tlaynejones's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.25

This is very much a book of its time, particularly in terms of Trans people - there aren’t any. All diversity of gender, in people assigned female at birth, seem to be attributed to gender expression, being butch, or hiding a lesbian relationship by passing as a straight couple. No apparent consideration that any of this diverse representation may have included Trans men. There are also mentions of attending the Michigan Women’s Festival, but no mention of the controversy about excluding Trans women. 
In addition, the discussions of the birth of lesbian feminism seem to be largely about white feminism, but that distinction doesn’t seem to be clear. 
However, having said all that, I was fascinated and challenged by these essays. I really appreciated having this insight into the life of a fierce and vulnerable Queer, cis, Jewish, white, sexual, lesbian activist, who came of age in 1950s America. Nestle shares autobiographical stories about growing up as a Jewish child of a single mother in the McCarthy era, and goes on to her time in the civil rights movement. Nestle then writes about living as a sexual queer woman. About being sexual. About being a writer, and about being an activist. 
I sincerely hope that this curious and thoughtful mind continued to challenge herself, and broaden her understanding of the world. I was intrigued by this insight into a little bit of what queer life was like in mid 20th century USA. Recommended. 

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