Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - I'm Afraid of Men

As expected, most of this book could be summarized by “men are trash”.

But it’s more than that. Because sometimes women are trash too, and cis women and trans men. We can all be trash because the patriarchy and our Westernized strict divisions of genders made us so.

Ultimately, this isn’t just a book to rehash how awful men can be (although it does that quite well). It’s the lived experience of a trans woman and a reflection on what could change if we loosened the rigidity and definition of gender roles.

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mikaelaandherbooks's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

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bi_n_large's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

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thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

vivek shraya, thru her own unique personal experience as a trans WOC, examines the constraints of the binary and the toxicity of masculinity on ppl of all genders in the short and compulsively readable i'm afraid of men.

the stacked reasons for the title, peppered throughout but esp in the opening pgs, are a reality slap and a harsh reminder; compounded by intersectional identities, the outlook seems ever bleak. i also very much relate to the author's view on love, self-love, and the body. im particularly impressed by her self-awareness on her own complicity thru both past and present actions as well, as it encourages us all to look back w/in ourselves and reflect on our own role, meaning there's at least a way forward.

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georgiareadz's review

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challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

4.5

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moonyreadsbystarlight's review

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

This is a short but potent meditation on misogyny, drawing on the author's personal experience. She describes violence she experienced from men before and after transition and the impact of that violence before also discussing women's role (including her own) in perpetuating these violences.

Parts of this are in first person and others were in second. That shift to second person is a powerful literary decision because of the discomfort that it brings, putting you in the shoes of men who have hurt her. And it makes the later (first person) discussion of how even people who aren't men contribute to misogyny that much more hard-hitting.

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whatcassiedid's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

5.0

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