Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender by Kit Heyam

5 reviews

rorikae's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

'Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender" by Kit Heyam is a thoughtful look at trans history through sections that focus on specific aspects. From clothing to performance, Heyam looks at how trans people have lived throughout time and in different places throughout the world. They do a good job of breaking down important aspects into bite sized pieces and packaging this history in an easy way to understand. With histories, it can be easy to try and focus on too much or end up feeling like more of a timeline than a cohesive narrative. Heyam does a great job of making the history span a good chunk of time and subjects by focusing on specifics and then extrapolating from there. I think this is an important book for many people to read as they learn more about gender and trans history. I also appreciate that Heyman very clearly addresses that they are a white trans man and how this may impact their work. This book feels very open and informative in the best ways. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Misogyny, Transphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Medical content

Minor: War

warlocksarecool21's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective

4.5

Before We Were Trans is a brilliant book exploring trans history in an intersectional way. The author shows how the history of trans identities overlaps with history of intersex people, women, lesbians, non-western cultures & spirituality and how they were warped by colonization. Dr. Heyam does a wonderful job of explaining the nuances of how trans history is interconnected with all those things above and directly questions how interpretation of history can harm certain communities even if unintentionally. This book was really thought-provoking and even if you have a good understanding of intersectional theory regarding activism and feminism, I still recommend this book because of how detailed Dr. Heyam is and how well-researched his book is. The audiobook was narrated by the author and I really enjoyed it. Although it might be worth getting your hands on a physical copy or ebook to at least see the names of the historical figures and communities mentioned. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Police brutality, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Classism, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia

the_reading_wren's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Fascinating, challenging and most of all comforting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Transphobia, Colonisation, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Biphobia, Sexism, Outing, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Genocide, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, War, Medical trauma, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Torture, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Blood, Misogyny, Genocide, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Death, Religious bigotry, Child death, Murder, Colonisation, Sexual content, Transphobia, Torture, Child abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Medical content, Deadnaming, and Police brutality

Moderate: Infidelity, Infertility, Slavery, Confinement, Dysphoria, and Kidnapping

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal death, Cursing, Lesbophobia, War, Biphobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

Eugenics, Intersexism, Incarceration

caseythereader's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Outing, Sexual content, and Violence