
Raising Trans Kids: What to Expect When You Weren't Expecting This
Author(s): Rebecca Minor MSW LICSW (Author)
- Publisher: 100 Block by Row House
- Publication Date: September 9, 2025
- Language: English
- Print length: 304 pages
- ISBN-10: 1955905983
- ISBN-13: 9781955905985
Book Description
Inside this indispensable resource, you’ll find:
- Simple, evidence-based answers to the difficult questions that keep caregivers awake at night.
- Tools to dismantle limiting beliefs that may hinder full, unconditional support for trans youth.
- Up-to-date research highlighting the critical role of family acceptance in reducing suicide risk and fostering self-esteem.
- An evolving online glossary to stay informed about the ever-changing language of gender and sexuality.
At a time when trans youth face unprecedented legislative attacks and alarming mental health challenges, Raising Trans Kids is more than a guide—it’s a lifeline. By addressing fears and misconceptions, it helps families move past uncertainty and fear into pride, joy, and unconditional love for their child’s authentic self.
Why This Book Matters:
- Trans kids and teens with supportive families experience lower rates of suicide, greater life satisfaction, and higher self-esteem.
- In 2024, a record-breaking 672 anti-trans bills were introduced across the U.S, marking the fifth consecutive record-breaking year for such legislation, intensifying the need for informed and empathetic guidance for parents and advocates.
Discover the pride, joy, and strength of unconditional support. Whether you’re a parent seeking to better support your child, an educator looking to foster inclusive environments, or an advocate ready to take action, Raising Trans Kids provides the tools, insights, and hope you need to make a lasting difference.
“It’s scary not knowing the answer—especially as a parent. But love doesn’t need to make sense to be powerful. Rebecca Minor’s wise book takes away the mystery, the shame, and especially the misinformation, so we can parent our trans kids with clarity and courage. She answers the awkward questions, dispels the nonsense, and gives us the foundation to move past fear—confidently, logically, and lovingly. It’s about damn time!” —Jodie Patterson, Parent, Advocate, Author, and Chair Emeritus of The Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board
Editorial Reviews
Review
As a psychologist, community advocate, and a mom myself, I am deeply grateful for this book.
Raising Trans Kids is more than just a resource; it’s a lifeline. It manages to be both a comprehensive, evidence-based guide and an incredibly accessible, human read. Gender Specialist Rebecca Minor, LICSW, beautifully synthesizes research with lived experiences, organizing it perfectly for parents navigating specific concerns. Having partnered with Rebecca in supporting grandparents of trans youth, I see this book as an extension of that vital work – honoring the complexities while empowering families. The affirmations alone are a balm in challenging times. We need this desperately. It’s brilliant, necessary, and compassionate. I cannot wait to recommend it to families I work with, and can without a doubt share that I found it healing for myself. — Dani Rosenkrantz, PhD ― Licensed Psychologist, Owner of Brave Space Psychology, Expert in LGBTQ+ & BIPOC Mental HealthThe most valuable people for me as a parent and a therapist are the ones who respect and care for me while also asking the questions that help me get out of the way of my children’s, clients’, and my own authenticity and wisdom. Rebecca Minor is this kind of person, and
Raising Trans Kids is like having this wise friend and teacher close at hand when fears about how we should respond to and care for our trans children arise. Raising Trans Kids is a workbook, a storybook, and a research-driven guide to parenting trans youth, all in one. The many stories give us a window into the diversity of family experiences; the questions lead us into action, and the research and resources answer the questions and fears that arise as we care for our trans youth. — Finn Gratton, LPCC, LMFT ― Clinician and Author of Supporting Transgender Autistic Youth and Adults: A Guide for Professionals and FamiliesThis book is exactly what so many families need—clear, grounded, and full of heart. Rebecca Minor brings a wealth of experience as a queer clinician and educator, and it shows. Her guidance is practical and deeply affirming. One section that really stuck with me was how she offers reflection questions that move through fear toward connection. This is a must-read for parents, teachers, and anyone supporting trans and nonbinary youth. — Rey Resendez ―
Writer and LGBTQ+ Activist Raising Trans Kids is profoundly affirming and deeply necessary. Rebecca Minor writes with clinical expertise and heartfelt compassion. This book meets caregivers exactly where they are and helps them affirm their children in ways that can be truly lifesaving. Minor’s approach is grounded in respect for each child’s unique experience and honors the complexity of parenting with both courage and love. Raising Trans Kids is the kind of book I wish we’d had when we were just starting out—and now, it’s the one I’ll recommend to every family beginning their journey. — Vanessa Ford ― Educator, Advocate, and Co-author of Calvin and The Advocate Educator’s Handbook: Creating Schools Where Transgender and Non-Binary Students Thrive Raising Trans Kids validates the complicated emotions as well as common questions and fears of parents, family members, and caregivers of transgender and gender-expansive kids. Using evidence-based research, her vast clinical experience, and composite case studies, Rebecca paints a picture of hope and celebration without sugar-coating the struggles inherent to parenting a trans child. This book is essential reading for any parent of trans youth. — Mandy Giles ― Advocate, Parent, and Founder of Parents of Trans Youth Raising Trans Kids is compassionate, practical, and empowering. Rebecca Minor doesn’t just offer information — she offers companionship. She meets parents in their most vulnerable moments with empathy, clarity, and hard-earned wisdom. Whether you’re in the earliest days of understanding your child’s identity or you’ve already become their fiercest advocate, this book will grow with you. Each chapter is an invitation to reflect, learn, and, most importantly, show up. If you love a transgender or nonbinary child — or if you’re trying to understand how to — this book is your guide, your lifeline, and your call to action. — Debi Jackson ― Advocate for Trans Youth, Speaker, and Founder of Gender Inc.I appreciated that the book touched upon all of the fears that parents typically hold when a child is exploring gender. Rebecca’s explanations and responses were no-nonsense, clear, concise, and included research citations. In a time where there is so much misinformation about trans kids, it was a breath of fresh air. I will definitely be recommending this book to the parents and families with whom I work. — Lisa Dube, LICSW ―
Clinician, Consultant, and EducatorRebecca Minor has written a book that is accessible, inviting, and compassionate. As someone who has over a decade of working with young people and their families, Rebecca provides clear and thoughtful answers to common questions that many people feel confused about or are scared to ask. This book is full of wonderful case examples that bring to life some very real, complex dynamics that occur within families, schools, and larger institutions. I love the offering of key points and reflection questions that opens the reader to a more engaged experience and exploration of the information. I recommend it for any parent or educator who is grappling with their role in understanding and supporting a trans young person. — Sand Chang, PhD ―
Psychologist, Author of A Clinician’s Guide to Gender-Affirming CareAs a father of a Black transgender child and an advocate for trans youth and their families, I know firsthand how vital it is for parents to have access to compassionate, informed guidance. Raising Trans Kids: What to Expect When You Weren’t Expecting This is exactly that—a beacon of clarity, reassurance, and wisdom in a time when trans children and their families are facing unprecedented challenges. Rebecca brings years of experience and deep empathy to this book, offering parents not just the tools they need, but the confidence to embrace and support their children fully. This is the kind of resource I wish every parent had from day one. Essential, affirming, and profoundly necessary.” — Stephen Chukumba ―
LGBTQ+ Activist, Father, Producer of The Dads
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