Reviews

Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon

beccaruthe's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

hendrixpants's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia

bookobsessedmommy's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

This world is oddly small. I was quite surprised to learn that Alok grew up in College Station, home of my alma mater Texas A&M University. I have a lot of fond memories of school and my friends, but being black in central Texas, particularly in 2008, was frequently uncomfortable. I can barely imagine growing up brown and queer in that very conservative small town. This book is a combination of memoir and gender freedom pocket reference guide. (See what I did there? lol) This was so short, but it packed a serious punch. There's a collection of mostly brief rebuttals to the most often used prejudiced arguments against gender equality that I would like to commit to memory, and poignant reminders that my personal discomfort with someone's style or gender expression is no one's responsibility but my own. I'm definitely going to pick up another book in the Pocket Change Collection and probably from Alok as well.

katie1031's review

4.0

This short story is a great introduction for anyone looking to learn and understand more about trans and gender non-conforming identities. I would like to read something by Alok that is a bit longer and explores a bit more but this was a fantastic introduction that I highly recommend.

singinwicked's review

5.0

Short and jam-packed with great things to keep you thinking for hours. I highly suggest this for anyone!

cayleejanet's review against another edition

5.0

this did smth to me that i can’t explain but it took all these thoughts and feelings i had and put them on paper ugh i

katelarsenkeys's review against another edition

informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

A clear, compelling and compassionate intro to the full gender spectrum outside our aggressively normative status quo - including a comprehensive list of well-reasoned and evidenced counter arguments to have under the table for uncomfortable family dinner conversations. 

amsearer's review

5.0

I've been reading up and trying to learn to be a better advocate. This was a great addition to the Facebook group I've been doing most of my learning from. Alok's narration is perfectly poetic and held my attention better than most audiobooks do. They're clearly a talented spoken word artist.

cat_lover_reads's review against another edition

4.0

Wonderful little book...

The way they describe their experiences as a non-binary person is heartfelt and beautifully written. It was factual but felt like having a in-depth conversation with a friend in a coffee shop. Being non-binary myself, I really connected to their experiences, both good and bad, and got some great tips on how to talk about my own non-binary identity with friends and family. 

I would recommend this anyone who wants to have a better insight into non-binary identities, whether they are non-binary themselves or not.

jayraams's review

5.0

I really liked this book, it's message is clear. I think the idea of short and to the point books are so valuable. I have recommended it to my mum and she said something that I feel is very relevant "...I don't understand and don't always know the questions to ask to find the answer I need...? My mum has struggled with me and my sibling coming out as Nonbinary. So hearing her say something like this made me happy. Fingers crossed she reads it.