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A review by shannenlc
Life Isn't Binary: On Being Both, Beyond, and In-Between by Meg-John Barker, Alex Iantaffi
Life Isn't Binary is a sociological non-fiction which examines the binary frameworks that exist Western society and the restrictive and damaging impact of these binaries on us as individuals. It's divided into six chapters - 1) sexuality 2) gender 3) relationships 4) bodies 5) emotions 6) thinking - and focuses on social justice, drawing on a variety of philosophies, academic theories and frameworks that the authors resonate with such as feminism, queer theory, spirituality and more.
This is a thought-provoking read, which challenged me to confront and debunk the binaries I have unconsciously fed into my entire life. Our black and white ways of thinking and categorising ourselves, each other and the world around us has become so normalised, that it's easy to forget how ridiculous it is. This book holds a magnifying glass up to that, reminding the reader how complex humans and society are and how rarely any of us ever fit into the binaries that we are forced into.
The authors' had a unique voice and their willingness to share their own perspectives, to be honest about their positionality and values was refreshing and insightful. I also appreciated that they actively sought to incorporate the voices of others (particularly those of marginalised communities) to enrich each chapter.
There's a lot of value to be found within these pages. As a queer person, I didn't learn anything new from the sexuality or gender chapters (although I appreciated the validation I felt from reading these chapters!), but as the chapters progressed I gained more insight and learnt many new things. There are valuable insights and lessons here for everyone regardless of how they identify. It encourages us all to embrace the greyness, the ambiguity, the complexity, the multi-layered nature of human identity and experience.
I think this would be a particularly valuable read for younger people who are looking for an introduction into this topic. It's an accessible read and the reflection and activity sections included allow the reader to pause and take in what they've read or to reflect on their own identity/emotions/thoughts etc. Because of its accessibility, there was a lack of nuance in some chapters and times where I felt like I wasn't necessarily the intended audience.
Nonetheless, I am glad I read this book. It gave me a lot of food for thought and has given me the tools to actively challenge my own binary ways of thinking. Also as a queer person, it's helped me to feel more comfortable with identifying in ways that are outside the binary and may not necessarily make sense to others, but that make me feel at home within myself.
This is a thought-provoking read, which challenged me to confront and debunk the binaries I have unconsciously fed into my entire life. Our black and white ways of thinking and categorising ourselves, each other and the world around us has become so normalised, that it's easy to forget how ridiculous it is. This book holds a magnifying glass up to that, reminding the reader how complex humans and society are and how rarely any of us ever fit into the binaries that we are forced into.
The authors' had a unique voice and their willingness to share their own perspectives, to be honest about their positionality and values was refreshing and insightful. I also appreciated that they actively sought to incorporate the voices of others (particularly those of marginalised communities) to enrich each chapter.
There's a lot of value to be found within these pages. As a queer person, I didn't learn anything new from the sexuality or gender chapters (although I appreciated the validation I felt from reading these chapters!), but as the chapters progressed I gained more insight and learnt many new things. There are valuable insights and lessons here for everyone regardless of how they identify. It encourages us all to embrace the greyness, the ambiguity, the complexity, the multi-layered nature of human identity and experience.
I think this would be a particularly valuable read for younger people who are looking for an introduction into this topic. It's an accessible read and the reflection and activity sections included allow the reader to pause and take in what they've read or to reflect on their own identity/emotions/thoughts etc. Because of its accessibility, there was a lack of nuance in some chapters and times where I felt like I wasn't necessarily the intended audience.
Nonetheless, I am glad I read this book. It gave me a lot of food for thought and has given me the tools to actively challenge my own binary ways of thinking. Also as a queer person, it's helped me to feel more comfortable with identifying in ways that are outside the binary and may not necessarily make sense to others, but that make me feel at home within myself.