Trans Like Me: Conversations for All of Us

by CN Lester

Paperback, 2018

Status

Available

Call number

HQ77.8 .L48 A3 2017

Genres

Collection

LGBTQ Iowa Archives & LIbrary

Publication

Seal Press (2018), 240 pages

Description

A personal and culture-driven exploration of the most pressing questions facing the transgender community today, from a leading activist, musician, and academic. In Trans Like Me, CN Lester takes readers on a measured, thoughtful, intelligent yet approachable tour through the most important and high-profile narratives around the trans community, turning them inside out and examining where we really are in terms of progress. From the impact of the media's wording in covering trans people and issues, to the way parenting gender variant children is portrayed, Lester brings their charged personal narrative to every topic and expertly lays out the work left to be done. Trans Like Me explores the ways that we are all defined by ideas of gender--whether we live as he, she, or they--and how we can strive for authenticity in a world that forces limiting labels.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Narshkite

A very good combination of memoir, social science study, political polemic, history, and opinion piece on feminist theory (and the limitations set by its historical lack of intersectionality.) Lester does not acknowledge in any way the source of people's discomfort with gender nonconformity, and I

think just glossing over that discussion limits this to a book that will be broadening to trans allies rather than people still trying to figure things out. One notable example, there is an acknowledgment that for some (certainly not all) gender nonconforming people there is body dysphoria. They then dismiss the possibility that there is a mental health concern with the statement that they is mentally ill, and this is different from their mental health struggles so clearly there is no connection. That sort of tautology (as if all mental health issues and every person's gender dysphoria is the same) weakens what is otherwise a compelling, edifying, and completely worthwhile read.

Show Less