Andrew Solomon Far From The Tree

I met David in 1987--while he was wearing a dress. He'd come to a gathering at a friend's home, with three other transgendered folks, to talk about gender issues. At the time, he believed himself to be "just" a cross-dresser. And I was enthralled, struck by his honesty and vulnerability.

We were nearly 40 then, and he'd struggled with this proclivity for most of his life. Once, when he…

My gratitude to Andrew Solomon for this American love story is exceeded only by my pride in the generous and courageous families he profiled so tenderly. Their stories filled me with hope for the futures of all our children; all our sisters and brothers. Our dignity can never be guaranteed by legislation, nor do we have the luxury of waiting for the pendulum of historical change to swing toward a…

I'm the lesbian mother, with my wife, by donor insemination, of a transgender son and a dwarf son (plus a third son as well). We gave birth in 1981 and 1984, before our children had many options of horizontal identities among children of LGBT parents. (My book, the Lesbian and Gay Parenting Handbook, HarperCollins, came out in 1993). My professional life as a psychologist includes an expertise in…

Cheryl was my first girlfriend. Actually we were both about 6 years old at the time. Her parents lived across the street just off the public square from my grandmother. Whenever my parents took me to visit my grandmother, I was urged to go across the street to see Cheryl. I would hesitatingly walk across the street and stand on the sidewalk by the rock wall around Cheryl's house and wait for someone…

I have entered many rooms in my 70-some years. Reading this book allowed me for the first time to enter a room in which I felt totally accepted. Thank you!

It's hard to fall far from their tree. I've had the luck of being raised Unitarian Universalist, which should imply free and liberal. I have questioned my gender since toddlerhood. Thanks to my older sisters fabulous memories of mom and me arguing about my gender and whether or not I had a penis or vagina when I could barely speak yet.

I know now, what I had back in kindergarten were…

My husband and I are the proud parents of two sons and a daughter. Our two sons are 23 and 21, respectively. Our daughter is 17 going on 30 and has been our daughter for close to three years. We didn't adopt her—she is our beloved daughter who was born a natal son.

DJ came out to her brother, who informed my sisters, a lesbian and a child specialist, both left leaning, and the four…

I am the transgendered offspring of same-sex parents. My husband and I are now trying to go about adopting a child of our own. I have lived my life being the subject of much confusion for people and had to see my parents subject to the many questions you mention in your article. I grew up in the 80s when people in same-sex relationships didn't talk about their partners, much less acknowledge that…

I am a transgender man in my twenties, happy and studying law. My parents were supportive, loving, and kind as I transitioned. Your book helped me to see the heroism in what they have shrugged off as merely good parenting. Also, thank you for your family's story in Chapter XII. Seeing another way of making a family makes it easier to envision one of my own.