Jody Dungan

Tears in Silence Jody Dungan

This book is a must read for those in the psychiatric and counseling field who work with transgender youth and adults who have had similar histories. Educators, counselors, youth pastors, and the families of trans children would benefit greatly from a better understanding of those who are often the most vulnerable. In a larger sense, the experiences of the author can be applied to all who have endured prolonged bullying for being different. It highlights the causes of health and mortality risks that still plague the LGBTQ+ community today. The author shares the memories of a young transgender girl growing up in a mining town during the 1960s. It was a very different time, and not the best decade to be different. It was before the internet and before any public awareness or acceptance of the topic. Her confusion, isolation and self-hatred might seem strange in today's world. At the time, conformity was nearly universal, and any variation from the norm was punished. The author shares her most intimate heartbreaks, prayers and fears with the reader in the hopes to further the understanding of the internal struggle that often accompanies this phenomenon.
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