Since publicly identifying as a trans woman in 2011, Janet Mock has been deeply involved in transgender activism, and her new memoir, Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More, carries forward that work. As she explains in this clip on MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry show, this memoir reaches out to an audience of young people facing experiences similar to hers. In the book, Mock describes her path toward realizing her identity and finding love: "I wanted to show that we can be lovable and we as trans women, as marginalized women—period—of color that we can exist in the daytime and live a very full life and write our stories."

—Corinne Grinapol