A review by avoryfaucette
Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction by Lee Mandelo

4.0

The stories in this collection cover quite a range, both in terms of the non-binary representation and the sort of speculative fiction. Some stories center on gender and sexuality, but plenty don't. I appreciate that there are a fair number with happy endings, or just more hopeful narratives than usual for trans folks. For example, Sandra McDonald's "Sea of Cortez" is much less depressing than I'd expect a story about gender variance in the Navy in WWII to be, and Kelley Eskridge's "Eye of the Storm" is a delightful look at polyamory, gender variance, and atypical sexuality rolled up into swordfighting fantasy. I predictably enjoyed the two pieces by authors I already know well(ish), Nalo Hopkinson and Tobi Hill-Meyer, but some other standout favorites were "Pirate Solutions" by Katherine Sparrow, a somewhat confusing magical realist pirate hacker tale; "Prosperine When It Sizzles" by Tansy Rayner Roberts, a thrilling action story rife with worldbuilding around illegal use of technology; "Spoiling Veena" by Keyan Bowes, where an Indian mother comes to terms with her futuristic designer child choosing a different gender (extra points for exploring a world where getting your child's gender confirmed is considered the obvious humane thing to do); and "The Metamorphosis Bud" by Liu Wen Zhuang, which explores an elderly woman suddenly waking up with a penis and being very practical in her explorations of the new appendage. Characters of color feature prominently in the collection, as do folks grappling with other aspects of identity. Worth noting that there are several erotica pieces in here, if that's not your bag.