Portrait of Life in a Gendered Body

Explore the complexities of growing up in a gendered body at Portrait of Life in a Gendered Body, part of the 2024 Miami Book Fair program, on Saturday, November 23. This event brings together two powerful voices in transgender and nonbinary literature, Zoë Bossiere and Nico Lang, as they share personal and researched narratives on identity, resilience and self-discovery.

In Cactus Country: A Boyhood Memoir, Bossiere delves into their experiences as a trans child in an Arizona trailer park, confronting the challenges of growing up in a world marked by sexism, racism and violence. Meanwhile, Lang’s American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era offers a deeply moving portrayal of eight trans and nonbinary teens from across the U.S., showcasing their struggles and triumphs in today’s complex social landscape.

Zoë Bossiere is an acclaimed writer, editor and teacher, known for her work in literary nonfiction and her role as managing editor of Brevity. Nico Lang is an award-winning journalist with a decade of experience documenting the transgender community’s fight for equality, with their work featured in major media outlets. Together, they offer insightful perspectives on living in and navigating a gendered world.