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A review by sara_m_martins
Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender by Stef M. Shuster
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Trans Medicine is a sociological book analysing the medical field(s) that work with trans people, namely the professionals involved - following trans medicine since it's conception in the 1950s up until contemporary times.
As a sociological work, this feels academic, but the writing is very accessible to non-academics; however, this book is not a "one-sitting" type of book, nor do I think it should be.
Throughout, shuster (non-binary trans person) lays out the assumptions and bias of medical professionals in the 1950s, contextualizing them in post-WWII medicine, and shows how that starting point is still affecting trans medicine today. For this, I think this book is an invaluable resource to any health professionals (or training to be), both physicians and in mental health. I also think it is appropriate for a non-medical audience, as it will clarify the way medicine operates, not only regarding trans patients but other demographics.
There are some things described in this book that can be very disconcerting, mostly the older records, but also some of the discourse of newer physicians (especially because you're given the historical context beforehand and you can see the root of it) regarding who should have access to trans medical care, and how - gatekeeping for "non-worthy patients" in the 50s and, currently, for some outside of the binary. So I advise care for anyone not in a good place with their gender identity, if they suspect they won't be able to digest some of the content.
As a sociological work, this feels academic, but the writing is very accessible to non-academics; however, this book is not a "one-sitting" type of book, nor do I think it should be.
Throughout, shuster (non-binary trans person) lays out the assumptions and bias of medical professionals in the 1950s, contextualizing them in post-WWII medicine, and shows how that starting point is still affecting trans medicine today. For this, I think this book is an invaluable resource to any health professionals (or training to be), both physicians and in mental health. I also think it is appropriate for a non-medical audience, as it will clarify the way medicine operates, not only regarding trans patients but other demographics.
There are some things described in this book that can be very disconcerting, mostly the older records, but also some of the discourse of newer physicians (especially because you're given the historical context beforehand and you can see the root of it) regarding who should have access to trans medical care, and how - gatekeeping for "non-worthy patients" in the 50s and, currently, for some outside of the binary. So I advise care for anyone not in a good place with their gender identity, if they suspect they won't be able to digest some of the content.