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brnineworms's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Trans Power is an uncomfortable book. I mean this in multiple ways. It’s honest, off-the-cuff, and, dare I say it, raw. But this intimacy goes further than candid discussions of feelings and identity – Roche describes their genitals and masturbation in explicit detail, and they invite their interviewees to do the same. This isn’t a one-off occurrence, it’s virtually the backbone of this entire book. In that sense I suppose it’s a direct sequel to Roche’s previous book Queer Sex (which I haven’t read). With a title like that, however, you know what you’re getting yourself into.
I don’t mean to sound sex-negative. Unapologetic trans embodiment and trans joy ought to be uplifted, not baulked at. It may not have been what I was expecting, but I can appreciate it for what it is.
This book really elicits the freedom to transgress. I particularly liked the last two interviews with Amrou and E-J Scott; the two of them were so insightful and self-assured.
This book really elicits the freedom to transgress. I particularly liked the last two interviews with Amrou and E-J Scott; the two of them were so insightful and self-assured.
Trans Power is one of those books where I’m not sure I like it but I am glad it exists. I’ve heard of cis people picking it up hoping it’ll educate them and being rather thrown off. I can’t say I blame them. I wouldn’t recommend this to a cis person wanting to learn the basics, but I might recommend it to trans people looking for other perspectives on what it means to be trans (particularly nonbinary perspectives) and unfiltered discussion of trans bodies and sexuality.
“I like the thought that we as trans are a prefix to some change that is brilliantly underway but as yet unresolved and partially unrecognisable.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Dysphoria, Body shaming, and Sexual content
Moderate: Racism, Terminal illness, Addiction, Death, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Rape
Minor: Cancer, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Outing, Slavery, Suicide attempt, and War
that_bookworm_guy's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
3.75
This book isn't what I was expecting and that isn't a bad thing. It focuses a lot on sex, relationships, and bodies.
I understand how this is important and it feels difficult coming from a trans author and trans people being interviewed, as it's done in a way that not every trans person feels defined by their body.
I am trans, and some of this book did make me uncomfortable. It's good to be uncomfortable in a way that it pushes boundaries and language. But there was just so much talk about genitals, that I get the feeling that some of the people felt a little awkward, but this may have just been my own interpretation. The discussion was about challenging binaries as well as gendered language. They also discussed about how their bodies and relationships make them feel.
The author also writes a lot about their own genitals and brings it up a lot, nearly every interview, as well as in sections in between. This was something that I found myself skimming past. I can understand why the author bought it up a lot, it's of course their book, but sometimes it just felt completely random
I understand how this is important and it feels difficult coming from a trans author and trans people being interviewed, as it's done in a way that not every trans person feels defined by their body.
I am trans, and some of this book did make me uncomfortable. It's good to be uncomfortable in a way that it pushes boundaries and language. But there was just so much talk about genitals, that I get the feeling that some of the people felt a little awkward, but this may have just been my own interpretation. The discussion was about challenging binaries as well as gendered language. They also discussed about how their bodies and relationships make them feel.
The author also writes a lot about their own genitals and brings it up a lot, nearly every interview, as well as in sections in between. This was something that I found myself skimming past. I can understand why the author bought it up a lot, it's of course their book, but sometimes it just felt completely random
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Transphobia
noahee's review
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Sexy, educational and joyful.
I learnt so much from this book; as a queer person I have often felt isolated, and that no one else feels like this, but this book immortalised feelings I had, and explained them better than I ever could have.
Roche's book has changed something inside me, and when I re-read part of the book that felt revolutionary, I wasn't even sure what made the change.
Maybe, finding someone who was perhaps better at writing than me, and could put emotions into words.
Maybe, having a queer elder who, though wildly different, had feelings very similar to mine, and had made sense of them.
Perhaps it just gave me the opportunity to look inside myself and for it to finally make sense.
Whatever it was, it felt revolutionary, and has hugely changed the way I think about myself in relation to gender.
It has made things simpler, through understanding that my gender is complicated.
It has made my gender more understandable, or made it easier for me to relate it to others (before I just felt like an island).
This book is a must read for anyone, queer or not, and has been so important in my gender journey.
Thank you Juno.
I learnt so much from this book; as a queer person I have often felt isolated, and that no one else feels like this, but this book immortalised feelings I had, and explained them better than I ever could have.
Roche's book has changed something inside me, and when I re-read part of the book that felt revolutionary, I wasn't even sure what made the change.
Maybe, finding someone who was perhaps better at writing than me, and could put emotions into words.
Maybe, having a queer elder who, though wildly different, had feelings very similar to mine, and had made sense of them.
Perhaps it just gave me the opportunity to look inside myself and for it to finally make sense.
Whatever it was, it felt revolutionary, and has hugely changed the way I think about myself in relation to gender.
It has made things simpler, through understanding that my gender is complicated.
It has made my gender more understandable, or made it easier for me to relate it to others (before I just felt like an island).
This book is a must read for anyone, queer or not, and has been so important in my gender journey.
Thank you Juno.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
moonyreadsbystarlight's review
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
This book was not quite what I expected it to be, but that was not necessarily a bad thing. There was a really heavy focus on bodies and sex. It was really interesting to get to hear different perspectives on that. That is a really important way to discuss power, particularly for trans people. I think the discussion of naming in particularly -- as it pertains to identity and bodies -- was really wonderful and necessary. However, I am not sure this was framed in the most effective way. I like the idea of including personal narrative and learning about the interviewer between interviews, however it was quite repetitive, especially in the first half. I'll be honest, I think my own discomfort and dissociation probably made me dislike this more than I would were I in a better headspace in relation to myself. Regardless, I do think that some important conversations were had in this book. I found the last few chapters particularly engaging. The last chapter really brought together the discussions in the book with recent events and discussion of empowerment. I wish that more of the book would have tapped into that broader discussion in a similar way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
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