BEYOND MAGENTA

“SK: What causes a person to be transgender? 

MS: I think the question should be flipped around: What’s the cause for assuming that one’s gender identity has to be the one that you are born with? When I first came into this job, I was much more comfortable about people’s sexuality than I was with people’s gender identity. But when you hear the same stories over and over again, from people from all over the world, you start realizing that transgender is not an anomaly. It’s a part of the spectrum of people’s realities. Then you stop wondering about the cause and you start realizing it’s a part of reality.” 

GRADE LEVEL: 7-COLLEGE
AUTHOR: SUSAN KUKLIN 
GENRE: NON-FICTION

REVIEW: 
Beyond Magenta shares the true stories of six transgender and gender non-binary teens. Susan Kuklin's gives voice to the challenges, triumphs, and diverse stories that these teens take on their way to living their truth. Kuklin understand's that the most powerful voice to tell these stories are through the teens who are living them. Each chapter focuses on the unique individual journey of each teen. Pictures, interviews with loved ones and family, and words from the courageous teens themselves, encourage the reader to gain a deeper understanding and empathy for the young adults who are so courageously telling their stories.

Beyond Magenta is a book that can be used in the classroom either in its entirety or through the individual chapters. This multi-genre approach to storytelling is a wonderful way to expose students to the different ways to tell a story. What a great book to use as a model for their own multi-genre pieces while also teaching students about a subject that impacts their peers or even possibly the student. I can see some great cross-curricular opportunities with the art department with this one! At the end of the book you will find a nice glossary of terms that can be helpful to understanding some of the gender inclusive language and some of the harder to understand terms used. I also really enjoyed the resource section at the end of the book that some of the students who are LGBTQ might find useful.

CLASSROOM  TOOLBOX:

• As mentioned above: have students create their own multi-genre pieces that use art, interviews and self-reflections as modes of storytelling. Get with your art department to help you with ideas!
• Interview someone else and create a multi-genre piece or piece of photojournalism based on that person. 
• Research a person in history and tell their story using Beyond Magenta as a model. 
• Bring it to your GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club) It would be a great book to share with the group and possibly read together. 
• Put it in the teacher's room. It would be nice for teachers to gain a better understanding of some of the challenges facing their transgender and non-binary students. 

LINKS TO OTHER TOOLBOX IDEAS AND RESOURCES:

• Literacy Daily has some great ideas for how to use Beyond Magenta 
• Take a look at the author, Susan Kuklin's, site to get interviews and reviews. 
• Candlewick Press Discussion Guide for Beyond Magenta 
• Interview with the author
• Publisher Weekly's review with an interview with one of the six-teens that participated

FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOU OWN IDEAS AND CREATIVITY WITH US!