
(Near Future SF) Kellsey's a transsexual 11-year-old girl. Improved technology makes that easier, but also creates new problems, and she seeks advice from recordings her mother made for her "son" before she died. (5,009 words; Time: 16m)
Rating: ★★★★☆ Recommended
"This Is a Letter to My Son," by K.J. Kabza [bio] (edited by Niall Harrison), appeared in Strange Horizons issue 04/11/16, published on April 11, 2016.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: The improved technology (and easier social situation) makes Kellsey's choice a very different one from what today's trans people face. She can be an (essentially) perfect girl or a perfect boy, and be satisfied with either--except that if she chooses to be a girl, she's likely to die the way her mother did.
When she chooses to be Kellsey, she makes the hard choice. The victory here, though, isn't the choice she makes (we'd have supported her either way) but rather that she does make a choice. She doesn't let it happen by default, and no one forces her. She makes her choice, and we sense that she's satisfied with it.
Con: It's hard to believe that an 11-year-old is actually capable of making this kind of choice.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 04/11/16)
K.J. Kabza Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
When she chooses to be Kellsey, she makes the hard choice. The victory here, though, isn't the choice she makes (we'd have supported her either way) but rather that she does make a choice. She doesn't let it happen by default, and no one forces her. She makes her choice, and we sense that she's satisfied with it.
Con: It's hard to believe that an 11-year-old is actually capable of making this kind of choice.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 04/11/16)
K.J. Kabza Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
Ooof, this was a tear-jerker. Ultimately I like this conclusion because the idea of the Van Grasse treatment is pretty creepy. And I can't see it being without its own consequences. Mainly, how would an adult Kevin feel about his Kellsey childhood? Also, as the mother surmised, Kevin could still get cancer. And staying Kellsey isn't a 100% guarantee she will, especially being aware of her risk.
ReplyDelete