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Original poster

Usbourne publishing calling mums transphobes

232 replies

Abite · 11/01/2020 08:49

Go woke go broke

Usbourne publishing calling mums transphobes
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nachthexe · 11/01/2020 21:24

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LordOfTheWhys · 11/01/2020 21:15

The 'silky' material and the reference to the underwear make me uncomfortable as an adult reader. Did the author work with an AGP on this? Because those descriptions sound exactly like something an AGP or MAP would write and then get a kick from young people reading.

StrangeLookingParasite · 11/01/2020 20:58

She was introduced to transmen/being non binary at school, where the counsellor suggested it might be the reason she hated her newly developed body?

This would have been me. I hated (and I'm still not that keen on) having big boobs. Mine grew really fast, and the assumptions people, both male and female, made about what this indicated about my personality revolted me.

theflushedzebra · 11/01/2020 20:58

TinselAngel Sad I can't imagine it.

TinselAngel · 11/01/2020 20:55

I remember that uneasy, creeping feeling very well.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 11/01/2020 20:54

'Transphobic trolls' ? Try 'concerned adults' Usborne.

OldCrone · 11/01/2020 20:49

The bit where they find the clothes (including underwear) was in the preview that I read. Izzy feels guilty and confused.

Usbourne publishing calling mums transphobes
Goosefoot · 11/01/2020 20:35

Books with an obvious agenda are rarely popular with children who are prolific readers, in my experience.

Yes, there are a lot of terrible books of this type for both children and teens. For some reason many adults think that children's literature should be mainly about reinforcing the kinds of social norms they prefer.

T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 11/01/2020 20:32

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ScrimshawTheSecond · 11/01/2020 20:23

Anyone want a sweepstake?

Were I betting, I'd put money on Izzy's family not being torn apart, her parents not breaking up, and everything working out exactly as Izzy's dad's wildest dreams might have imagined.

nolongersurprised · 11/01/2020 20:22

The apostrophe at
Grace's already opened the wardrobe door
is painful to read

Not the point but this in itself would ensure I never bought it. Does no one edit these books?

Books with an obvious agenda are rarely popular with children who are prolific readers, in my experience.

GoldenKelpie · 11/01/2020 20:18

OldCrone that is a very distressing story Sad. I hope this woman is in a better place today.

NotBadConsidering · 11/01/2020 20:10

That first excerpt could well be paraphrased as:

“My Mum has always shown me that there’s no need to conform to gender stereotypes around clothes, but it turns out my dad wants to reinforce them.”

ScarlettBlaize · 11/01/2020 19:31

The Usborne 'Look Inside...' books are my default birthday present for my kids' friends. I must have bought fifty of them over the past few years. I won't be buying another one.

Clymene · 11/01/2020 19:25

In the review I read it mentioned the heartwarming scene where the children decide what they're going to call their dad instead of dad now so I'd say your assumptions are pretty well founded CallofDoodee

TinselAngel · 11/01/2020 19:25

Am I being terribly cynical GoodbyePiccadilly to suspect there might be heavy involvement from a male transitioner in the writing of this book? It's the "silky material" line that rings alarm bells.

CallofDoodee · 11/01/2020 19:20

I am making assumptions here that Izzy does 'face her fears, find her voice and stand up for what's right' and protect her own father, and it's a warm fuzzy ending where Danielle gets to be 'her true self' with the help of her daughter, but I could of course be wrong.

CallofDoodee · 11/01/2020 19:17

Again...

Izzy’s family is under the spotlight when her dad comes out as Danielle, a trans woman. Izzy is terrified her family will be torn apart. Will she lose her dad? Will her parents break up? And what will people at school say? Izzy’s always been shy, but now all eyes are on her. Can she face her fears, find her voice and stand up for what’s right?

Retro what do you think is meant by 'stand up for what's right' in this context? Given that this was written by someone who works for Stonewall? Do you think its the job of a child to have to be 'facing her fears' in order to validate the feelings of her parent?

WelshMoth · 11/01/2020 19:09

There are Usborne catalogues in my staff room. Come
Monday they'll be dumped at the bottom of my recycling bin.

Clymene · 11/01/2020 19:04

I'm 'jumping to conclusions' @Retrofitted, not just based in the publisher's synopsis but from reading several reviews.

And a book written by Stonewall's head of campaigns is going to have a very clear message and agenda. Sarah is responsible for pushing a very specific narrative in her day job and it would be very odd indeed if her book presented a more nuanced perspective.

GoodbyePiccadilly · 11/01/2020 19:03

It's a very clear agenda here in cementing the 'born in the wrong body' narrative.

Usbourne publishing calling mums transphobes
GoodbyePiccadilly · 11/01/2020 19:00

Hi TinselAngel :-)

TinselAngel · 11/01/2020 18:58

And Hi Emma x @GoodbyePiccadilly

TinselAngel · 11/01/2020 18:57

Jeez. It's bad enough as a wife finding the clothes, but a child finding them with (presumably) her friend?
Shock

TheTigersBride · 11/01/2020 18:44

The apostrophe at
Grace's already opened the wardrobe door
is painful to read