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emeraldberkowitz's review
4.0
I am so glad this book exists - even just the title is a piece of analysis that so many movements need to hold onto and rarely say explicitly, and the book is full of sharp, accessible multi-issue analysis. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because it was written in 1988, and it lacks a lot of the insights that transfeminist and femme-inist movements have added in the past 20 years. I would LOVE to see this book updated. while we're at it, I rate this book in the top 10 ever most boring graphic design in the history of all time (chardon press! what were they thinking!?), and I'm sure that could also be improved in the reprint!
englishlitlady's review
5.0
I first read this when I was a teenager, who knew nothing of feminist theory, gender studies, and had very limited knowledge about the reality of life in America for people who transgress against cultural norms, who disregard socially constructed definitions of who they are "supposed to be" in favor of being true to who they ARE. Quite frankly, it fascinated me, as most theory and study of the way societies function still fascinates me (Naive 15 year old logic says "People are horrible to each other! For the stupidest reasons! How weird is that?!?! Seriously, if people could just stop being so rude and mean and violent, wouldn't everyone be a lot happier and safer?") and this book in particular, something about the place I was at when I read it, something about my feelings as a girl growing into being a woman and trying to figure out what that actually means... something about it all came together and this book blew my mind.
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