BECOMING NICOLE:THE TRANSFORMATION OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY 9-COLLEGE LEVEL

"Dignity, self-respect, the right to be treated as an equal, that’s what everyone wants. But Du Bois knew that those who are alienated from the community of man because of color (or, one might add, because of sexual orientation or gender) have a much harder path, because the alienated, the differentiated, the misfits of society must bear the burden of a single unspoken question on the lips of even the most polite members of society: “What does it feel like to be a problem?” 

GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
AUTHOR: Amy Ellis Nutt 
BOOK AWARDS: 
A New York Times Best Seller
A New York Times Notable Book
A Stonewall Honor Book in Nonfiction
A Finalist for the Lambda for Transgender Nonfiction

REVIEW 
When I was writing the award list for this book, I wanted to give it one more unofficial award: The Award for the Book Most Recommended to Those Wanting to Understand Gender Identity. Yes, it is a long name for an award, but it is one that holds so much meaning. It is even rumored that the Pope was seen reading it on a plane. For me, the story hits a personal note as it is set in the same town that I lived in when my children were born. I am embarrassed to say that, at the time, I was grossly unaware of the prejudices of my community and what impact the outcome of the trial would later have on those that I love. 

Someone once asked me how the classic, To Kill a Mockingbird is still relevant for students. For starters, I don't think American society has changed all that much since Harper Lee's depiction of a small town confronted with its own ugly prejudices. Beyond the obvious similarities of a town divided by a trial and some serious antagonists, Becoming Nicole: A Transformation of an American Family and Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird are strikingly similar in a lot of ways. Becoming Nicole highlights our society's continual need for empathy and to understand what it means, "to walk around in someone else's skin." The historical trial that the Maines family endured and won is another example of our legal system catching up with our current prejudices. I particularly find Wayne Maines' journey toward the celebration of his daughter to be one of the most powerful narratives in the book. His conservative past along with his initial reluctance gives him a credibility that will bring along even a reluctant reader. I can't help but be one of the people who wants to continue the tradition of recommending this book. 

I think this book could be used in the classroom; if not in its entirety, then even in excerpts. I would be very careful not to use it as a launching pad for debate. LGBTQ students in general, and especially transgender students, have heard their basic human rights debated enough in the media and in the world in general, many may even have some traumatic experiences around this. I think that for many transgender and nonbinary students, a debate would only make them feel uncomfortable and unsafe. 

CLASSROOM TOOLBOX

• I can see the case of Nicole Maines being used in a social studies classroom. In our school we have an American Law and Trial course that I can see it being mentioned in. Once again, not for debate, but to examine the case or the law. This would mean the teacher would need to be a great facilitator. 
• The story can be broken down for narrative writing as well. There is a major conflict and many sub-conflicts that support the larger conflict. You might explore the writing for POV. Why was the story told from the POV it was? How did the author structure the storytelling and why do you think she chose to do it this way? 
• Wayne Maines journey would be a great way to look at a character's journey and how people or characters change throughout a journey. 
• If you are going to use it for class discussion, I would have a specific purpose such as the narrative ideas mentioned above. 
• What builds the author's ethos? Maybe look at what other works the author has done and this article from the NY Times. How do these help build the author's ethos?
• Maybe just use it for your own knowledge and education. 
• There are chapters in this book that really break down the science. I can see if a teacher who teaches health or science wanted to understand more or even use excerpts from this that the book could be a good resource. 

LINKS TO OTHER TOOLBOX IDEAS 
Ted Talks on the Gender Spectrum
Nicole Maines Ted Talks
Wayne Maines Ted Talks

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NO BIKINI DIRECTED BY CLAUDIA MORGADO FILM FOR GRADES 7-12

I wasn't pretending; I just was.

GRADE LEVEL: 7-12
FILM CREATORS: Directed by Claudia Morgado and written by Claudia Morgado and Ivan E. Coyote

FILM AWARDS: 
Hamburg Lesbian and Gay Film Festival: Best Transgender Short
New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival: Best Short Film
Paris International Lesbian and Feminist Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Short
PlanetOut Short Movie Awards: Grand Prize
San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Short
Toronto Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival: Best Canadian Short/Honorable Mention

REVIEW 
My eight-year-old son and I watched this movie together. It is only eight minutes long, but it leaves an impression. Without hesitation, my son started to ask questions, all the while using the gender pronoun preferred by the main character. It always amazes me that children are often much more empathetic and easy going about such things, much more so than many adults I have met and for sure more so than the mother of the protagonist of the film, Robin.

Robin is a seven-year-old boy whose mother signs him up for six weeks of  swim lessons. In the beginning we see Robin struggle with the bikini his mother has picked out for him, but as soon as she is gone, so is the bikini top. Robin is free to face the next six weeks as his true self as his mother never watches the class. Without the worry of the bikini, Robin is free to worry about other fears, such as the diving board and whether or not he will win the coveted Swim Champ award. After all only one person can win...

The movie is a great film for middle school and high school. In eight minutes we can clearly see that Robin is supported by his swim teacher, a fellow boy in his swim class, and his other swim class members. What is clear at the end, is that he is not supported by his mother. Following Robin's swim triumphs allows us to see him for much more than his gender. Audience members are rooting for this character and it is easy to accept him for who he is. What is not easy, is how the story ends. Robin's six weeks are up and for now so is his ability to live his true identity. The ending will provoke a reaction from students and hopeful start a meaningful discussion.


CLASSROOM TOOLBOX

• I can see this film a companion resources for a larger unit about identity. It is short and will easily promote class discussion. It could easily work with any of the high school level books or even the middle school books such as George.
• The film would work well in promoting a Socratic style discussion. Where we have an inner circle speak about the film while an outer circle observes the inner circle and gives feedback on the discussion. 
• As far a Common Core standards go, I think analyzing the film for its narrative techniques is an option. I would ask students to think about why the story is told from the POV of Robin and how  this choice lends to the overall message of the story. I might ask the students to explore what conflicts exist and what sub conflicts exist in the story? Why do the creators of the story want us to focus on the sub conflicts? Do the smaller conflicts relate to the bigger one? 
• The story is much like that of a personal narrative. You might have them recognize the characteristics of a personal narrative in the film. 
• The film would make a perfect intro to digital storytelling. Encourage the students to think about the message of the film. What do they want the message of their digital story to be? 

LINKS TO OTHER TOOLBOX IDEAS:
Nicole Maines TED TALKS
The Telling Room-This resource has a lot of experience with getting story out of students. The link provided will bring you to the multi-media storytelling page. They often publish student work too!

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RED: A CRAYON'S STORY BY MICHAEL HALL PRE-K-2

"He was red...But he wasn't very good at it."








GRADE LEVEL: PRE-K-2
AUTHOR: Michael Hall
BOOK AWARDS: 
(Info gathered from Junior Library Guild)
Goodreads Choice Awards 2015, Picture Books
Booklist Best Picture Books of 2015
Amazon.com Best Books of the Year 2015, Ages 3–5
Booklist Lasting Connections, 2015
2016 CCBC Choices–Picture Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
2016 Rainbow List, Picture Books
2015 Cybils Awards Nomination, Fiction Picture Books
Irma Black Award, 2016 Finalist
2016 E. B. White Read-Aloud Award, Picture Book
Children’s Literature Assembly, 2016 Notable Children’s Books in the English Language Arts
Children’s Book Committee Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of 2016, Under 5

REVIEW 
This is the first book I ever read that I felt helped build empathy and understanding in regards to gender identity. Michael Hall's children's book, Red: A Crayon's Story does not explicitly use words like gender identity, transgender, or nonbinary, but it does help children to see that their labels don't always match their identities.I have read this book with my children, friends' children, and young relatives.The book has prompted some great discussions and questions the children have about the people in their families and communities who don't feel their gender labels match they way they feel on the inside. 

The story follows a crayon that has been labeled red, but that feels blue. Many of the other crayon's in Red's life express opinions and give advice on how Red should handle this very unique feeling. Eventually Red meets Purple and through the friendship begins to feel accepted for his true identity. Eventually the other crayons in Red's life change the messages they give him and Red is able to see how he can be a purposeful and beautiful Blue. 

I have given this book to classroom teachers who have a young trans or gender nonconforming student. As more and more students are socially transitioning at younger ages, teachers can feel confused about how to answer questions from other students who see their friend and classmate socially transition.The book is a wonderful and age appropriate way to begin the discussion with young kids about identity and help them understand that for some people, their identities don't always match their labels. A book like, Red: A Crayon's Story will help share the responsibility of the discussion and give a place for the students' questions to be focused on rather than putting the onus on the child going through the transition. 

CLASSROOM TOOLBOX

• This book makes for a great read-aloud. The discussions that follows will be rich and meaningful. 
• As a writing teacher I think this would make a great prompt for a personal narrative. Every kid can relate to feeling of not fitting in. The children could even illustrate their narrative with crayons.
• The students could write a review of the book or even do a video book review. 
• Students could write positive messages to Blue. The messages could be displayed on a wall in the classroom. 

LINKS TO OTHER TOOLBOX IDEAS 

A Twitter account with Activity Sheets and Discussion Guides
Teacher's Hub Discussion Guide and Theme 
Pinterest 
Teacher Pay Teacher
Lesson Plan with Common Core

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