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A review by hedonsgaybookshelf
Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson by Tourmaline
challenging
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
Thanks to NetGalley and Tiny Reparations Books for the ARC!
There’s a deep care in how Tourmaline captures Marsha not only as an activist and community leader, but also as a sister, daughter, friend, wife, dog mom, neighbor, babysitter, culture and fashion icon, performer, singer, actress, and designer. I learned so much about her from this book that I didn’t know before! She’s captured here as a dynamic and multifaceted being contextualized within a thankless movement rife with racism and transphobia, contrasting the diluted inspirational representations we often see in mainstream white neoliberal narratives now. Equally important to understanding Marsha’s legacy are her experiences as a victim of state violence and systemic poverty, a street-based sex worker, someone living with disability and mental illness, and an AIDS care worker watching her community die. Cameos from peers like Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major, and Randy Wicker further demonstrate the depth of her love for community and the reach of her relentless light. I think this is a must-read!
There’s a deep care in how Tourmaline captures Marsha not only as an activist and community leader, but also as a sister, daughter, friend, wife, dog mom, neighbor, babysitter, culture and fashion icon, performer, singer, actress, and designer. I learned so much about her from this book that I didn’t know before! She’s captured here as a dynamic and multifaceted being contextualized within a thankless movement rife with racism and transphobia, contrasting the diluted inspirational representations we often see in mainstream white neoliberal narratives now. Equally important to understanding Marsha’s legacy are her experiences as a victim of state violence and systemic poverty, a street-based sex worker, someone living with disability and mental illness, and an AIDS care worker watching her community die. Cameos from peers like Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major, and Randy Wicker further demonstrate the depth of her love for community and the reach of her relentless light. I think this is a must-read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Classism