A review by enbylesbianism
Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real about Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female in America by Amy Reed, Julie Murphy

4.0

I enjoyed many of the essays presented in this anthology and it introduced me to several YA authors I would like to read more of/from. However, it also made me uncomfortable more than once: sometimes, it was kind of the point, such as the essays focused on rape culture, sexual assault, racism etc. (which I still leave a trigger warning for, because it definitely is graphic and explicit enough for it to be needed), but there were also some moments where I don't seem to notice explanation for such discomfort, like Reed's usage of the F slur in her text as well as Caitlyn Jenner's deadname written on Brockenbrough's, which was also accentuated the lack of trans women amongst the authors. While I am aware that Reed addressed this issue at the beginning of the book, it still doesn't change this statement, although her awareness is positive.