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A review by jameslyons
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
slow-paced
0.0
Eating glass.
It’s difficult for me to summarise how upsetting and transphobic this memoir is, but you can start with the author googling her lover to find out their preferred pronouns after months of sleeping together rather than just asking, to statements that the phallus always finds its way into women’s spaces, and wrap it up in the idea that pregnancy is a trans experience (it’s not).
If that appeals to you, The Argonauts has much more for you, reader!
VERY disjointedly, Maggie makes a case that pregnancy is… a radical act, not heteronormative, as dangerous as being trans (lol) and as transformative as a gender transition. ?!? All backed up by twisted, half-finished references to Judith Butler et al. in an attempt to legitimise these shit takes, and many many many disconnected thoughts.
As a memoir, we see that Maggie Nelson is “grappling” with her partner Harry’s gender identity and transition. Her micro (and frankly, macro) aggressions are often muted by using the second tense addressing Harry, as though she’s writing a love letter to “you”, as though you’ve already forgiven her for the transphobic shit she has said to you, and for making your story about her. She is twisting the narrative to excuse herself for naïve ignorance.
As one can expect from white, cis feminism.
Unacknowledged privilege and white supremacy abound. eg There’s no thought about race beyond Maggie’s whiteness — she gives her son a Native American name, but it’s cool because her breastfeeding coach is Native American and okayed it.
Hold on. So far this review might make you think there is a story, even a foundation for personal growth. There isn’t. 99% of the book is poorly constructed theory with half-considered points that go nowhere and are, frankly, poorly written and have little to do with the “story”. If you just cracked the spine, rest assured it’s not YOU who needs a postgrad degree to get through it. It’s the author who needs to take an undergrad writing course.
This book was published in 2016. Some say the transphobia and white supremacy therein is only so bad because “back then” we didn’t know better. Nah — Anyone with a gender studies background (she laments it’s no longer “women’s studies” lol) in 2016 knew how to not be a dickhead.
The most upsetting thing is that The Argonauts is still celebrated as a key queer read, and loved by many people i otherwise respect. I’m shocked and kinda scared of anyone who is into this stealthy transphobia.
It’s difficult for me to summarise how upsetting and transphobic this memoir is, but you can start with the author googling her lover to find out their preferred pronouns after months of sleeping together rather than just asking, to statements that the phallus always finds its way into women’s spaces, and wrap it up in the idea that pregnancy is a trans experience (it’s not).
If that appeals to you, The Argonauts has much more for you, reader!
VERY disjointedly, Maggie makes a case that pregnancy is… a radical act, not heteronormative, as dangerous as being trans (lol) and as transformative as a gender transition. ?!? All backed up by twisted, half-finished references to Judith Butler et al. in an attempt to legitimise these shit takes, and many many many disconnected thoughts.
As a memoir, we see that Maggie Nelson is “grappling” with her partner Harry’s gender identity and transition. Her micro (and frankly, macro) aggressions are often muted by using the second tense addressing Harry, as though she’s writing a love letter to “you”, as though you’ve already forgiven her for the transphobic shit she has said to you, and for making your story about her. She is twisting the narrative to excuse herself for naïve ignorance.
As one can expect from white, cis feminism.
Unacknowledged privilege and white supremacy abound. eg There’s no thought about race beyond Maggie’s whiteness — she gives her son a Native American name, but it’s cool because her breastfeeding coach is Native American and okayed it.
Hold on. So far this review might make you think there is a story, even a foundation for personal growth. There isn’t. 99% of the book is poorly constructed theory with half-considered points that go nowhere and are, frankly, poorly written and have little to do with the “story”. If you just cracked the spine, rest assured it’s not YOU who needs a postgrad degree to get through it. It’s the author who needs to take an undergrad writing course.
This book was published in 2016. Some say the transphobia and white supremacy therein is only so bad because “back then” we didn’t know better. Nah — Anyone with a gender studies background (she laments it’s no longer “women’s studies” lol) in 2016 knew how to not be a dickhead.
The most upsetting thing is that The Argonauts is still celebrated as a key queer read, and loved by many people i otherwise respect. I’m shocked and kinda scared of anyone who is into this stealthy transphobia.