Reviews tagging 'Deadnaming'

Pageboy by Elliot Page

146 reviews

macykey's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

3.25

Firstly, the good. The writing was good and it was a quick read. Now, the not so good. The writing, while good, could be overly flowery. Like Page was trying too hard to sound eloquent and losing their point in the process. The chronology of this book was very hard to keep up with.  Hand in hand with the chronology, the lack of a coherent timeline made it difficult to deduce the purpose of this book. There were parts that made me think it was their relationship to their queerness and how it affected their relationships. And other times I thought it was more of a journal. And other times I thought it was more of a case study on trans-ness’ effect on people’s physical and mental health. It’s possible that this could’ve been all of those things, but the lack of a sequential order made it hard to be any of those things. It was also very explicit. Which isn’t necessarily unheard of in a memoir, but it did surprise me. I will say, there was a point that Page mentioned being infantilized and I found myself slipping into that during parts of this book too, so it does have the ability to make you question yourself and check yourself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Cursing, and Transphobia

Moderate: Deadnaming, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

brynalexa's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.25

Don’t skip the acknowledgments. If you’re not crying from the last two chapters you will be from those. A brutal depiction of gender dysphoria and the effect it takes on us. It was fun to identify with Elliot among his queerness but also his literature and music interests. He includes on honest statement of privilege that was sincere and right on point. It was non-linear and I’m not sure it worked. I think the pacing could have been better if it was more of a timeline, with a few flashbacks here and there. I loved hearing Elliot read it and hearing the emotion come through. I was surprised at the amount of sexual content (consensual and not) through I think it’s important for queer folks to be able to identify with the violence, confusion, and joy that are often associated with our sexual experiences. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Medical content, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Lesbophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Abandonment, Alcohol, Car accident, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Stalking

nicsbooksandnooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Stalking, and Self harm

Minor: Sexual assault, Deadnaming, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

matildamercury's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective relaxing medium-paced

2.5

This book made me feel warm and fuzzy a lot simply because I came of age as a lesbian with Elliot’s movies and coming out. I also really liked the descriptions of Canada and, as always, the dyke drama tea. 

However after completing it, I realised I really disliked it. 

This memoir finished with no actual introspection, self realisation or broader contextualisation. The closest thing we got was the pitiful chapter on his top surgery. He basically talked about how amazing it was and how relieved he felt but that he felt a need to express his gratitude bc of his privilege (eg lots of trans men don’t have the money, community supports etc to access top surgery) - before ending it with a “but it’s my basic rights and I shouldn’t have to feel grateful because I deserved it” ? And that was pretty much it in the way of acknowledging broader contexts for his life. Which included things such as: anorexia, self harm, emotional abuse by a parent, having a pedophilic stalker as a teenage girl, large scale homophobia and transphobia, and the list goes on !!! I was truly expecting these struggles to be rooted by Elliot societally and acknowledge the wider traumas of growing up in a patriarchy, and maybe solidarity with other gnc/trans/gay people but no. Nothing. Really disappointing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Blood, Child abuse, Vomit, Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Drug use, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Pedophilia

hannahduda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Abandonment, Homophobia, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Addiction, Blood, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Dysphoria, Medical content, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

sandakie's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Dysphoria, Cursing, Transphobia, Hate crime, Stalking, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Blood, Self harm, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Excrement, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Deadnaming, Bullying, Body shaming, Body horror, Alcohol, and Sexual violence

lambclown's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Dysphoria, Rape, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexism, Stalking, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Self harm, Excrement, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship

theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

“It’s not trans people who suffer from a sickness, but the society that fosters such hate.” - Elliot Page

A wonderfully hopeful yet sometimes heartbreaking book about life as a trans person as told by a trans person. And not just any person but a celebrity. Because of this book I now know how horrible things were for Elliot before he came out, when he first came out, and when he came out again.

The chapters where he reflects on his parents, their reactions, and how they treated him broke me into a million pieces. I love my children and always will; no matter who they are or grow up to be. 

Elliot describing what it felt like to finally be able to be his true self and feel comfortable in his skin was so powerful. I’m glad the world has him and this memoir. 

Though will say, speaking as a Canadian myself, Elliot talks about ketchup chips a lot. I’m surprised he didn’t bring up Tim Hortons more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Bullying, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Dysphoria, Pandemic/Epidemic, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body horror, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Moderate: Stalking, Infidelity, and Drug use

annaofjesup's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Dysphoria, and Homophobia

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Deadnaming, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Rape, Vomit, Medical content, Mental illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic

leonormsousa's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Body horror, Body shaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Alcoholism, Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Blood, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness