Trish Hutchison - You-ology: A Puberty Guide for EVERY Body

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American Academy of Pediatrics Publishing Staff

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Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Statements and opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Any websites, brand names, products, or manufacturers are mentioned for informational and identification purposes only and do not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP is not responsible for the content of external resources. Information was current at the time of publication.

This publication has been developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The contributors are expert authorities in the field of pediatrics. No commercial involvement of any kind has been solicited or accepted in the development of the content of this publication. Disclosures: Melisa Holmes and Trish Hutchison have a relationship with Girlology, Inc. Kathryn Lowe reports no conflicts of interest.

Every effort is made to keep You-ology: A Puberty Guide for EVERY Body consistent with the most recent advice and information available from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this publication. Email Special Sales at for more information.

2022 Melisa Holmes, MD, FACOG; Trish Hutchison, MD, FAAP; and Kathryn Lowe, MD, FAAP

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout prior permission from the publisher (locate title at ).

Printed in the United States of America

9-470/02221 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

CB0127

ISBN: 978-1-61002-569-0

eBook: 978-1-61002-572-0

EPUB: 978-1-61002-570-6

Cover and publication design by Scott Rattray Design

Illustrations by Lisa Perrett

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021904858

As a mom of a transgender daughter, Im delighted that You-ology explains and illustrates puberty in an inclusive and sensitive manner. Knowledge is key to acceptance and this groundbreaking guide recognizes, in a clear and understandable narrative, that puberty can be certain and sometimes unique for every youth.

Jeanette Jennings, president and cofounder of the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation, mom of trans youth activist Jazz Jennings, and cast member of the award-winning TLC docuseries, I Am Jazz

Since humans existed, bodies have developed in fairly predictable waysso why is talking to our kids about puberty still so hard? If the puberty talk were simply about anatomy, it would be an easy conversation to haveor pamphlet to hand over. But your childs changing body elicits so many new feelings and reactions (from them and other people), growing up gets complicated, quickly. You-ology expertly helps kids and parents through the physical, social, and emotional aspects of entering adolescence, from being teased for how your body is or isnt developing to what things you can say when someone crosses your boundaries. This is the guide every parent and child needs to develop a comfortable and confident acceptance of their own bodies and others!

Michelle Icard, author of Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen

You-ology is the much-needed book about puberty that covers not just the physical but also the emotional changes that youth go through in a gender-inclusive way that normalizes everyones puberty experience. While most parents wont have a gender-diverse child, most, if not all, youth will have peers who are gender diverse. Using an ethnically and gender-diverse cast of characters and inclusive terminology such as bodies with ovaries and bodies with testes, every bodys experience is outlined in You-ology, allowing every youth to be able to see themselves while understanding their peers experiences and know that they can be comfortable exactly as they are.

Paria Hassouri, MD, FAAP, author of Found in Transition: A Mothers Evolution During Her Childs Gender Change and director of the Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Wellness Clinic at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

You-ology is honest, accepting, empowering, and medically accurate. It reads like a personalized how-to-do-puberty book for kids. Readers will know they got this when it comes to managing the amazing changes caused by puberty.

Damon Korb, MD, FAAP, author of Raising an Organized Child: 5 Steps to Boost Independence, Ease Frustration, and Promote Confidence and director, Center for Developing Minds, Los Gatos, CA

This is the book about puberty that kids and parents deserve! Not only is it medically accurate, but it is also free of shame and covers topics like gender diversity in thorough, thoughtful detail. My kids will be reading this for sure!

Jennifer Lincoln, MD, IBCLC, author of Lets Talk About Down There: An OB-GYN Answers All Your Burning QuestionsWithout Making You Feel Embarrassed for Asking and board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist practicing in Portland, OR

Sex educationthe class EVERYBODY hates. Now young people have a book that not only responds to that youthful lament but gives them the gift of a gender-inclusive body-positive explanation of puberty.