It was a love story like none other. 19-year-old Katie Hill was in the process of transitioning from male to female when she fell in love with 18-year-old Arin Andrews, who was undergoing his own transition from female to male. The Oklahoma teenagers first went public with their tale on 20/20 last July. Now, they’ve each written memoirs to be released this fall.
The couple broke up earlier this year but remain committed to sharing their stories. Both books will discuss the ups and downs of their unique romance, including their breakup, which the couple attributes, in part, to the attention they received after appearing on television.
“There were many factors that caused Arin and me to break up,” Hill told People in an interview, “but arguably many of them were caused by the attention we were getting. There was a lot of pressure on us to be together and to be happy.”
“The breakup was more about needing to discover who we were becoming,” Andrews added.
“We still understand each other better than anyone else ever will,” Hill said.
The book was originally going to be a shared memoir, but their editor, Christian Trimmer, said in a press release, “It quickly became clear that the world needed to hear their individual stories.”
Andrews’ Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen and Hill’s Rethinking Normal: A Memoir In Transition will be released on September 30 by Simon and Schuster.
balehead
Even though they broke up, they remain committed to getting a reality show and making money…..Oh sorry…I meant “Raising Awareness”….
Bopper1
…these guys are so cute I want to marry both of them…
Bopper1
@balehead: …nasty…they’re entitled to make a living…who are you anyway?…
Kieru
Is it any wonder they broke up? They started dating while each of them was in the process of their transition. I cannot imagine successfully navigating that process at that age, while also growing a healthy relationship. I’m sure the limelight didn’t help; but I doubt it was the primary issue in their relationship.
I feel sorry though that they feel this is the appropriate time to write ones memoirs. Neither is even in their 20s yet… there is a lot more life to live. I would agree with others that distributing separate memoirs this early on in life seems like nothing but a money-grab while their time in the lime light is still fresh enough.
Smart to take advantage of that I suppose… but if this is the peak for your lives and where you stop and reflect back? That’s so terribly sad.
samfw
@balehead: k. I guess the need to be hateful is just overpowering at times, huh?
Thedrdonna
I can tell you with a certainty that for a trans kid who might pick up these books, they would not consider it money-grubbing or “too soon”. Having trans stories told in the media and trans people portrayed in a positive light is still something our media doesn’t do very well.
Kieru
@Thedrdonna: I was thinking about that when I made my post Thedrdonna; and I think you’re right. For a person going through what they went through I’m sure the book will be of some use.
I think my problem is more semantics… calling it a memoir implies it’s more of a broad-scoped reflection that I think isn’t really applicable given their age and more importantly how much more life they’ve both yet to live and experience.
Thedrdonna
@Kieru: Maybe “travelogue” would be more appropriate, then.
balehead
Not being hateful…just realistic….if straight community can get ahead by any means necessary why can’t the LGBT community do likewise??…you need to stop using the free computers at your facility….