Reviews

Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender by Kit Heyam

sydapel's review against another edition

challenging informative medium-paced

5.0

Incredibly thoughtful, detailed and informative examination of what gender has meant to different cultures and groups over history. Really made me consider how much of a social and political construct gender can be, and how it's possible to discuss it in a respectful and intriguing way. Kit does such a good job of bringing the figures they're writing about into a broader context, pushing the readers conceptions of gender and identity. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Slavery, and Colonisation

northernbiblio's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

knightmare22's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

4.0

gemrvn's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

ferris_mx's review against another edition

5.0

Thoughtful comparison of transgender people in today's culture with the available records from the past (including other cultures), that is careful to limit or discuss appropriation. Shows how the idea of transgender, or gender nonconforming, or non-heterosexual attraction can take different shapes and be valued/suppressed differently, indeed understood differently, and that it is difficult to discuss the meaning of transgender people etc. in those cultures, we just don't have the references or the vocabulary, but we can still see that the western "binary" is not universal.

the_reluctant_nihilist's review against another edition

5.0

I have stopped rating books nowadays but this book deserves 5 stars for its gentle approach to diversity of the trans, non-binary and intersex histories.

Needs to be read by everyone who is interested in issues of gender.

the_reading_wren's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Fascinating, challenging and most of all comforting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Transphobia, Colonisation, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Biphobia, Sexism, Outing, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Genocide, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, War, Medical trauma, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Torture, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

ceceliadestefano's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

arrr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

Thoughtful as historiography, interesting as trans and gender expansive history. Solid attempt at decolonial history accounting. Read the trigger warnings, it gets difficult at times. But the book is mostly affirming. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Rape, and War

Moderate: Sexual assault

emreads97's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective tense slow-paced

3.5