Detransition, Baby (2021)-Torrey Peters
These characters are the epitome of a dysfunctional family
Content Warnings: Transphobia, homophobia, sexual content, suicide, miscarriage, violence, cheating, outing
Representation: Trans, trans woman, wlw, Chinese, Jewish
Favorite Quote: “She had simply confused failure with being a transsexual—an outlook in which a state of failure confirmed one’s transsexuality, and one’s transsexuality confirmed a state of failure.”
Detransition, Baby is a contemporary fiction novel about two ex-lovers, Reese, a trans woman, and Ames, who formerly lived as a trans woman known as Amy but detransitioned shortly after the two’s break up. The book follows these former partners along with Ames’ new partner Katrina, a cis straight woman, as they attempt to reunite and form an unconventional queer family structure.
Throughout their five-year relationship, Ames and Reese frequently discussed raising a child together, but after their traumatic break up, the likelihood of Reese becoming a mother seemed increasingly dismal. Three years later, Ames comes to Reese telling him his partner Katrina is pregnant and proposes that Reese become a third parent to the baby. This is fueled by Ames’ own need for queerness and desire to once again have Reese as family.
Queerness, however, is a new concept for Katrina to navigate, unlike Reese whose existence has overwhelmingly been shaped by her transness. This difference in experiences and culture proves to be difficult and vital to navigate if they want to co-parent together. The two women’s stubbornness and willingness to weaponize identity leads to many conflicts than threaten the future of their family.
The book alternates between the present, after the conception of the baby as the three aspiring parents work together to plan their future, and the past from Ames’ upbringing to Reese and Ames’ former relationship. This structure creates many moments of allusion to the past that is later explore more in depth. It keeps the book dynamic and gives interesting insight into how the characters were shaped to be their present selves.
The characters are all extremely flawed. Many instances of conflict have no winner because they are all at fault. This can make the reading experience frustrating, but this speaks to the books ability to make readers feel something about the story. At times the transness of the characters feels boxed into stereotypes, reflecting the characters’ own flawed views of gender and transness, but it is full of insight into trans experiences that makes the book worth reading.