Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

I Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl's Notes from the End of the World by Kai Cheng Thom

3 reviews

bashsbooks's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

Thom approaches the issues within modern leftism with an understandable frustration and an unparalleled wit; this collection of essays and poems provide much-needed nuance and insight into thorny topics such as suicide (and the related responsibility of the community and agency of the dead) and sexual assault (including breaking down the perp/victim binary that doesn't allow for any grey areas). She also covers transmisogyny, racism, and class in similar depth. Despite these serious topics, Thom ends every essay with her glimmers of hope for the future. My favorite pieces in this collection were Genie, You're Free, if you should start to think forbidden thoughts, Chronical of a Rape Foretold, Complications of Consent, How Neoliberalism is Stealing Trans Liberation, siblings, Rediscovering My Identity at My Grandfather's Funeral, and Dear, Dear Life.

I highly recommend the entire book, and all of Thom's work (but please remember, she is only one imperfect woman, not a vessel for Leftist Truth!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Classism, Transphobia, Suicide, Sexual violence, and Racism

Moderate: Police brutality, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Minor: Colonisation, Hate crime, Murder, Mental illness, and Medical trauma

dytiscusfriend's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Kai Cheng Thom is remarkable in her ability to write incisively nuanced takes. Her writing is grounding, healing, painful, and needed. Her generosity, humility, and unapologetic love (especially for herself) is extraordinary and a salve in this era of twitter hot takes.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, and Xenophobia

rigbees's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

Kai Cheng Tom thoughtfully discusses a number of issues affecting letting LGBTQIA+ communities. I found a lot of my experiences seen by these essays and her analysis to be intelligent and empathetic. Deep reading for those wondering how we build sustaining communities.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexual assault, and Hate crime

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Rape