Tranny (book)

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Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout
Tranny (autobiography).jpg
Cover of Tranny
Author Laura Jane Grace with Dan Ozzi
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Subject Autobiography
Publisher Hachette Books
Publication date
November 15, 2016 [1]
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages320 pp
ISBN 9-7803-1638795-8

Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout is an autobiography by Laura Jane Grace, co-written with Noisey editor Dan Ozzi and published by Hachette Books on November 15, 2016. Informed by extensive journal records, it covers Grace's childhood and early involvement in anarcho-punk, and her role as frontperson of Against Me! from the band's founding to her publicly coming out as a transgender woman in 2012.

Contents

Background

Grace is a singer-songwriter for the punk band Against Me!; she came out as transgender in 2012. [2] The book is based on Grace's journals, which she kept since third grade. [1] [3]

The book was known under a working title of Kill Me Loudly or Killing Me Loudly in 2015, when Grace was working with a different publisher. [4] The title Tranny refers to her reclamation of hurtful insults and slurs formerly used against her but now repurposed for her defense. [5] Grace was surprised the publishers approved the title, and winces when hearing it said aloud, but chose it because of the book's themes of "shame, internalised transphobia and self-loathing". Though depicting the "whirlwind" of public transition, Grace felt pressure to feature a happy ending to counterbalance the prevailing narratives about transgender people. [6]

Synopsis

Quoting extracts from her journals, Grace describes her childhood. Her first memories were of dressing in her mother's clothing. She was a military brat who lived in various places across America, as well as in Italy. At a church youth group, she began the Black Shadows and performed at church talent shows, but was asked to stop after a performance of Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box". After being arrested as a teenager, she began consuming anarchist punk media. [1]

In 1997, Grace founded the band Against Me! [6] Approached by NOFX to put out an EP, Grace declined the offer and asked Fat Wreck Chords instead to release their album Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy . After commercial success, Grace became addicted to cocaine and sex to relieve gender dysphoria, and experienced backlash from the punk movement. She began attending Narcotics Anonymous and wrote "The Ocean" (2007) about her dysphoria. In 2009, knowing she was a woman, Grace decided to remove her "Ramblin' Boys of Pleasure" tattoo as the first step in her transition. She publicly came out in 2012, and the 2013 Against Me! tour for Transgender Dysphoria Blues saw an increased diversity in the fanbase. [1]

Reception

In 2016, Billboard writers ranked the book 42 of the best 100 music books in history. Reviewer Joan Jett wrote that the "no-holds-barred memoir" is a "valuable starting point for a conversation to broaden the understanding of, and empathy for, trans people". [7] Publishers Weekly called the writing "brutally honest" and "soul-searching", reviewing that "Grace's gender dysphoria adds a remarkable twist to the tale". [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Against Me!</span> American punk rock band

Against Me! is an American punk rock band, formed in 1997 in Naples, Florida, by singer and guitarist Laura Jane Grace. That same year, Grace moved to Gainesville, Florida, which is considered the band's hometown. Since 2001, the band's lineup has also included guitarist James Bowman. After releasing three studio albums through independent record labels, Against Me! moved to Sire Records for 2007's New Wave, which reached no. 57 on the Billboard 200. In 2011, the band launched the record label Total Treble.

Maximumrocknroll, often written as Maximum Rocknroll and usually abbreviated as MRR, is a not-for-profit monthly online zine of punk subculture and radio show of punk music. Based in San Francisco, MRR focuses on punk rock and hardcore music, and primarily features artist interviews and music reviews. Op/ed columns and news roundups are regular features as well, including submissions from international contributors. By 1990, it "had become the de facto bible of the scene". MRR is considered to be one of the most important zines in punk, not only because of its wide-ranging coverage, but because it has been a consistent and influential presence in the ever-changing punk community for over three decades. From 1992 to 2011, it published a guide called Book Your Own Fuckin' Life.

Tranny is a derogatory term for a trans person.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to transgender topics.

Dysphoria is a profound state of unease or dissatisfaction. It is the semantic opposite of euphoria. In a psychiatric context, dysphoria may accompany depression, anxiety, or agitation.

<i>Searching for a Former Clarity</i>

Searching for a Former Clarity is the third album by the Gainesville, Florida punk rock band Against Me!, produced by J. Robbins and released on September 6, 2005, by Fat Wreck Chords. Supported by singles and music videos for the songs "Don't Lose Touch" and "From Her Lips to God's Ears ", it was their first album to chart on the Billboard 200, reaching #114. It also reached #9 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart. Singer/guitarist Laura Jane Grace has described Searching for a Former Clarity as a concept album.

<i>Crime as Forgiven by Against Me!</i> 2001 EP by Against Me!

Crime as Forgiven by Against Me!, or just Crime, was the second EP released by punk band Against Me!. It was one of the band's first releases to achieve any level of circulation, with their previous self-titled 12" only having sold 145 copies. The vinyl edition was released by Against Me!'s Sabot Productions and the CD version was released by Plan-It-X Records with two more songs, Impact and Burn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Jane Grace</span> American musician

Laura Jane Grace is an American musician best known as the founder, lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the punk rock band Against Me!. In addition to Against Me!, Grace fronts the band Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, a solo project she started in 2016. Grace is notable for being one of the first highly visible punk rock musicians to publicly come out as transgender, which she did in May 2012. She released her debut solo studio album, Stay Alive, in 2020, followed by Hole in My Head (2024).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas Silveira</span> Musical artist

Lucas Silveira is a Canadian vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter from Toronto, Ontario. He has composed and performed folk music and rock music, and formed and played in the band The Cliks. Silveira is credited as the first openly transgender man to have signed with a major record label. He also writes about LGBTQ issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Against Me! discography</span>

The discography of Gainesville, Florida-based punk rock band Against Me! consists of seven studio albums, four EPs, two live albums, two DVDs, fifteen singles, five demos, and sixteen music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">True Trans</span> 2013 single by Against Me!

True Trans is an acoustic EP by American punk rock band Against Me!. The band released it as a digital single on July 12, 2013 through their label, Total Treble Music. The two songs on the EP were made available via an email download link to those who preordered tickets for Laura Jane Grace's August 2013 tour of the U.S. East Coast. It was later distributed as a 7".

<i>Transgender Dysphoria Blues</i> 2014 studio album by Against Me!

Transgender Dysphoria Blues is the sixth studio album by American punk rock band Against Me!, released on January 21, 2014 by Total Treble Music and Xtra Mile Recordings. The album deals with gender dysphoria, following Laura Jane Grace's gender transition and coming out.

"Unconditional Love" is a single from Against Me!, released on a 7" picture disc on May 26, 2014, on Total Treble Music, with a digital release on June 9.

Portrayals of transgender people in mass media reflect societal attitudes about transgender identity, and have varied and evolved with public perception and understanding. Media representation, culture industry, and social marginalization all hint at popular culture standards and the applicability and significance to mass culture, even though media depictions represent only a minuscule spectrum of the transgender group, which essentially conveys that those that are shown are the only interpretations and ideas society has of them. However, in 2014, the United States reached a "transgender tipping point", according to Time. At this time, the media visibility of transgender people reached a level higher than seen before. Since then, the number of transgender portrayals across TV platforms has stayed elevated. Research has found that viewing multiple transgender TV characters and stories improves viewers' attitudes toward transgender people and related policies.

<i>23 Live Sex Acts</i> 2015 live album by Against Me!

23 Live Sex Acts is the second live album by Against Me! It was recorded on the 2014 tour for their sixth studio album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues and released in 2015.

<i>Against Me!</i> (demo) 1997 demo album by Against Me!

Against Me!, more commonly known as Tom's Demo Tape, or simply the First Demo, is a demo album and the first release by Laura Jane Grace under the name Against Me! in June 1997. It was recorded on December 25, 1996, by Laura Jane Grace at her mother's house in Naples, FL. Physical copies of the tape are extremely rare;, however, all 6 tracks can easily be found circulating on YouTube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Bowman (musician)</span> American musician

James Robert Bowman is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the punk rock band Against Me!. Starting as a solo act in 1997, Against Me! eventually expanded into a quartet, having currently released seven studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Hippie Foundation</span> Nonprofit organization founded by Miley Cyrus

The Happy Hippie Foundation is an American non-profit organization founded by American singer and entertainer Miley Cyrus on September 17, 2014, and officially launched to the public on May 5, 2015. The foundation focuses on youth homelessness, the LGBTQ community, and other vulnerable populations.

The Backyard Sessions are a series of music performances by American singer Miley Cyrus. The first sessions featured Cyrus performing cover versions of classic songs in an outdoor setting, and were released in 2012. Subsequent sessions have since been released in support of Cyrus' own projects, including the launch of her Happy Hippie Foundation in 2015 and the release of her albums Plastic Hearts (2020) and Endless Summer Vacation (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Kate Dale</span> British video game journalist and author

Laura Kate Dale is an English video game journalist, author and activist. She is known for writing about the transgender and autism communities in relation to video games and for her video game industry leaks. Many of her topics tackle accessibility for disabled players and LGBTQ+ representation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mejia, Paula (November 14, 2016). "Laura Jane Grace's Brutally Honest 'Tranny' Memoir: 10 Things We Learned". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 17, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Nonfiction Book Review: Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Sellout by Laura Jane Grace, with Dan Ozzi". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  3. "Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace Announces Memoir". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2016-04-08. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  4. Payne, Chris (March 21, 2016). "Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace to Release Memoir 'Tranny' Later This Year". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  5. "About That Title". Noisey. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-04.
  6. 1 2 Snapes, Laura (December 3, 2016). "Laura Jane Grace on being transgender in the age of Trump: 'Panic isn't the answer'". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077.
  7. Billboard Staff (September 16, 2016). "100 Greatest Music Books of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2021.

Further reading