Preview
  • Tomboy Survival Guide

  • By: Ivan Coyote
  • Narrated by: Ivan Coyote
  • Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (164 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Tomboy Survival Guide

By: Ivan Coyote
Narrated by: Ivan Coyote
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Stonewall Book Award Honor Book winner

Ivan Coyote is a celebrated storyteller and the author of 10 previous books, including Gender Failure (with Rae Spoon) and One in Every Crowd, a collection for LGBT youth. Tomboy Survival Guide is a funny and moving memoir told in stories, in which Ivan recounts the pleasures and difficulties of growing up a tomboy in Canada's Yukon, and how they learned to embrace their tomboy past while carving out a space for those of us who don't fit neatly into boxes or identities or labels.

Ivan writes movingly about many firsts: the first time they were mistaken for a boy; the first time they purposely discarded their bikini top so they could join the boys at the local swimming pool; and the first time they were chastised for using the women's washroom. Ivan also explores their years as a young butch, dealing with new infatuations and old baggage, and life as a gender-box-defying adult, in which they offer advice to young people while seeking guidance from others. (And for tomboys in training, there are even directions on building your very own unicorn trap.)

Tomboy Survival Guide warmly recounts Ivan's adventures and mishaps as a diffident yet free-spirited tomboy, and maps their journey through treacherous gender landscapes and a maze of labels that don't quite stick, to a place of self-acceptance and an authentic and personal strength. These heartfelt, funny, and moving stories are about the culture of difference - a "guide" to being true to one's self.

©2016 Ivan Coyote (P)2017 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: Audible Essentials—The Top 100 LGBTQIA+ Listens of All Time


While LGBTQIA+ creators have been around for millennia, it’s only recently that we’ve been hearing more diverse, more queer-authored, and more queer-performed stories about the entire spectrum of LGBTQIA+ experiences and identities. This list—just like the community it represents—is meant to be fluid. But most importantly, it’s meant to celebrate and reflect on the issues faced by LGBTQIA+ people everywhere.

What listeners say about Tomboy Survival Guide

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    155
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    145
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    148
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful and True

It puts words to trans and nonbinary pain and emotions. Incredible language paired with true though painful feelings and experiences. I feel seen and empathized with in this text.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Relatable, tender, sad, sweet

Thank you Ivan Coyote for telling so many of my own stories thru your stories. For all the butches, trans-masc, and gender variant folks of the masculine flavor, for those of us in the trades who lived through certain times, books like these are far and few between. A real gift.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

To trans* people: gift this to your family

My sis and I listened to this book recently on a road trip coming back to Michigan from Montreal. As someone who doesn't have the same exposure to topics covered in classes in queer and gender studies programs, Ivan's stories were the first of their kind flowing into my sis' ears. There are a lot of people in our lives who identify somewhere on the trans spectrum and we were able to use Ivan's perspectives as a gateway for valuable conversations. Here are some major takeaways regarding trans* people's possible experiences: navigating public restrooms can be scary and dangerous, so-called 'gender' reveal parties are a way of announcing your child's genitalia publicly, thinking and doing gender in a binary can have very harmful consequences for non-cis-gendered people, appreciate the family members and friends who see and hear you and try their hardest, love yourself.

I 100% recommend this book to anyone, especially to my little 15-year-old self who didn't know they needed to read a book like this and who was 15 way before this book and others like it came into existence.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Truth, Hope & Love

As a non-binary, transmasculine person, it is always so heartening to hear that someone shares the truths I hold in my heart. Ivan's raw and emotional storytelling had me crying, smiling, laughing, and hoping. Hope. That's something that comes in short supply for trans people. Every time I hear of another trans person's success, it becomes my own in some small way. It becomes my hope that I can be understood, accepted, and loved just the way I am. Thank you, Ivan Coyote.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thank you for all you do

I really enjoyed listening to this book!The voice reminds me of a friend we met who is from Whitehorse. I swear I checked the name and had to see a photo to make sure it wasn't him. I am so grateful for this and will continue to look for more. What a big heart and kind soul! ❤️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

fantastic!

I wish I had this book 10 years ago! thank you for all that you wrote, I'm inspired beyond words ❤️❤️❤️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible

I could write paragraphs on this book. Unfortunately I’m too wrapped up in thought, emotional response, drive, and admiration from reading this book to do so. Must read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Just Beautiful!!

This book is such an eye opener. My daughter is married to a transgender and when she came out, I supported her no matter what. I knew it had to be hard for them, but I never really knew if that makes sense. The public bathroom situation makes me so sad. Your right, we do have a gender neutral bathroom in our homes. Why can't we have them in public? I guess I'm one of the exceptions, because I always ask what pronoun do they want to use. I ask because I want to make sure I'm calling them what they want, not what I want to call them. I am a member of the Mamma Bear group in my community, because everyone needs to feel like they belong and are loved!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

relatable

This book touches my soul, unlike any other book I've ever read or listened too. I bought a copy so I can re-read and listen to it anytime I need too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story.

The story telling was amazing really drew you in and kept you wanting more. Fantastic!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!