Upcoming Event

Jack Turban at Harvard Book Store

presenting

Free to Be:
Understanding Kids & Gender Identity 

in conversation with SCHUYLER BAILAR

Date

Jun
25
Tuesday
June 25, 2024
7:00 PM ET

Location

Harvard Book Store
1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138

Tickets

This event is free; no tickets are required.

Harvard Book Store welcomes JACK TURBAN—Harvard, Yale, and Stanford-trained child and adolescent psychiatrist, and founding director of the Gender Psychiatry Program at the University of California, San Francisco—for a discussion of his new book Free to Be: Understanding Kids & Gender Identity. He will be joined in conversation by SCHULYER BAILAR—educator, bestselling author, and activist who made history as the first transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team.

About Free to Be

Kids today are more gender fluent and expansive than ever before. In America, around two percent of teenagers (over 700,000) openly identify as transgender. As it becomes increasingly common for us to encounter and know transgender kids, as well as kids with more expansive notions of gender than past generations, it is vital that we have the tools we need in order to truly see and support them.

Free to Be is an authoritative deep dive by internationally renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Jack Turban into the science, medicine, and politics of gender identity. You will be immersed in the lives of three trans and gender diverse youth—Meredith, Kyle, and Sam—as they navigate their gender identities, make decisions around gender-affirming medical and psychological care, and confront an overwhelming political and social terrain.

By combining the latest scientific research, stories of transgender children, and the intricacies of today’s political gender wars, Free to Be gives you the tools to help the kids in your life navigate the complexity of gender identity, while also coming to better understand what the nuances of gender mean to yourself and society at large.

Praise for Free to Be

“This is a book I wish had existed when I was a kid! It provides a thorough review of the current state of trans-affirming care, as well as an invaluable look back at how we got here. Dr. Turban has provided a resource that will empower trans and nonbinary people everywhere, as well as those who love and want to support them.” —Jazz Jennings, author of Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen and I Am Jazz, and star of the award-winning docuseries I Am Jazz

Free to Be deftly balances explaining the rigorous science behind gender identity with sharing powerful stories that bring that science to life. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking to better understand how we can truly help all our children thrive.” —Chelsea Clinton, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted

“In a climate riddled with active attempts to spread lies and propaganda about transgender people, particularly trans kids, Free to Be is essential reading. Grounded in science, medical expertise, and the testimony of the many trans kids Dr. Turban has learned from, Free to Be delivers unwavering evidence that supporting trans kids is life-giving.” —Schuyler Bailar, the first openly transgender NCAA Division I men’s athlete and author of He/She/They

Masking Policy

Masks are encouraged but not required for this event.

Jack Turban
Jack Turban

Jack Turban

Jack Turban, MD, MHS is a Harvard, Yale, and Stanford-trained child and adolescent psychiatrist and founding director of the Gender Psychiatry Program at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is an internationally recognized researcher and clinician whose expertise and research on the mental health of transgender youth have been cited in legislative debates and major federal court cases regarding the civil rights of transgender people in the United States. He is also a frequent contributor to The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, Scientific American, and more. He has appeared on numerous programs, including The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and PBS NewsHour.

Photo Credit: University of California, San Francisco

Schuyler Bailar
Schuyler Bailar

Schuyler Bailar

Schuyler Bailar (he/him) is an educator, bestselling author, and activist who made history as the first transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team. Originally recruited to swim for the Harvard women’s team, Schuyler made the difficult choice to transition while potentially giving up the prospect of being an NCAA Champion. His story has appeared everywhere from 60 Minutes to The Washington Post. Schuyler’s tireless advocacy has earned him numerous honors, including LGBTQ Nation’s Instagram Advocate for 2020. In 2023, Schuyler’s critically acclaimed nonfiction bestseller became the preeminent resource on trans inclusion,  He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters. Schuyler’s works include his middle-grade novel, Obie Is Man Enough, LaneChanger.com, his online gender literacy training and Dear Schuyler, his hit podcast including exclusive interviews with trans icons and allies like Lia Thomos, Dylan Mulvaney, Rafael de la Fuente, and many more.

Photo Credit: Violetta Markelou

Harvard Book Store
1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138

Walking from the Harvard Square T station: 2 minutes

As you exit the station, reverse your direction and walk east along Mass. Ave. in front of the Cambridge Savings Bank. Cross Dunster St. and proceed along Mass. Ave for three more blocks. You will pass Au Bon Pain, JP Licks, and TD Bank. Harvard Book Store is located at the corner of Mass. Ave. and Plympton St.

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