choirqueer's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of the first books I encountered when I was starting to question my gender identity as a teenager, and I'd read it many times back then, but haven't touched it in years. I loved going back and experiencing these old-familiar stories again. I was especially delighted to find that some of the pieces in this book were written by people I've become friends with since then!
irasobrietate's review against another edition
4.0
This book is essentially a collection of personal essays that explore some of the multitude of ways that people can be genderqueer, initially published almost two decades ago. Various essays look at the connection between gender and sexuality, the disconnect between gender expression and gender identity, the policing of gender expression, and just generally the question of what does it mean to be genderqueer. Despite the age of the book, a lot of what's discussed here feels very timely and relevant to our world today. However, there are some ways where it's easy to tell that this book was initially written at the beginning of the millennium, mostly because of what isn't talked about. There isn't really any discussion of the Internet or how changing methods of communication have affected the way that gender is viewed and talked about. Nor are there mention of any identities that only reached a wider population because of the Internet, such as asexuality and aromanticism. This isn't, of course, a criticism of the book, but rather something I noticed that makes me wish for a new collection along the same lines as this one that grapples with the same questions and presents some of the new answers (and even more questions) found in the last two decades.
The only real criticism of the volume I have is that I really would have liked there to be some kind of content warning attached to each essay. This collection addresses numerous difficult and traumatizing subjects such as rape, child abuse, drug and alcohol addictions, eating disorders, medical mistreatment, and various forms of queerphobia. All of these issues are, unfortunately, common problems for genderqueer people, which is obviously why they appear in so many essays, but that also means they could be triggering as well and I think some kind of warning is needed. And as a sex-repulsed asexual person, a warning for the sometimes aggressively sexual content would have been appreciated as well.
The only real criticism of the volume I have is that I really would have liked there to be some kind of content warning attached to each essay. This collection addresses numerous difficult and traumatizing subjects such as rape, child abuse, drug and alcohol addictions, eating disorders, medical mistreatment, and various forms of queerphobia. All of these issues are, unfortunately, common problems for genderqueer people, which is obviously why they appear in so many essays, but that also means they could be triggering as well and I think some kind of warning is needed. And as a sex-repulsed asexual person, a warning for the sometimes aggressively sexual content would have been appreciated as well.
ominousevent's review against another edition
3.0
Ergh. Some of the pieces in this book were great! Some of them really weren't! A lot of it was confronting and difficult to read … which can be good, but isn't always. Sometimes it was just difficult because it was transphobic as hell. Kind of upsetting to find that kind of thing in a book like this. (And I'm not talking about the language choices etc that date the book – current discourse may have moved on and in many cases disavowed the language used here, but that's a thing that happens and it's fine.) (The book is pretty dated, though, in more than just its language.)
Seriously mixed feelings overall.
Seriously mixed feelings overall.
juliemawesome's review against another edition
3.0
This is a collection of essays/stories by people who don't fit into the neat packages of 'male' and 'female'. A number of them defy any labels, while others identify by their gender or sexual orientation, but aren't quite what you'd expect from that label.
I did find it all interesting, but there was a lot more discussion of sex than I was expecting. It gives the impression that gender is all about (or mostly about) sex. Not a lot of asexual voices in here, for one thing.
It's also a little inaccessible (wait, bad term, scratch that term). There are a number of references to people, places, events, and a lot of terms and acronyms that the writers and editors just expect you to know. It seems to be written with the LGB if not even also T community in mind. Now, I'm not ignorant, but there were a number of things that went over my head completely. And it took me a minute to figure out what GB meant.
There are some really good ones in here. A few I even half-identified with. But even though I didn't identify with any of them fully, you sort of glean that it's okay that you don't. Because most of these writers are trying to carve their own path amongst all the labels.
Weirdly, I kept thinking this was published in the early 90's. But it was 2002, I think. I kept having to remind myself that it really wasn't that old. Still, a lot has changed in even 8 years. Resources and information and community are a lot easier to find on the Internet now.
I'd like to see another anthology like this, aimed at teens, maybe. More current. Less sex. More diversity of voices.
I did find it all interesting, but there was a lot more discussion of sex than I was expecting. It gives the impression that gender is all about (or mostly about) sex. Not a lot of asexual voices in here, for one thing.
It's also a little inaccessible (wait, bad term, scratch that term). There are a number of references to people, places, events, and a lot of terms and acronyms that the writers and editors just expect you to know. It seems to be written with the LGB if not even also T community in mind. Now, I'm not ignorant, but there were a number of things that went over my head completely. And it took me a minute to figure out what GB meant.
There are some really good ones in here. A few I even half-identified with. But even though I didn't identify with any of them fully, you sort of glean that it's okay that you don't. Because most of these writers are trying to carve their own path amongst all the labels.
Weirdly, I kept thinking this was published in the early 90's. But it was 2002, I think. I kept having to remind myself that it really wasn't that old. Still, a lot has changed in even 8 years. Resources and information and community are a lot easier to find on the Internet now.
I'd like to see another anthology like this, aimed at teens, maybe. More current. Less sex. More diversity of voices.
dannipirtle's review
2.0
The four introductory essays by Riki Wilchins are fantastic, and should be required reading for ... everyone, really. However, I found the first-hand accounts that made up the majority of this book seemed to focus more on the role and place of gender within (or without, as the case seems to frequently be) the GLBT community, rather than within the world at large. For readers directly involved or within the GLBT community, that is important, but that makes this collection less relevant for a wider audience.
yoominbean's review
4.0
This was a way more satisfying read than Gender Outlaws. A little outdated and definitely aimed at an older audience, but ultimately these stories (and especially the coupling of personal stories with theory which was super awesome) were way closer to what I needed than those in Gender Outlaws, even if there were some that I found myself disagreeing or not identifying with.
Also Riki Wilchins is amazing. The first few chapters of this book are some of the best gender theory I've ever read, and it's written in the straightforward language that most queer/gender theory is lacking (looking at you, Judith Butler).
Also Riki Wilchins is amazing. The first few chapters of this book are some of the best gender theory I've ever read, and it's written in the straightforward language that most queer/gender theory is lacking (looking at you, Judith Butler).
moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition
challenging
4.75
This is a republication of a groundbreaking anthology, originally published in 2002. I cannot understate just how valuable this collection is. This book shows so many experiences of people transgress or transcend gender, whether it is because they are trans, genderqueer, intersex, preforming gender in a variety of ways, or queering gender through sexuality. And I think it is all tied together most excellently by Riki Wilchin's final essay which is strikingly relevant, even as some of the vocabulary has changed. That essay was among my favorites, as well as Sylvia Rivera's near the beginning.
Definitely check out the CWs. This is not all fun and comfortable - this is reality. While some fun was definitely had with some of these essay, the bulk of this is unpacking trauma (trauma dealt clearly and directly to people and the trauma of being forced to live in a framework that erases you). These authors were incredibly vulnerable and strong in sharing what was in these pages. An knowing these perspectives adds, not just to our understanding of gender, but how gender liberation has to address what true justice and freedom can look like (and how different it can be for each person).
Over all, I think that if you go into this collection, you should be aware of its age and the intensity of some of its contents. If you are very new to LGBTQ issues, I don't think this is the best starting point. However, if you aren't brand new, this is goes into some really essential concepts concerning queer liberation and absolutely needs to be read.
I was given an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Definitely check out the CWs. This is not all fun and comfortable - this is reality. While some fun was definitely had with some of these essay, the bulk of this is unpacking trauma (trauma dealt clearly and directly to people and the trauma of being forced to live in a framework that erases you). These authors were incredibly vulnerable and strong in sharing what was in these pages. An knowing these perspectives adds, not just to our understanding of gender, but how gender liberation has to address what true justice and freedom can look like (and how different it can be for each person).
Over all, I think that if you go into this collection, you should be aware of its age and the intensity of some of its contents. If you are very new to LGBTQ issues, I don't think this is the best starting point. However, if you aren't brand new, this is goes into some really essential concepts concerning queer liberation and absolutely needs to be read.
I was given an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Moderate: Sexual assault and Child abuse
One specific story had the child abuse and incest TWSpoiler
"My Life"bibliocyclist's review
4.0
"The body is a situation."
"Nothing in man--not even his body--is sufficiently stable to serve as the basis for self-recognition, or for understanding other men."
"To be unaware of one's form is to live a death."
Life is a lemming walk.
"The Master's tools will never dismantle the Master's house."
"Nothing in man--not even his body--is sufficiently stable to serve as the basis for self-recognition, or for understanding other men."
"To be unaware of one's form is to live a death."
Life is a lemming walk.
"The Master's tools will never dismantle the Master's house."
verycarefully's review
3.0
Ergh. Some of the pieces in this book were great! Some of them really weren't! A lot of it was confronting and difficult to read … which can be good, but isn't always. Sometimes it was just difficult because it was transphobic as hell. Kind of upsetting to find that kind of thing in a book like this. (And I'm not talking about the language choices etc that date the book – current discourse may have moved on and in many cases disavowed the language used here, but that's a thing that happens and it's fine.) (The book is pretty dated, though, in more than just its language.)
Seriously mixed feelings overall.
Seriously mixed feelings overall.
More...