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Just girls

Rachel Gold - Author

This is a university-set coming-of-age novel about friendship, gender identity, prejudice and courage. It brings together personal fear, campus activism, gaming, political conversations and relationships, with sexual content also reported.

More about this book

"Jess Tucker sticks her neck out for a stranger--the buzz is someone in the dorm is a trans girl. So Tucker says it's her, even though it's not, to stop the finger pointing. She was an out lesbian in high school, and she figures she can stare down whatever gets thrown her way in college. It can't be that bad. Ella Ramsey is making new friends at Freytag University, playing with on-campus gamers and enjoying her first year, but she's rocked by the sight of a slur painted on someone else's door. A slur clearly meant for her, if they'd only known. New rules, old prejudices, personal courage, private fear. In this stunning follow-up to the groundbreaking Being Emily, Rachel Gold explores the brave, changing landscape where young women try to be Just Girls"

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

FriendshipGender identityLesbian identity

Consider

Discrimination or prejudiceSocial conflictRelationships and intimacy

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

friendshipgender identitylesbian identitytrans identityuniversity liferulesactivismtransphobiasexualityrelationshipsfirst year

FictionNovel

Themes in Context

Solidarity and self-definition

Tucker claims to be the rumoured trans girl to stop finger-pointing, while Ella is affected by a slur apparently directed at her.Ambiguous

How the book presents it: The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.

Talk about: Does the story treat Tucker’s intervention as helpful, harmful, or both, and how does Ella’s own voice shape the outcome?

Institutions and prejudice

The protagonists encounter new rules and old prejudices at university, alongside protests and political conversations.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The novel examines how institutional settings and social attitudes affect young women navigating university life.

Talk about: How do campus rules and collective action change what the characters can do or feel able to say?

Relationships and adulthood

Tucker and Ella become friends during their first year, while the book also includes relationships and sex.Provisional reading

Talk about: If relationships become difficult, how does the story portray consent, communication and responsibility?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

Readers may find a sustained focus on how trans and lesbian young women navigate institutions, friendship and public hostility. The book also offers material for discussing solidarity when someone is targeted.

What Deserves Attention

Before reading, consider whether the reader would welcome a story involving transphobic hostility, a slur, fear, protests, sexual content and discussions of gender, sexuality and institutional prejudice.

A Conversation Worth Having

How does the book distinguish between protecting someone, speaking for them and allowing them agency? If sexual or relationship material arises, what boundaries and consequences does the story present?

Reading Approach

A parent could read alongside the book, pausing after the slur, the characters’ responses and any protest or relationship scenes. Invite the reader to discuss whose perspective is centred and what remains unresolved.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Solidarity and self-definition: The characters’ later choices and the resolution of this tension are not described.
Institutions and prejudice: The specific rules, protests and institutional outcomes are not detailed.
Relationships and adulthood: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.

Book information

Limited information

Relevant to: Solidarity and self-definition; Institutions and prejudice

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