Beyond Magenta: Transgender and Nonbinary Teens Speak Out

Susan Kuklin is an American photographer and writer. She was born in Philadelphia in 1941 and studied photography and theater at New York University. Kuklin’s creative work is defined by nonfiction and documentary, often of controversial social issues. In addition to addressing the lives of transgender teens, Kuklin has also published works on crime, poverty, suicide, teen pregnancy, and HIV AIDS. Her style as an author is defined by photography and transcribed interviews (often with young people). These elements are front and center in Beyond Magenta. Kuklin has also written a number of nonfiction children’s books on topics like ballerinas, trains, and different family structures. These books also heavily feature photography.

Kuklin’s role in Beyond Magenta is primarily that of a researcher and organizer. The central focus of the book is her interviewees’ testimonials. Though she occasionally interjects prose describing her subjects’ appearances and mannerisms and sometimes her own thoughts during the interviews, Kuklin’s own words are largely absent from the text. However, her fingerprints are present in the editing process: “The process of converting taped conversations into readable narratives is delicate. On the one hand, a person’s