We are happy to announce that the Freshman Common Reading Selection Committee has chosen Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt as the Freshman Common Read for 2018-2019. Becoming Nicole tells the true story of a transgender girl and her family’s journey towards acceptance and ultimate celebration of her identity. At times a deeply personal story, the book also chronicles the family’s long legal struggle in support of their daughter.
Becoming Nicole speaks to myriad issues, including sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, advocacy, empathy, discrimination, “bathroom bills,” identity, belonging, family relationships, suicide, acceptance, and human rights. Its themes may connect to courses taught in many departments and programs at CSUN, including Gender & Women’s Studies, Psychology, Queer Studies, Sociology, Human Sexuality, Journalism, English, Social Work, Child & Adolescent Development, Stretch Composition, and University 100.
For more information about the Common Reading Program, see: https://www.csun.edu/undergraduate-studies/academic-first-year-experiences/common-read.
Please see our growing list of resources for faculty and staff who might be considering using the book for their classes or programming: https://www.csun.edu/undergraduate-studies/academic-first-year-experiences/becoming-nicole-faculty-and-staff-resources
If you'd like to nominate a title for the 2019-2020 Common Read, you can do so through our online nomination form.