Sorted

Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place (A Transgender Memoir)

By: Jackson Bird

Narrated by: Jackson Bird

Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

An unflinching and endearing memoir from LGBTQ+ advocate Jackson Bird about how he finally sorted things out and came out as a transgender man.

When Jackson Bird was 25, he came out as transgender to his friends, family, and anyone in the world with an internet connection.

Assigned female at birth and raised as a girl, he often wondered if he should have been born a boy. Jackson didn’t share this thought with anyone because he didn’t think he could share it with anyone. Growing up in Texas in the 1990s, he had no transgender role models. He barely remembers meeting anyone who was openly gay, let alone being taught that transgender people existed outside of punchlines.

In this “soulful and heartfelt coming-of-age story” (Jamia Wilson, director and publisher of the Feminist Press), Jackson chronicles the ups and downs of growing up gender-confused. Illuminated by journal entries spanning childhood to adolescence to today, he candidly recalls the challenges and loneliness he endured as he came to terms with both his gender and his bisexual identity.

With warmth and wit, Jackson also recounts how he navigated the many obstacles and quirks of his transition - like figuring out how to have a chest binder delivered to his NYU dorm room and having an emotional breakdown at a Harry Potter fan convention. From his first shot of testosterone to his eventual top surgery, Jackson lets you in on every part of his journey - taking the time to explain trans terminology and little-known facts about gender and identity along the way.

“A compassionate, tender-hearted, and accessible book for anyone who might need a hand to hold as they walk through their own transition or the transition of a loved one” (Austin Chant, author of Peter Darling), Sorted demonstrates the power and beauty in being yourself, even when you’re not sure who “yourself” is. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Jackson Bird (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Audio

A Great Read for Anyone

Jackson did an amazing job with both the writing and the delivery. It sounded natural but entertaining, and kept my attention throughout. It was personally very relatable as a transgender person while also being educational for people trying to learn more. It even opened my eyes to some new feelings that I hadn't come to fully understand myself. Hearing about Jackson's own doubts and fears helped me confront my own. His book gave me the final push of courage that I needed to come out to my family and helped me on my long journey of finding peace within myself. If you're trans or questioning, or you know someone who is, or even just looking to broaden your knowledge and understanding, I highly recommend giving this a listen as well as looking at Jackson's other platforms. He is a gem.

Read this book!

Or better yet, read AND listen to it. Read by the author, Jackson Bird's open, frank, and witty memoir is also one of the best lessons I've had on all the things cis people who want to be supportive of the LGBTQ+ community need to know. I'm guessing it's also great information for those seeking answers about their own trans journey. I wish this book could be on high school reading lists, but alas we're a too puritanical society for that. Barring that, let's put it on every summer "required reading list" we can find!

Thought-provoking

I really liked how candid Jackson was in his life story as a trans man. As a nonbinary trans man I can kind of relate. I think if you're looking for a a nice LGBT autobiography this is it!

Yes. Just yes.

Educational.
Funny.
Heartfelt.
Uplifting.
Beautiful.
Captivating.
Validating.
Thank you for sharing and continuing to inspire and inform❤️🏳️‍⚧️

Relatable doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Excellent

Super grateful to Jackson Bird for sharing his story! Incredibly relatable (for me), informative, educational, and with enough humor intertwined among some pretty heavy context to keep one listening (and I imagine, with the print version, reading.) As a late bloomer, I am grateful for the courage and bravery of the younger generations to step into and live as their authentic selves. You give us older folx permission we didn't even know we had. Thank you for sharing your story, Mr. Bird!

Great first hand account

As a trans man, it’s truly inspiring and down eight helpful to be able to read first hand and personal accounts of other guy’s transitions. I’m thankful to have loving and supporting friends but no one else quite gets it like a fellow trans person. Thanks Jackson! I highly recommend this book.

Real

Books are better when read by the author. This is a real and needed recounting of a transgender story. Very inciteful.

Fantastic!

As a bisexual, trans man, born in Texas, growing up in the 90s, who transitioned as an adult, I can't tell you what it means to have so many shared identities and have them be represented in this book! My story is different in some ways, of course, but there were so many normalizing moments that I am forever grateful for such a private person to be willing to share them with me, because it deeply impacted my ability to accept myself. Thank you, Jackson, so much!

One man’s story

This book is worth reading…for any young or exploring trans person. It’s honest and digs into the specifics of this man’s story. It’s honorable.

An experience that helps bring perspective

This is a worthwhile book for anyone within the LGBTQ+ community, the straight community, all communities. Mr. Bird talks eloquently expressed his life, experiences, worries, fears, and joy. It's books like this that are exactly why we need books that deal with marginalized people to be written by the voices being marginalized.