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Burn the Binary!: Selected Writings on the Politics of Trans, Genderqueer and Nonbinary
An icon of transgender activism for three decades, Riki Wilchins is the author of four influential books on genderqueer, trans politics, and queer theory. Riki Wilchins has been a pioneering and influential thinker and writer for a quarter of a century. Now this single volume offers a selection of Riki’s most penetrating and insightful pieces, as well as the best of two decades of Riki’s online columns for The Advocate never before collected. Think of this as Riki Wilchin’s greatest hits!
296 pages, ebook
First published October 1, 2017
10 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
About the author
Riki Anne Wilchins
7 books56 followersRiki Wilchins is an activist whose work has focused on the impact of gender norms. While she started out as a transgender leader -- founding the first national transgender advocacy group (GenderPAC) -- her analysis and work broadened over time to include discrimination and violence regardless of individuals' identity. While this perspective has been widely accepted, its breadth has provoked criticism by some in the transgender community. Wilchins' work and writing has often focused on youth, whom she not only sees as uniquely vulnerable to the gender system's pressures and harm, but whom she sees as capable of "looking with fresh eyes." Wilchins' work has been instrumental in bringing transgender rights into the mainstream LGBT movmement, and has helped bring awareness of the impact of gender norms to a wider audience. In 2001, Wilchins' work resulted in her being selected one of just six community activists named by TIME Magazine among its "100 Civic Innovators for the 21st Century."
A founding member of Camp Trans, since the mid-1990s Wilchins has been highly active in founding a number of organizations and events focused on gender issues, including:
The Transexual Menace, the first large direct action group for transgender rights, which was modeled along the lines of Queer Nation and which at one point boasted representatives in 40+ cities (co-founder Denise Norris).
Hermaphrodites With Attitude, the first direct action group for the intersex (co-founder Cheryl Chase, Executive Director of the ISNA, the Intersex Society of North America).
NYC Gay Community Center Gender Identity Project (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services).
NYC Gay Community Center Transgender Health Empowerment Conference, an annual event (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services).
Camp Trans, an annual educational event outside the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival that contests the exclusion of anyone who is not deemed a "womyn-born womyn" (co-founders Janice Walworth, Nancy Jean Burkholder).
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (co-founder Susan Wright, its first Exec. Dir.)
National Gender Lobby Day, an annual event on Capitol Hill (co-founder Phyllis Frye).
In 1995 Wilchins founded the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition GenderPAC, a tax-exempt organization focused on gender rights issues. GenderPAC originally focused on the transgender community, but gradually broadened its focus to include anyone who suffered discrimination or violence because of their gender identity or gender expression. GenderPAC described its mission as the creation of "classrooms, communities, and workplaces [that] are safe for everyone to learn, grow, and succeed - whether or not they meet expectations for masculinity and femininity."
In late 1999, the organization was incorporated and received tax-exempt status. In 2009 it rebranded and relaunched as a new organization, effectively ceasing operations as GenderPAC. While GenderPAC's Executive Director, Wilchins helped dozens of corporations as diverse as IBM, JP Morgan Chase, and Citigroup, as well as major funders like the Arcus and Gill Foundations to expand their employment non-discrimination policies to include gender identity and gender expression. GenderPAC's Congressional Non-Discrimination Pledge eventually had almost 200 sponsors, including both Republicans and US Senators. She helped compile and publish the GENIUS (Gender Equality National Index for Universities & Schools) Index, which rated and ranked schools' adoption of gender identity protections. During her watch, GenderPAC also launched the GenderYOUTH Network, which eventually supported student groups at 100+ schools in creating safer and friendlier environments for those who were gender non-conforming on their own campuses.
With help from researcher Emilia Lombardi, GenderPAC compiled and published the "1st National Survey of TransViolence," based on surveys provided by more than 500.
A founding member of Camp Trans, since the mid-1990s Wilchins has been highly active in founding a number of organizations and events focused on gender issues, including:
The Transexual Menace, the first large direct action group for transgender rights, which was modeled along the lines of Queer Nation and which at one point boasted representatives in 40+ cities (co-founder Denise Norris).
Hermaphrodites With Attitude, the first direct action group for the intersex (co-founder Cheryl Chase, Executive Director of the ISNA, the Intersex Society of North America).
NYC Gay Community Center Gender Identity Project (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services).
NYC Gay Community Center Transgender Health Empowerment Conference, an annual event (co-founder Dr. Barbara Warren, Dir. of Social Services).
Camp Trans, an annual educational event outside the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival that contests the exclusion of anyone who is not deemed a "womyn-born womyn" (co-founders Janice Walworth, Nancy Jean Burkholder).
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (co-founder Susan Wright, its first Exec. Dir.)
National Gender Lobby Day, an annual event on Capitol Hill (co-founder Phyllis Frye).
In 1995 Wilchins founded the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition GenderPAC, a tax-exempt organization focused on gender rights issues. GenderPAC originally focused on the transgender community, but gradually broadened its focus to include anyone who suffered discrimination or violence because of their gender identity or gender expression. GenderPAC described its mission as the creation of "classrooms, communities, and workplaces [that] are safe for everyone to learn, grow, and succeed - whether or not they meet expectations for masculinity and femininity."
In late 1999, the organization was incorporated and received tax-exempt status. In 2009 it rebranded and relaunched as a new organization, effectively ceasing operations as GenderPAC. While GenderPAC's Executive Director, Wilchins helped dozens of corporations as diverse as IBM, JP Morgan Chase, and Citigroup, as well as major funders like the Arcus and Gill Foundations to expand their employment non-discrimination policies to include gender identity and gender expression. GenderPAC's Congressional Non-Discrimination Pledge eventually had almost 200 sponsors, including both Republicans and US Senators. She helped compile and publish the GENIUS (Gender Equality National Index for Universities & Schools) Index, which rated and ranked schools' adoption of gender identity protections. During her watch, GenderPAC also launched the GenderYOUTH Network, which eventually supported student groups at 100+ schools in creating safer and friendlier environments for those who were gender non-conforming on their own campuses.
With help from researcher Emilia Lombardi, GenderPAC compiled and published the "1st National Survey of TransViolence," based on surveys provided by more than 500.
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August 5, 2020NOTE: I received an advance reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinions or the way I talk about the book.
It’s been a while since I’ve read something by Riki Wilchins, but she certainly knows how to leave a lasting impression. Between her wide experience and knowledge base to pull from and her “Suck it!” attitude toward injustice, it’s hard not to stand out. This collection, Burn The Binary! just continues to prove that she’s not here to take cis bull shit and never has been.
I typically have a tough time reading anthologies and collections. Once one part is over, my ADHD mind thinks the whole book should be over. So starting a new story/essay every few pages is rather frustrating, unlike chapters which are constantly building off of each other. However, this book is just one of the few topics that will keep my attention in just about any format! Reading this felt more like a biography that a collection of essay, which one could argue it is. A lot of these essays are just so personal. Even the ones that don’t focus on her own life show enough of her personality for anyone familiar with her work to pick it out in a stack.
The collection is organized by where the piece was first published instead of chronologically or by topic. Yet the jumping around didn’t get too confusing for me. It felt natural to go from a recount of a specific moment in the transgender rights movement to a piece admiring Leslie Feinberg to a narrative about Wilchin’s bottom surgery experience. It definitely is a book full of her greatest hits.
Final thought: Wilchins was one of the loudest voices in the transgender rights movement when it first started, and, although she might not be the first name we think of anymore, she certainly hasn’t slowed her efforts. Filled with history, passion, and first-hand accounts of the queer experience, Burn the Binary!
Support Me Elsewhere!
It’s been a while since I’ve read something by Riki Wilchins, but she certainly knows how to leave a lasting impression. Between her wide experience and knowledge base to pull from and her “Suck it!” attitude toward injustice, it’s hard not to stand out. This collection, Burn The Binary! just continues to prove that she’s not here to take cis bull shit and never has been.
I typically have a tough time reading anthologies and collections. Once one part is over, my ADHD mind thinks the whole book should be over. So starting a new story/essay every few pages is rather frustrating, unlike chapters which are constantly building off of each other. However, this book is just one of the few topics that will keep my attention in just about any format! Reading this felt more like a biography that a collection of essay, which one could argue it is. A lot of these essays are just so personal. Even the ones that don’t focus on her own life show enough of her personality for anyone familiar with her work to pick it out in a stack.
The collection is organized by where the piece was first published instead of chronologically or by topic. Yet the jumping around didn’t get too confusing for me. It felt natural to go from a recount of a specific moment in the transgender rights movement to a piece admiring Leslie Feinberg to a narrative about Wilchin’s bottom surgery experience. It definitely is a book full of her greatest hits.
Final thought: Wilchins was one of the loudest voices in the transgender rights movement when it first started, and, although she might not be the first name we think of anymore, she certainly hasn’t slowed her efforts. Filled with history, passion, and first-hand accounts of the queer experience, Burn the Binary!
Support Me Elsewhere!
February 1, 2019
DISCLAIMER: an Arc is provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
TRIGGER WARNING: This is a non-fiction book which contains of the notion and stories of genderqueer, LGBTIQ, transphobia, and non-binary issues. Some words like F* word is explicitly written there.
“But what happens when a genderqueer individual who genuinely looks and sounds profoundly non-binary, and/or masculine, declares in a binary world s/he would be most comfortable accessing the girl’s restroom? To say the least, the optics would no longer work. Nor would appeals to practicality. What really needs to be contested here is not just our right to use bathrooms with dignity (which would, personally, be very welcome), but the entire underlying hetero-binary structuring of the world that queers must inhabit."
I would recommend this book to those who share an interest on LGBTIQ and gender arena. The book does not only cover the gender theories but also some personal experiences related to the problems faced by most LGBTIQ especially the trans.
Full review: https://literatureisliving.wordpress....
TRIGGER WARNING: This is a non-fiction book which contains of the notion and stories of genderqueer, LGBTIQ, transphobia, and non-binary issues. Some words like F* word is explicitly written there.
“But what happens when a genderqueer individual who genuinely looks and sounds profoundly non-binary, and/or masculine, declares in a binary world s/he would be most comfortable accessing the girl’s restroom? To say the least, the optics would no longer work. Nor would appeals to practicality. What really needs to be contested here is not just our right to use bathrooms with dignity (which would, personally, be very welcome), but the entire underlying hetero-binary structuring of the world that queers must inhabit."
I would recommend this book to those who share an interest on LGBTIQ and gender arena. The book does not only cover the gender theories but also some personal experiences related to the problems faced by most LGBTIQ especially the trans.
Full review: https://literatureisliving.wordpress....
January 25, 2022
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC copy of this book.
This book was broken down into three sections. The first section was from online articles for The Advocate (all of which are free to read when you google them. I had read some of them while reading another of Wilchins’ books). There was nothing spectacular here. Nothing that drew me into wanting to read more. I was cringing and feeling put off by most of this section. If you read Transmetropolitan, then think a boring Spider. There were very few points that I could agree with or wanted to read more on. There were a few good points like that queer people need to validate your queer card before your word matters, which is why I often say that I am queer or trans before I start my ranting on here because I have to provide proof that my word matters. Then there is the issue of policing who is and is not trans (and what labels are allowed). I identify as a transsexual and have been told before that I can’t because it is offensive, mind you a cis gay male told me this so I just rated his workshop on the power of language badly as he went on to belittle me and kick me out because I had upset him with my own trans identity. Wilchins’ mentions that she was told that she couldn’t be a transsexual as that was an offensive term as well. I am surprise that is the only thing they called out with her, honestly. My view of transsexual is simple: my gender did not change or need to change, my sex did. Hence transsexual. Wilchins’ labels people whatever she likes all the time and bashes them into that label until it makes sense to her. So I am really surprised that she is only called out once that she mentions. This book also had that terrible trans dinosaur piece that equates passing and transitioning young as being transphobic and makes a person not trans. So no thank you to this section.
The next two sections were from her books. One is an anthology, which struck me as weird to pick from. The writing was clearly hers, so less weird in the end. It still didn’t make me want to read this book. The anthology is probably better than the sample given. The other book is her biggest book, from what I can tell. Those pieces were nice to read, but they were scattered and hard to follow at times. Wilchins’ tends to rant and rave. There is little theory, lots of playing victim. Constantly there is a push of us vs them, with the us ALWAYS being trans women and male cross dressers. At the end of the book, there is a section that says the trans movement follows only what trans women want and then lists things that are beneficial to so many more people, its like Wilchins forgets that trans men and gender queer people could want to have jobs and medical care. I get the point she was trying to make, but by blanketing it as “LOOK TRANS WOMEN” or in a more Wilchins’ fashion “MEN WITH TITS” argument it lost a lot of meaning. I was fired for being a trans man from a job I loved. So somehow her view that only trans women need anti-discrimination policies in a workplace really destroyed her arguments for me.
If you want to read what Wilchins’ did right, don’t read this one. Focus instead of “TRANS/gressive”, where she gives history and things helpful to queers that are willing to move forward instead of breeding infighting because of bad behavior.
I got an ARC copy of this book.
This book was broken down into three sections. The first section was from online articles for The Advocate (all of which are free to read when you google them. I had read some of them while reading another of Wilchins’ books). There was nothing spectacular here. Nothing that drew me into wanting to read more. I was cringing and feeling put off by most of this section. If you read Transmetropolitan, then think a boring Spider. There were very few points that I could agree with or wanted to read more on. There were a few good points like that queer people need to validate your queer card before your word matters, which is why I often say that I am queer or trans before I start my ranting on here because I have to provide proof that my word matters. Then there is the issue of policing who is and is not trans (and what labels are allowed). I identify as a transsexual and have been told before that I can’t because it is offensive, mind you a cis gay male told me this so I just rated his workshop on the power of language badly as he went on to belittle me and kick me out because I had upset him with my own trans identity. Wilchins’ mentions that she was told that she couldn’t be a transsexual as that was an offensive term as well. I am surprise that is the only thing they called out with her, honestly. My view of transsexual is simple: my gender did not change or need to change, my sex did. Hence transsexual. Wilchins’ labels people whatever she likes all the time and bashes them into that label until it makes sense to her. So I am really surprised that she is only called out once that she mentions. This book also had that terrible trans dinosaur piece that equates passing and transitioning young as being transphobic and makes a person not trans. So no thank you to this section.
The next two sections were from her books. One is an anthology, which struck me as weird to pick from. The writing was clearly hers, so less weird in the end. It still didn’t make me want to read this book. The anthology is probably better than the sample given. The other book is her biggest book, from what I can tell. Those pieces were nice to read, but they were scattered and hard to follow at times. Wilchins’ tends to rant and rave. There is little theory, lots of playing victim. Constantly there is a push of us vs them, with the us ALWAYS being trans women and male cross dressers. At the end of the book, there is a section that says the trans movement follows only what trans women want and then lists things that are beneficial to so many more people, its like Wilchins forgets that trans men and gender queer people could want to have jobs and medical care. I get the point she was trying to make, but by blanketing it as “LOOK TRANS WOMEN” or in a more Wilchins’ fashion “MEN WITH TITS” argument it lost a lot of meaning. I was fired for being a trans man from a job I loved. So somehow her view that only trans women need anti-discrimination policies in a workplace really destroyed her arguments for me.
If you want to read what Wilchins’ did right, don’t read this one. Focus instead of “TRANS/gressive”, where she gives history and things helpful to queers that are willing to move forward instead of breeding infighting because of bad behavior.
December 10, 2017
I have to say that I got really excited when I saw that Wilchins was going to publish a new book, but I got even more excited because in this one they were going to deal with genderqueer and nonbinary issues.
In this compilation of writings, Wilchins tries to show how their views have changed throughout the years and how they are not afraid to listen to younger people. Well. the book is divided in three different parts. The first one is a compilation of articles that they wrote in 2016 and 2017. They deal with a lot of different topics because they were written in response to certain situations. For example, there's an article dealing with the US military. The second part of the book gets more personal, which I think it's like that because it presents fragments from their first book. One thing that was really interesting to me was the part where they explain their experience with Trans Camp in Michigan. It's so fascinating to know all the things they had to do to make cis people engage with them. The third part of the book is more philosophical. It deals with refutations of quotations by people like Foucault or Butler. It's really interesting because they explain how they see it as a genderqueer person.
My favourite thing about this book is that there is something for everyone. The first part leans towards opinion articles, so most of them have a definite structure and deal with broader subjects. This was probably my favourite. The second part is more autobiographical, so we get to know more personal things about the author and all the things they have had to deal with in their life and in their activism. The third part is definitely leaning towards queer theory. It's way more academic and it's a bit denser. It brings up interesting topics that everyone should read about from the point of view of someone who is not cis and who has been dealing with a cis-normative society all their life.
I honestly like how Riki Wilchins shows an evolution with their thinking and their politics. There are a lot of quotations that are going to stay with me.
"Passing-as a cisgendered female, what else?-was the grand finale. To be truly successful I should look just like what I was not, a cisgender woman. Moreover, real success meant the audience (and trans people never lack for an audience, no?) observing my little gender performance would never realize that I was succeeding. If they became aware that I was succeeding, then I had failed".
"But what happens when a genderqueer individual who genuinely looks and sounds profoundly nonbinary, and/or masculine, declares in a binary world s/he would be most comfortable accessing the girl's restroom? To say the least, the optics would no longer work. Nor would appeals to practicality. What really needs to be contested here is not just our right to use bathrooms with dignity (which would, personally, be very welcome), but the entire underlying hetero-binary structuring of the world that queers must inhabit".
*I received an e-ARC copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
In this compilation of writings, Wilchins tries to show how their views have changed throughout the years and how they are not afraid to listen to younger people. Well. the book is divided in three different parts. The first one is a compilation of articles that they wrote in 2016 and 2017. They deal with a lot of different topics because they were written in response to certain situations. For example, there's an article dealing with the US military. The second part of the book gets more personal, which I think it's like that because it presents fragments from their first book. One thing that was really interesting to me was the part where they explain their experience with Trans Camp in Michigan. It's so fascinating to know all the things they had to do to make cis people engage with them. The third part of the book is more philosophical. It deals with refutations of quotations by people like Foucault or Butler. It's really interesting because they explain how they see it as a genderqueer person.
My favourite thing about this book is that there is something for everyone. The first part leans towards opinion articles, so most of them have a definite structure and deal with broader subjects. This was probably my favourite. The second part is more autobiographical, so we get to know more personal things about the author and all the things they have had to deal with in their life and in their activism. The third part is definitely leaning towards queer theory. It's way more academic and it's a bit denser. It brings up interesting topics that everyone should read about from the point of view of someone who is not cis and who has been dealing with a cis-normative society all their life.
I honestly like how Riki Wilchins shows an evolution with their thinking and their politics. There are a lot of quotations that are going to stay with me.
"Passing-as a cisgendered female, what else?-was the grand finale. To be truly successful I should look just like what I was not, a cisgender woman. Moreover, real success meant the audience (and trans people never lack for an audience, no?) observing my little gender performance would never realize that I was succeeding. If they became aware that I was succeeding, then I had failed".
"But what happens when a genderqueer individual who genuinely looks and sounds profoundly nonbinary, and/or masculine, declares in a binary world s/he would be most comfortable accessing the girl's restroom? To say the least, the optics would no longer work. Nor would appeals to practicality. What really needs to be contested here is not just our right to use bathrooms with dignity (which would, personally, be very welcome), but the entire underlying hetero-binary structuring of the world that queers must inhabit".
*I received an e-ARC copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
October 29, 2017
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Burn the Binary is an anthology of subversive writings by Riki Wilchins, and it is divided into three segments. The first segment and the longest one is comprised of selected Articles written on The Advocate and other outlets, and serves as an introduction to Wilchins' writing style for those unfamiliar with is, as well as setting the tone and themes for the rest of the book. In "Where Have All the Butches Gone?", "We Happy Trans: Undoing Gender" and "Fucking Cis-People" we first become acquainted with the different sides of Wilchins' story and views, and this writing that combines memoir with theory and opinions. The rest of the articles on this part react to specific events, expose points of views and critique the world we are living in.
Part two is comprised of extracts from Wilchins' previous work Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender and this is where the memoir aspect of the book truly shines. There is not a single writing in here I did not enjoy or felt within my bones. "Video Tape" has to be my favorite one because of the style and content. In Wilchins' words Read My Lips (the full work) exists because she wanted to write a book that wasn't targeted to cisgender readers but to trans and genderqueer people to "give them the tools to articulate the anger they already felt, hopefully in a way that would help radicalize them into realizing that the oppressions they faced were political, they were the fault of a binary system, and not that they didn't "pas" well enough or were born transsexual."
Part three are writings from Genderqueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary and works as a perfect closing for the book. This part focuses more on theory than memoir, and the "hard" aspects of gender and queer theory and politics.
I overall really enjoy the book and felt like it was very well organized since there is a clear progression or escalation from "Creating Child Bodies of Convenience" to "Deconstructing Trans" that helped pull the reader along, as well as going deeper and deeper into meanings and theory.
Burn the Binary is an anthology of subversive writings by Riki Wilchins, and it is divided into three segments. The first segment and the longest one is comprised of selected Articles written on The Advocate and other outlets, and serves as an introduction to Wilchins' writing style for those unfamiliar with is, as well as setting the tone and themes for the rest of the book. In "Where Have All the Butches Gone?", "We Happy Trans: Undoing Gender" and "Fucking Cis-People" we first become acquainted with the different sides of Wilchins' story and views, and this writing that combines memoir with theory and opinions. The rest of the articles on this part react to specific events, expose points of views and critique the world we are living in.
Part two is comprised of extracts from Wilchins' previous work Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender and this is where the memoir aspect of the book truly shines. There is not a single writing in here I did not enjoy or felt within my bones. "Video Tape" has to be my favorite one because of the style and content. In Wilchins' words Read My Lips (the full work) exists because she wanted to write a book that wasn't targeted to cisgender readers but to trans and genderqueer people to "give them the tools to articulate the anger they already felt, hopefully in a way that would help radicalize them into realizing that the oppressions they faced were political, they were the fault of a binary system, and not that they didn't "pas" well enough or were born transsexual."
Part three are writings from Genderqueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary and works as a perfect closing for the book. This part focuses more on theory than memoir, and the "hard" aspects of gender and queer theory and politics.
I overall really enjoy the book and felt like it was very well organized since there is a clear progression or escalation from "Creating Child Bodies of Convenience" to "Deconstructing Trans" that helped pull the reader along, as well as going deeper and deeper into meanings and theory.
December 6, 2021
I want to actually give this book 4 stars, but it made the point repeatedly that "good x/bad x is anti-x" plus it articulated a lot of what I went thru as a trans kid who took the NC of GNC quite seriously. For me treating TGNC as separate terms based on whether it's reflexive -se or transitive -le, is important. The TSER gender unicorn is amazing.
But to put my notes here: it seems back in Riki's day they didn't focus so much on consent & autonomy. They focused more on what do all of these victims have in common as opposed to asking why do attackers attack. So was it more victim blamey? Sure, but they were working with what they had. Getting that framework however will be important for dealing with the policing problems.
Also regarding policing problems, Part 2 had a lot of essays that hit home. Like I was triggered into grief & panic attacks because I had lived this. I was one of those kids like that 2012 Kindergartener but my parents & schools were unsupportive. They blamed my gender on the TV & my sister, so that sense of vanguard was griefy but I sure got hope from that back in 2013ish so.
I'll edit this perhaps later, but yeah, even though we have a generation gap, this was helpful & healing like being at a support group talking with trans people.
But to put my notes here: it seems back in Riki's day they didn't focus so much on consent & autonomy. They focused more on what do all of these victims have in common as opposed to asking why do attackers attack. So was it more victim blamey? Sure, but they were working with what they had. Getting that framework however will be important for dealing with the policing problems.
Also regarding policing problems, Part 2 had a lot of essays that hit home. Like I was triggered into grief & panic attacks because I had lived this. I was one of those kids like that 2012 Kindergartener but my parents & schools were unsupportive. They blamed my gender on the TV & my sister, so that sense of vanguard was griefy but I sure got hope from that back in 2013ish so.
I'll edit this perhaps later, but yeah, even though we have a generation gap, this was helpful & healing like being at a support group talking with trans people.
March 27, 2018
Through collaboration, Riki has created an amazing and unique collection. The book is very different from a large number of trans* related books that I have read due to the fact that the stories have come from an older persons perspective. As a young, trans person the world is very different in how it treats trans* people today than it did 20, 40 years ago etc. and this book shows the progression over the years. It's easy to forget that things weren't 'always this way' and that there was a time period where majority of people didn't even know what 'trans*' meant.
I would like to comment on the fact that if you are not comfortable with the use of the word 'transsexual' then this book may not be for you. The author goes onto explaining their reasoning for using this word instead of using transgender, so don't let it put you off.
Overall, I am so glad I read this book. I have gained a huge insight into the 'older' trans* community and am now going to pursue more research into other generations experiences.
I would like to comment on the fact that if you are not comfortable with the use of the word 'transsexual' then this book may not be for you. The author goes onto explaining their reasoning for using this word instead of using transgender, so don't let it put you off.
Overall, I am so glad I read this book. I have gained a huge insight into the 'older' trans* community and am now going to pursue more research into other generations experiences.
August 12, 2022
I find it really hard to know how to rate non-fiction/essays so please take my rating with a pinch of salt. Some of the essays I found very interesting and engaging, others I thought were a bit pointless or I didn't see the need for them to be included, based on the premise of the book, so it's hard to round out with an average. I found the first part of the book, which is mostly a collection of short essays, very accessible and enjoyable to read. Mostly geared towards the experiences of trans women, they also reflect on intersex and non-binary people; gay men; butch/femme lesbians; and occasionally genderqueer folk, I found the essays interesting if somewhat lacking in context. I think I would like to next read something a little more historically-focused or with a clearer structural framework. I would also like to read more next from contemporary writers under the trans umbrella, as I felt quite a bit of this collection - especially those from the later sections of the book - felt dated, while still important.
March 29, 2019
Desperately in need of copy editing, but an important read.
January 5, 2021
it was a time
January 20, 2022
An important book by trans activist I think Julia Serano argues more cogently but we need as many voices as possible.
June 25, 2025
This book is phenomenal!
February 12, 2019
Wilchins gives us not just a course in gender issues, but context for the concept of nonbinary gender, which may be new to some readers. As one of the earliest proponents of the word, “Genderqueer,” Wilchins takes us by the hand and explains, yes, this is a valid identity, and here, look at the different ways gender can work for people, and yes, don’t we see this is common sense to be accepting of other people. But they are never impatient as they explain in different ways and from different angles how this concept works in real life.
Their writing is tight and concise, at times angry, poignant and vulnerable the next. I felt more of historical context than other memoirs by transgender writers. It’s as if they are saying, look at us, we are here, we are beautiful, and we are deeply human. Wilchins isn’t afraid to share stories of their own missteps on their journey towards acceptance of others or the missteps of those in the queer community—many of whom were resistant to recognize the transgender community. Wilchins is aware of the intersectionality of gender politics and race and doesn’t shy away from the conversation.
Part Two is more memoir than newspaper article, the vulnerability more poignant after the fierce tone of part one. This is where Wilchins lets us in to the personal behind the political. The why. Heartbreakingly for me, so much pain and rejection came at the hands of the queer community. Heart-breaking but not-surprising, sadly, because I have witnessed transphobia and trans-hatred in the queer community up close. Wilchins writes openly about the pain of their childhood and the insensitivity of their transition team at Cleveland Clinic. We see how they emerged phoenix-like in a world that actively despised them, and went on to develop that loud, clear, voice we saw in the first section. How activism healed.
The reader will leave with all their questions answered—from transition to name changes to what their genitals look like or how they function. Wilchins shares it all, with strength and eroticism. Wilchins makes it clear-they are not one to be pitied, nor restrained to any one container or label.
Their writing is tight and concise, at times angry, poignant and vulnerable the next. I felt more of historical context than other memoirs by transgender writers. It’s as if they are saying, look at us, we are here, we are beautiful, and we are deeply human. Wilchins isn’t afraid to share stories of their own missteps on their journey towards acceptance of others or the missteps of those in the queer community—many of whom were resistant to recognize the transgender community. Wilchins is aware of the intersectionality of gender politics and race and doesn’t shy away from the conversation.
Part Two is more memoir than newspaper article, the vulnerability more poignant after the fierce tone of part one. This is where Wilchins lets us in to the personal behind the political. The why. Heartbreakingly for me, so much pain and rejection came at the hands of the queer community. Heart-breaking but not-surprising, sadly, because I have witnessed transphobia and trans-hatred in the queer community up close. Wilchins writes openly about the pain of their childhood and the insensitivity of their transition team at Cleveland Clinic. We see how they emerged phoenix-like in a world that actively despised them, and went on to develop that loud, clear, voice we saw in the first section. How activism healed.
The reader will leave with all their questions answered—from transition to name changes to what their genitals look like or how they function. Wilchins shares it all, with strength and eroticism. Wilchins makes it clear-they are not one to be pitied, nor restrained to any one container or label.
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