With thanks to Netgalley and Shon Faye for the digital copy of this book.

The Transgender issue is very powerful and though provoking, everyone should read this book.

Absolutely beautiful and thoughtful book, everyone needs to read this, it needs to be in libraries and encouraged to access , strong and powerfully explained , insightful and thought provoking

This is one of the best non fiction books that I have ever read. This book is written so well and is a book that everyone should read.

As stated in the full title The Transgender Issue is Shon Faye’s argument for justice for trans people worldwide.
Within its pages Shon details the monumental struggles that trans people face on a day to day basis and also goes on to explore the larger scale systemic and societal issues.
This book is spectacularly well researched and is an absolute treasure trove of information that will open the eyes of even the most enlightened LGBTQIA+ allies, however this at times does make it feel a bit clunky and overly academic to read.
A groundbreaking book which not only highlights the constant uphill battle trans people face but also puts thought into how we as a society can begin to work at tackling the issue.
My only fear is that those who do need to read it will either pass over it or give up a little too quickly due to the writing style.
•Standout Line
“Although visibility helps redress a representational inequality, it does nothing on its own to achieve redistributive justice. This is a larger, more complex and ultimately more important fight, one whose aim is to reallocate resources to the most vulnerable trans communities in their struggle to resist state violence (like police harassment, imprisonment, or deportation), poverty and dispossession, and achieve better labour conditions.”

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Thank you to Penguin UK for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review!

One of the most important and clear voices that is much needed. Thought provoking.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been so long since I’ve read any non-fiction, but this was definitely the book to get me back into it. The Transgender Issue discusses what it’s like to be trans in this modern day world where instead of getting easier, it seems to be getting harder for trans people. This is in terms of legal rights, access to health care, and general acceptance in society. Even as I thought I was quite well informed about the injustices trans people are facing, this book was still a massive education. I did particularly like however that Shone Faye is UK based and so a lot of the news stories and statistics were UK based. A lot of the time we hear about US issues, which is fine and necessary too, but this book really helped me understand the state of play in my country. I listened to the audiobook, read by Faye herself, and I highly recommend reading it that way. But however you want to consume it, I highly recommend this book to everyone. It’s informative, eye opening, and heartbreaking, but it’s also full of hope and happy endings and ways that non-trans people can help to make things easier and better, and make changes going forward

A necessary read which should be part of the school curriculum. I learnt a lot while also being validated in my approach of the world. A lot of work is still to be done and this book will definitely give you a jump start and make you reflect on your everyday and your impact on society.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
In 'The Transgender Issue' Faye thoroughly explains conflict surrounding Trans identity within the UK and further afield, in cohesive prose that clearly communicated the treatment of Trans individuals and advocated for better treatment for them, especially their depiction in the press. Through my reading experience I found Faye's arguments accessible, persuasive and clearly communicated, delivering references and analysis that were educational and insightful. I can honestly say that I learnt a lot from Faye's work and I was able to read the the book quickly despite often struggling with works of non-fiction. There were times when Faye revisited a previous point to reinstate or link arguments which could sometimes be repetitive. However, given the necessity of the content of the work this did not hinder my reading experience but rather highlighted the importance of Trans rights especially since the culture war portrayed in the media and online has seemingly escalated since the publication of the work. It was an informative read, one which I would employ others to pick up for themselves.

This passionate, well-structured non-fiction does more than lay out the reality of living as a transgender individual and the areas for improvement - it does so with compassion and humanity.

Too often, books such as this one can become bogged down in data, studies and news reports. But Faye shares personal experiences and relates stories heard from others. For those who may not have lived experience, it provides a vital insight into the realities of the issues transgender people face.

This was a brilliantly enlightening book and one I’d thoroughly recommend!

It was so refreshing to read this book. As a cis ally, I find the current "discourse" around trans people both infuriating and exhausting. I don't know the best way to help. Faye's book has been incredibly useful in providing me with structured, comprehensive and cohesive facts to help shut down anti-trans bigotry.

It cannot be easy to write such a clear-cut review of how transphobic our culture is, but Faye provided me with so much history and insight into the treatment of trans people in the UK. I learned a lot, and the book has renewed my desire to help fight this bigotry head-on.

A fascinating, eye-opening and thought-provoking book that everyone should read. Meticulously researched and written from the heart, this excellent account of trans people's struggles both historically and currently, is a truly excellent book.

An absolutely phenomenal and necessary read. Thoroughly researched and an indepth delve into the real transgender issues faced by the transgender community in our society. Not the so-called debates that happen in tabloid press and online but the true challenges and discrimination the community is fighting. This is a must-read for everyone who wants to be an ally for trans rights.

A vital analysis of the transgender "debates" plaguing the UK. Clear, engaging and expertly written, Faye's is the most important book I have read in many years. With acknowledgment that issues certain members of society have with transgender people echo (and can often overlap) issues of class, race and education, this is a book that is much more than a gender studies lecture. I wish every school in the country was given copies to distribute to pupils.

In The Transgender Issue*, Shon Faye makes the case for trans liberation by deconstructing the arguments that deny trans and non-binary bodily autonomy. I am belatedly adding my voice to the people saying it's a must-read.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NG, the publisher and Shon Faye for their kindness in allowing me the privilege to do so*.

I don’t read much non-fiction, so when I do I want to pick up a book that will teach me something, and give me tools that I can use in the real world, whether it be in my conversations or in my own daily practice, when I put it down. This book delivered on all fronts.

I’ve followed Shon Faye online for years and I was very excited to receive a copy and read this book. I was not left disappointed. It is well researched, articulately written, thought provoking, emotional and all around a wonder to read. The compassion with which Faye approaches the writing of this book and the inclusionary nature of it cannot be faulted. I have recommended this to all my friends as a ‘must read’ for anyone who wants to be able to have a proper understanding and conversation on what tabloids and the press push as the ‘trans debate’. (FYI: I am very much of the mind that human rights are not something to be debated).

A necessary read and brilliant book.

I am kicking myself to waiting so long to get to this book. It was phenomenal.

Each chapter tackles an area of change that Shon Faye wants to see for the betterment, not just of trans people, but for society as a whole.

What I loved most about this book was how Shon just gets it. She expresses nuance in every argument she makes; it is never trans people good, cis people bad which is an oversimplification that would immediately put cisgender people on the defence. Instead she hits us with fact, after fact, after fact dispelling myths and straight up lies about transgender people and what impact giving them more rights would have on society.

I've always thought our obsession with genitalia when it comes to transgender people, particularly trans women, was really weird; Shon's book was a wonderful, and much-needed, indictment of that line of thinking. I also liked that she refused to write a trans trauma memoir which seems to be the only platform on which trans people's writing can gain mainstream attention. Instead she has written a powerful, intelligent and measured polemic. I loved this, I can't recommend it enough not just to people with an interest in understanding more about the transgender experience but literally everyone because we could all stand to learn something from this fantastic work.

Thank you Shon and thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this and share my thoughts. I hope my small contribution will encourage more people to pick up this fantastic book.

God this is phenomenal!!! Astoundingly written and researched and should be required reading for anyone who has little knowledge, or wishes to know more, about trans issues in the UK. Even as a trans person there is so much here that I didn't know about. I also hope this book manages to deradicalise some anti-trans people as it offers great counter-points to many of their arguments

Firstly, this book is from a trans persons perspective.

Secondly it is incredibly informative without being an information overload.

Thirdly please read it

I'm hoping to educate myself more on this topic and thank you for a book which I feel has been able to inform me and help me further develop my understanding.

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye

This has to be one of the best, well researched non-fiction books I have ever read. Shon Faye examines the obsessive ‘debate’ about trans people in the UK, and considers the roots and impact of this transphobia.

You know when a book mentions something that you had never thought about and you just sit there like wow… I had never thought about that. Yeah, that was this book. This book discusses all the intersections of being transgender in all aspects of life and this was such a good structure to follow as each section had a specific focus.

If you are looking for a book that helps you understand the hardships faced by trans people I implore you to pick up this book and consider how you can change your actions to tackle transphobia and make trans people feel more welcomed into spaces.

Amazing!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

⚠️CW// transphobia, misogyny, homophobia, sexual assault, hate crime