by rory midhani

Have you been searching all over the whole internet looking for a simple comic about a young trans woman going about her daily life? Well, have I got some good news for you! The comic Trans Girl Next Door shows and tells the story of a trans woman early on in her transition, through the journal comics of Kylie. Not only are these comics cute little stories, but at a trans woman who also recently started transitioning, they ring totally true.

The comics that talk about being trans are often really touching, even when they’re funny and full of energy. I totally relate to the excitement Kylie writes about the first time she was called “ma’am” in public. It’s seriously one of the best things in the world, and Kylie’s contagious enthusiasm made my face brighten up with a smile. Others, talking about how much trust it takes to confide in someone that you’re trans, and how annoying and hurtful and wrong it is when people claim that trans women are trying to trick people into thinking we’re women, are really touching and moving.

Also, it’s important that she makes comics about not exclusively trans things. She talks about all sorts of aspects of her life. Some of them are directly related to her being a trans woman who only recently started transitioning, like her comics about breast growth or having a “manly” sounding cough, but others are just about the minutiae of her daily life, like the comics about her idea of a hard-partying weekend, or the struggle of over-complicated tank top backs. Others could be related to her being trans, or they could just be other parts of her personality. I mean, who didn’t watch Orange is the New Black Season 2 and think the whole time that it absolutely needed more Laverne Cox? And all of the comics are equally cute.

When we’re so bombarded with images and stories of trans women being victims and being sad and being oppressed (which, don’t get me wrong, are all important subjects to highlight and talk about), it’s nice to see someone take a light and sugary look at that life. Like seriously, if there’s one thing you could say about these comics, its that they’re sugary sweet, almost to the point of being saccharine, but not quite there. These comics are like walking into a candy shop and filling up a grocery cart with a ridiculous amount of sweets, but then putting most of them back and only getting the best ones. This is a tough thing to do, but Kylie manages it well.

So many of these comics are just plain great. How can you not love a comic that talks about wondering if a Single Lesbian Grandma is hitting on you? How can you not laugh, but also feel totally bad, when Kylie is introducing herself to a new neighbor and is worried that her outfit and facial hair will give her away, but when she finally feels confident about it, her voice totally betrays her? And of course, you know I absolutely love it when she talks about selfies.

I really applaud Kylie for not only having the courage to tell her story in such a public way, but also for having the creativity to make being trans look so dang fun. This is a comic I turn to whenever I need something to relate to, but also something to brighten my day. So thank you, Kylie. Your comic fills a much needed spot in my life and I can’t wait to read more of it.

New Releases (8/20)

Adventure Time #31 (Boom!)

Adventure Time Banana Guard Academy #2 (Boom!)

Bravest Warriors Volume 3 TPB (Boom!)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 #6 (Dark Horse)

Batwoman #34 (DC)

Supergirl #34 (DC)

The Wicked + The Divine #3 (Image)

Elektra #5 (Marvel)

Ms. Marvel #7 (Marvel)

Storm #2 (Marvel)

Welcome to Drawn to Comics! From diary comics to superheroes, from webcomics to graphic novels – this is where we’ll be taking a look at comics by, featuring and for queer ladies. So whether you love to look at detailed personal accounts of other people’s lives, explore new and creative worlds, or you just love to see hot ladies in spandex, we’ve got something for you.If you have a comic that you’d like to see me review, you can email me at mey [at] autostraddle [dot] com.

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