Scan barcode
corsetedfeminist's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
I picked this up for Pride month, and it was exactly what I expected, in the best way.
This is a book on trans history, written by a member of the trans community, which lends a tenderness, understanding, and poignancy that only a trans author could display. The love and respect for trans history fills every page.
The books also does an excellent job of discussing the ways different parts of the trans community were perceived in various times- such as the fascination with well off white trans women during the 1950’s while at the same time poor Black trans women were constantly roughed up by police, leading to the resistance that would eventually begin the fight for all queer rights.
All in all, a very solid overview of the subject that is quickly recommend to any interested person
This is a book on trans history, written by a member of the trans community, which lends a tenderness, understanding, and poignancy that only a trans author could display. The love and respect for trans history fills every page.
The books also does an excellent job of discussing the ways different parts of the trans community were perceived in various times- such as the fascination with well off white trans women during the 1950’s while at the same time poor Black trans women were constantly roughed up by police, leading to the resistance that would eventually begin the fight for all queer rights.
All in all, a very solid overview of the subject that is quickly recommend to any interested person
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Violence
ejkimberley's review against another edition
4.0
A very good overview from an American point of view of the history of transgender politics. Reaching up to the dawn of the Trump presidency, in its 2nd edition. Appreciated for its scholarly attempt to tie together many threads, including disparate regional and chronological phases of the growing of a modern transgender consciousness. Still, from the point of view of the year 2023, its (blameless) inability to treat the years since the election of Donald Trump is a strongly felt absence.
krussek's review against another edition
4.0
(Note: I read the updated version, released in 2017)
Susan Stryker gives us an excellent primer for those first exploring trans studies and history, and a great review for those of us more well-versed in the subject matter. I found the discussion of interactions between trans issues and second-wave feminism especially valuable. The centering of nonwhite, working class historical narrative alongside the more textbook white, middle class, SRS and secret “transvestite clubs” narrative is also *chefs kiss.*
If there’s any weakness here, it’s that the book is short and tries to cover a lot of ground. Stryker rushes through content in the updated and revised sections. I would have appreciated more analysis of what the partnering (? Sorry, words are failing me rn) of trans issues and mainstream, assimilationist LGB rights in the Obama years means in the big picture.
Susan Stryker gives us an excellent primer for those first exploring trans studies and history, and a great review for those of us more well-versed in the subject matter. I found the discussion of interactions between trans issues and second-wave feminism especially valuable. The centering of nonwhite, working class historical narrative alongside the more textbook white, middle class, SRS and secret “transvestite clubs” narrative is also *chefs kiss.*
If there’s any weakness here, it’s that the book is short and tries to cover a lot of ground. Stryker rushes through content in the updated and revised sections. I would have appreciated more analysis of what the partnering (? Sorry, words are failing me rn) of trans issues and mainstream, assimilationist LGB rights in the Obama years means in the big picture.
deathbybooks4482's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0