gossip. (The pop music references sprinkled throughout the book made it even more "real" for me because I remember where I was when all of those songs debuted!) On top of all of this, Mock made me laugh. Her quick wit provided a much-welcomed intermission from a stressful and, at times, unbelievable read. It was good to laugh to keep from crying. However, even in comedy, she managed to teach lessons. I'll never confuse a "drag queen" for a trans woman again because I now know "a drag queen is part-time for showtime. A trans woman is all the time." Love it! "Redefining Realness" is a masterpiece, not only because of the content, but because of Mock's incredible writing skills. I appreciate her for using her unique story to inform, chastise, correct, and commend. That's what real women do. I look forward to more work from Mock in any genre.

Redefining Realness is a heartwarming autobiography that is beautifully written and takes readers into the private and intimate parts of the author’s life on her journey as a trans woman. The author’s transparency about her life and struggles brought an element of realness to her story further highlighting her courage in navigating through these challenging life events. I loved the themes of strength and perseverance laced throughout the story. The author's unwillingness to give up in the face of adversity was inspiring, and her tenacity encourages individuals to keep fighting to be heard and to be their authentic selves. This book is educational and inspiring. Overall, Redefining Realness is a very engaging read and an amazing story that pulls on your emotions making it an unforgettable story.

Consider this book almost like a 100 level course on what it means to be trans in the modern age. Now, be aware Janet's story isn't one which is all tears and fears followed by an eventual triumph. For while she did grow up in Hawaii and didn't have a middle-class family, it seems she was on the brink of poverty and never in the thick of it. With that said, though, you have your expected issues with parents who just don't understand, introductions to the community, discovering who you are, and Mock switching back and forth between educating you and speaking about her personal experiences. Thus giving you a book which feels well-rounded and while it may leave those curious about the process of transitioning unfulfilled, those who actually want to know the person and how they evolved into themselves, and not just about the procedure, are in for a good read.

This story can stand alone and will inform this generation, and next. Janet speaks to her personal story in a way that has global applicability. Through her word pictures, she takes the reader through her journey of poverty, while openly acknowledging the areas where she has experienced the benefits of privilege. There are many relationships in this book that speak to me but the one that stands out is her relationship with her brother Chad. It is universal. She beautifully describes their relationship to one another as well as with their parents. She discusses adolescence in a way that makes one smile, reflect and even smirk at times. Janet is willing to dive into the intricacies of intimacy within friendship, as she discusses growing up with her friend Wendy and the development of trust between them, as experienced over eye brow tweezing and shared hormones. Janet allows the reader to be at once in the moment, while at the same time speaking to adult reflection and perspective as she discusses her mother's love looked different at different times in her life. I could go on about why this book is excellent, and why I would recommend it to any and everyone. This is a love story. This is a book about social justice. This book is about education access and the power that education can have to transform lives. Yes this book touches on physical transformation but to deduce it to simply as story about a transgender woman of color would be an injustice. This is a memoir that will stand the test of time. A story of triumph and a willingness to live fully. Redefining Realness is about self-determination.

Janet Mock has lifted the Trans memoir genre to a new level. In her gritty, girly, gifted debut she rivets readers with details from her formative years in Hawaii, Oakland and Dallas, TX while simultaneously educating the un-initiated on the topic of gender identity discovery in a beautiful and human way. Her brilliance and determination is evident on the page and while she seems to stand apart from many of the Trans women of color who are inspired by her, (Mock was an Editor at People Magazine, and attended NYU) her coming of age story has the street credibility to let us know that she is one of us. The book is definitely a page turner, told straight from the heart, and likely the first of this genre by a Trans woman of color to go mainstream. Of course her beauty is a factor, her gender identity potentially read as salacious, but it was the power and strength of the writing that held my attention. You can just recognize when the truth is being told. I applaud Mock for her genuine praise and recognition of the Trans women of color who paved much of the way for the gains we are witnessing in the TLBG community and Trans community specifically. She lifts up Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Mock's overall message in her first book is that telling our own stories is an imperative and that loving yourself as a Trans woman of color is a revolutionary act. Thank you Janet for this important story.

A trans sage

I felt as if I was on this journey with Janet. So well written. I felt the joy and the pain

This is one trans viewpoint from a rare point of view. I'm glad she shared her story, but as a trans woman, I wish she would have stuck with her story instead of trying to define our community as a whole. The book is a strange mix of opinions in which she says that her experience was worse because of her economic and racial barriers while she downplays any privilege. When your a trans person, the worst situation to be in as a child is not poverty or being born of color. It is complete intolerance and oppression. While she did not have complete acceptance, her situation allowed her freedoms most trans children don't have and can only dream of. This is the very definition of privilege and she seems blissfully unaware of it. The stories run off on tangents and make it a bit hard to follow. The details of her relationships are glossed over at best. In the end, the only thing i felt like I really knew about her was that she is beautiful, is a woman of color, and that she is intelligent. I know this because she says this over and over in the text. Its no doubt that she is right on all three; I just wish she wasn't so aware of it and shared her story without so much obvious spin to paint herself in such an unrelatably perfect way. If she wasn't living proof, I would say the main character was too perfect to believe. I would love to read something from her that is more humble, more focused, and showed her own flaws as much as she liked to show the flaws of others (her friends and family).