Trans Fiction: Book Recommendations

Stay Gold (2020)

Title: Stay Gold
Author: Tobly McSmith
Date Published: May 2020
Publisher: Harper Teen

Commentary:
Trigger warnings: some suicidal thoughts and violence.

The romance in the story is both inevitable and impossible, which is one of the reasons it's so fun. Pony is a trans guy who recently moved. He is starting a new high school and has decided to try and be stealth. As he walks into school on the first day he locks eyes with a popular cheerleader and is hit with Cupid's arrow. Let the shenanigans begin!

The book switches points of view between Pony and the cheerleader, whose name is Georgia. The burgeoning romantic feelings they have for each other is one of the main drivers of the plot. Both of them are confused by their attraction to the other. Pony doesn't want to risk his stealth identity. Georgia has sworn off dating due to a recent bad breakup with the football quarterback. In someways this has all the hallmarks of cliche YA stories: guy with a secret, girl dealing with pressure of popularity. But seeing a trans guy in the romantic lead role gives the familiar trope a refreshing twist.

Interwoven though the book is a debate over whether a trans person should live stealth if they pass. Pony wants to just be seen as male. However, he has a trans best friend, Max, from his former high school who is very politically active and believes that it is every trans person's duty to live loud and proud. The two friends play out the debate several times. Pony's relationship with Georgia also complicates his feelings about his identity. While he wants to live stealth, he doesn't want being trans to be some dirty secret, either.

As I've mentioned in other book review chapters, I am conflicted when it comes to this narrative in trans books, but this one in particular stood out to me. How things play out in this book felt inevitable, but it still irked me. Mostly because, I don't think that Pony's safety was considered enough during the debates about being stealth. There are transphobic side characters in this book, which leads to several uncomfortable moments, including one pretty traumatic encounter. I don't want to include a spoiler, so just note the trigger warning above.

Despite a few critiques I have about the stealth debate and it's outcome, I still found this book entertaining and do recommend it.

On a separate, but related, note, I am currently in the middle of Tobly McSmith's second novel, Act Cool. The stealth debate is nonexistent in this story, yet the teenage drama is quite heightened. I'll be sure to include a chapter for it in the future.

Synopsis (copied from GoodReads):

Pony just wants to fly under the radar during senior year. Tired from all the attention he got at his old school after coming out as transgender, he's looking for a fresh start at Hillcrest High. But it's hard to live your best life when the threat of exposure lurks down every hallway and in every bathroom.

Georgia is beginning to think there's more to life than cheerleading. She plans on keeping a low profile until graduation...which is why she promised herself that dating was officially a no-go this year.

Then, on the very first day of school, the new guy and the cheerleader lock eyes. How is Pony supposed to stay stealth when he wants to get close to a girl like Georgia? How is Georgia supposed to keep her promise when sparks start flying with a boy like Pony?