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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
This was good, but it could have been better. Maybe I would have liked it more if I had read it when it came out in 2014.
Beyond Magenta is an important, timely book that puts transgender teens at the forefront in their own words. I'm so glad that the interviewees in this book were able to speak out and tell their stories without anyone trying to smooth them over or edit them. However, the format is this book's strength and its weakness in that there's no supplementary discussion by counselors or therapists, or any transgender adults who might be able to take a step back and give a broader perspective. The teens who were interviewed at times said some things about gender and transitioning that perhaps could have been given a counterpoint for a fuller picture.
Likely to be helpful to curious cis teens, especially perhaps those with a trans or non-binary friend. It's good that there is a range of stories represented (mtf, ftm and nb), and that resources are listed in the back, but I did feel that maybe there were gaps or things that appeared to be presented as definite that might in fact be unacceptable for some (like I was surprised at the transman's girlfriend using she pronouns) or not part of others' experience. I wondered if that was due to the youth of the subjects and felt that perhaps it ought to have been expressed more explicitly that individual experiences vary considerably.
I'm giving the book two stars because I don't think it's fair to give only one star to a book I didn't even get half way through. For what I read, though, one star.
I really really wanted to like this book. I listened to about 40 or so minutes of it, most of the first teen's story. It was so infuriating! His story could be summed up as "I didn't like the patriarchy because my assigned gender was female, but then I started taking T and realized that the patriarchy is AWESOME!"
There's a point where he's harassing this woman into dating him, and after three rejections he says something along the lines of "look, I'm not asking for you to fall in love with me, I'm not even asking you to sleep with me, I'm just asking for thirty minutes of your time before you pre-judge me. You owe me that." No. She does not owe you thirty minutes of your time. Women do not owe men thirty minutes of their time because no human owes any human thirty minutes of their time. I mean, obviously there's work and there's family and all that, but a professional model who you don't know from Adam? Nope. PS: By the time she's rejected you three times, it's no longer pre-judging.
I really really wanted to like this book. I listened to about 40 or so minutes of it, most of the first teen's story. It was so infuriating! His story could be summed up as "I didn't like the patriarchy because my assigned gender was female, but then I started taking T and realized that the patriarchy is AWESOME!"
There's a point where he's harassing this woman into dating him, and after three rejections he says something along the lines of "look, I'm not asking for you to fall in love with me, I'm not even asking you to sleep with me, I'm just asking for thirty minutes of your time before you pre-judge me. You owe me that." No. She does not owe you thirty minutes of your time. Women do not owe men thirty minutes of their time because no human owes any human thirty minutes of their time. I mean, obviously there's work and there's family and all that, but a professional model who you don't know from Adam? Nope. PS: By the time she's rejected you three times, it's no longer pre-judging.
Did I buy and read this book simply cuz the person on the cover was attractive? yes. Do I regret it? Not sure yet.
Read this and other reviews at Things I Find While Shelving
There is one word I can use to describe this book: snapshots.
This book is a series of snapshots of people on the Trans* spectrum. It doesn't cover everything, but it is refreshing to read the words of young Trans* people, to hear how they explored their identities and found their truths.
I wish there had been a book like this when I was a teen. I'm glad it's out now for those teens who are struggling to fit in this world that still won't accept them.
There is one word I can use to describe this book: snapshots.
This book is a series of snapshots of people on the Trans* spectrum. It doesn't cover everything, but it is refreshing to read the words of young Trans* people, to hear how they explored their identities and found their truths.
I wish there had been a book like this when I was a teen. I'm glad it's out now for those teens who are struggling to fit in this world that still won't accept them.
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
3.5 rounded up to 4. As a parent to young children it is good to read how young transgender teens felt in early life and coming out, so that I know how to support them in the correct way.
Finished this the night before JK Rowling said her stupid, transphobic things on Twitter and am now even more livid than I would have been anyway.