“At the Broken Places” by Mary and Donald Collins – author event

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Busboys and Poets Takoma welcomes Mary and Donald Collins to present their new book "At the Broken Places: A Mother and Trans Son Pick up the Pieces."

In this collaborative memoir, a parent and a transgender son recount wrestling with their differences as Donald Collins undertook medical-treatment options to better align his body with his gender identity.

As a parent, Mary Collins didn’t agree with her trans son’s decision to physically alter his body, although she supported his right to realize himself as a person. Raw and uncensored, each explains her or his emotional mindset at the time: Mary felt she had lost a daughter; Donald activated his “authentic self.” Both battled to assert their rights. A powerful memoir and resource, At the Broken Places offers a road map for families in transition.

The Collinses will be joined in conversation by Holly Smith of the Washington Review of Books.

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