FROM THE EDITORS OF THE ADVOCATE
Their words continue to pull trans voices from the margins and place them front and center.
Introduction to Transgender Studies by Ardel Haefele-Thomas is a must-read for anyone needing an education on transgender history, and it is the first introductory textbook intended for undergraduates in trans studies. Haefele-Thomas, who is also chair of LGBT studies at City College of San Francisco, expertly connects the global history of gender diversity through the centuries, exploring how intersecting identities like race, sexual orientation, class, religion, and gender have crafted the trans experience outside the binary. A vital resource for students, teachers, lawyers, and activists fighting for equality, Transgender Studies is the perfect tool all generations will need to build a better future. (Harrington Park Press) — David Artavia
Queer Sex: A Trans and Non-Binary Guide to Intimacy, Pleasure, and Relationships by Juno Roche starts as a hilarious confessional of a British, HIV-positive self-identified “neo-vagina virgin” falling short of the adroit and confident seductress she imagined she’d become once she was no longer burdened with cock and balls. Although she had assumed she’d be a heterosexual, Roche discovers she now finds a lot of people attractive and wonders: “What does that make me, and what should I do about it?” To find an answer, Roche sets out to meet and interview some well-known figures in the trans and non-binary community. Presented in a Q&A format and framed by introductory notes and a conclusion about what she’s learned from the conversations, the interviews themselves are often as revealing about Roche as her subjects. She speaks with a diverse group of individuals including nonbinary and trans couples, trans sex workers, swingers, and someone likely on the ace spectrum. Through the process, Roche begins exploring sexuality (trying her first vibrator, signing up for dating apps), and by the book’s end she is more confident. But she’s still a virgin, still lonely, still missing physical intimacy of any kind. Thankfully her sense of humor keeps that from being a huge bummer. (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) — Jacob Anderson-Minshall