I'm not really sure what to say about The Transgender Issue except that, if you're looking for a thoughtful, insightful, comprehensive look at trans issues and what trans people need today then: read this book!

I was gifted an ebook by Penguin and I highly recommend it. Covering topics like healthcare, transphobic feminism, trans children, prisons, sex workers and trans people's relationship to the state, The Transgender Issue a book that really interrogates contemporary society and suggests better, more inclusive ways to live that could benefit every marginalised person, cis and trans alike. Even though this ultimately didn't blow me away in the way that I had hoped - I don't know why, I'm so picky, it's very annoying - I think this will be such an important landmark read, and will hopefully prompt important discussions. A very basic review, but non-fiction like this works better in full than as a precis, and it's hard to summarise without spoiling or diluting or, frankly, mangling entire points-of-view.

Anxiety affects my writing. When I am stressed, my writing brain turns on its default setting. It turns into an academic brain. This review looks like a section of an academic thesis. I thought about not posting it. But then I wrote it and didn't feel like a rewrite. So, I am going to post it here.

But, first, I will say that book takes a novel look at an important issue. You really should read it. I also thank @netgalley and the publisher for letting me see this book. This will, of course, be an honest review.

”The Transgender Issue
An Argument for Justice
by Shon Faye

This book takes a sociological, historical, and political approach to the subject of the transgender experience. The author utilises case studies, each case study representing a different stage of the human life cycle, to explore the sociological factors that influence the lived experience of the transgender community, tracing these factors through history to gain a clearer understanding of their causes. In doing so, Shon Faye takes an issue often portrayed in individualistic terms and shows the sociological factors underpinning that personal experience. The author examines how institutions, such as the: media, medical services, and the police respond to the 'transgender issue'. In doing so, the author argues that the 'transgender issue' is one of human rights, inequality, and justice, requiring a societal response and not an individual tragedy that has individualistic solutions. It is a clarion call to action that should be heard in every stratum of human life. Read this book.”

This title is a vital and timely book looking at both the history of trans people in the UK and how they have been represented in the media while offering clear and succinct arguments for social change to improve the health and wellbeing of trans lives in the UK. It poses a powerful counter-narrative to that seen in the mainstream and with clear factual insight presents its arguments for trans liberation through the improvement of healthcare access, the decriminalisation of sex work and better labour conditions. A must read.

This is such an essential read. Shon Faye presents the case for why transgender acceptance and inclusion is everybody’s business, intersecting with other equality movements and affecting cisgender people in unthought of ways.

Citing harrowing personal accounts of abuse contrasted with analyses of the melodrama of the ‘moral panic’ the mainstream media has you believe, coupled with a mass of research, Shon concisely but powerfully outlines the vilification of trans people in the UK, at times utterly shocking.

But Shon profoundly urges you in her writing to not only feel but act on this conscience. Overall, a fantastic book that I will be referring to time and time again and recommending to my friends.

Shon Faye's The Transgender Issue is a comprehensive exploration of the Transgender experience, particularly within the UK. It is well-structured, providing in-depth explorations of key issue that are faced by Transgender people. It is backed up by thorough research, and benefits from first hand knowledge without moving into the realms of memoir. Whilst the book could have worked as a memoir it really benefits from being an in-depth look at what it means to be transgender from a range of perspectives rather than one persons perspective.

I found once I started this I couldn't put it down. It's really directed me into other avenues of exploration, whilst also providing a framework of the myriad of systems that affect Transgender people in the UK. I would highly recommend this to everyone, it's such an important read and one that is definitively needed at the moment.

!!!!

Faye has published the most holistic account of the transgender experience I've read; making the reader consider aspects you might not otherwise, such as dementia among trans people and the financial implications of trans fertility. This serves as a seamless effort of analysing transness on both an individual and a state level, seen in the anti-prison and anti-capitalist discourse that's opened up.

Throughout, this is equal parts empowering and raw - seen in the rebuttal of the transphobic cult/recruitment arguments by illustrating their parallel to the pathologization of queerness, as well as giving examples of the earliest traces of trans identity. It would be bettered, of course, if Faye had just included a more extensive account of the intersection of racial and gender identities, which receives relatively sparse attention despite its distinct centrality to the trans experience.

One thing, however, becomes strikingly apparent throughout: our country, and many others, fundamentally consider transitioning (and therefore trans people) to be an inherent negative, something at all costs to be avoided - and the defiance with which Faye refuses to allow this narrative to continue strikes exactly the right balance between informative and hopeful.

Most of all, it is just so exciting to read an account of the British trans experience, in a major publication, for the first time. Long overdue, the very definition of seminal, this is one of the most memorable reads of the year.

I've been trying to educate myself on trans issues recently and have found most books to be focused on the USA. This one is different in that it speaks from a British perspective and deals with issues specific to the UK. I found this book to be well written while also being well researched: I will be using the bibliography to expand my reading further. I read this on Netgalley, but will most likely buy my own copy so I can read it again.

I found the book to be very comprehensive: with the chapters on accessing healthcare, feminism and the current media fear mongering about trans people to be most useful to me. I'd recommend this book to everyone who wishes to learn about trans issues or who has ever seen the toxic debate on social media and wishes they had the facts.

This is a very powerful, extremely well argued book.

I should say from the beginning of this review I wasn’t very aware of the details surrounding transgender issues in the U.K. I knew trans people face horrendous discrimination and abuse and can be painted very negatively by the media but that was about it. This book is excellent at stating factually the experiences of being transgender in the U.K. It takes common anti-transgender arguments (such as transgender people in prisons, children who aren’t born in the gender they identify with, NHS transition services, disparity between LGTB groups amongst others) and provides statistics, information and backs up why these arguments do not give a full picture. What makes this book especially effective is it takes a factual approach and is presented like an essay, often along more academic lines. It is not a personal story of one person but rather a manifesto pointing out where we are going wrong, where we could be better and simply points out the obvious too; that we all have rights and deserve to be respected.

I have a lot of respect for Shon Faye having read this and I suspect this book will shake things up a bit- I think it needs to too as clearly right now we have so far still to go.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4/5.
Brilliant book that touches on a wide range of issues including sex work, the NHS, British media and capitalism. This is a great introduction to people wanting to understand the challenges faced by the trans community in the UK. The writing itself is completely accessible and easy to follow and I appreciated that the theory was interspersed with personal and real-life examples.

This book was superb! So informative - but not at all overwhelming. Looking at a wide variety of issues and topics. I learnt so much, and feel all the better for reading this book.
I urge everyone to read this!

The Transgender Issue is one of those books I know I will read again and again and still be learning from. Faye writes in such an honest, educational and completely accessible way that makes this book a perfect read for anyone - whether you are just learning about Trans rights, you have a little knowledge or you are further along in your learning.

I will be placing this book in to the hands of as many people as possible.

I found The Transgender Issue to be informative, and - even for someone who can struggle with the dry tone of some non-fiction - eminently readable. Whilst there is some delving into theory, it's also as if Faye is sat with you, calmly talking through each aspect. There is a good balance here - I feel I could give this to people of differing levels of existing knowledge. Where familiar ground is retread, it never felt repetitive - but likewise, terms which may be new to some are eloquently explained, and background information provided. Faye also touches upon areas I've found to be sometimes neglected in others texts - including class, sex work, etc. - and which I was glad to learn more about. I found the conclusion of this book to be truly hopeful - and that it ends upon such a note is a true achievement and testament to Faye's writing talents.
Thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for the ARC.

It goes without saying what an important book this is and I truly feel it was an education for me. I'm so glad to have read it. It's a dense, thoroughly researched and well argued book that lays out the facts clearly. I finished this book feeling a mix of despair but also completely convinced by Shon Faye's arguments that improving and rebuilding society, dismantling our outdated systems, to improve life for trans people will improve life for us all. I admire and understanding the reasoning behind the way Faye structured this book, in that it was serious and almost academic, but the parts I found most successful were when she shared the stories and experiences of trans men and women to ground the book in the personal rather than cold hard stats.

"By their nature, charities exist to plug holes into social welfare... While in Britain the sector has achieved much to be celebrated, particularly in work with trans youth, they are always firefighting in a building that actually needs to be rebuilt".

Shon Faye is a marvellous writer. She clearly outlines the history, misrepresentation and current circumstances transgender people go through today, in a clear, engaging manner. The writing is suitable for anyone, regardless of your previous understanding, as she is extremely thorough.

I wasn't aware how little I knew until reading the book. Alongside common problem areas, Shon offers case studies, suggestions of suitable direction for change and avoids falling into tropes she declares as all too common for trans writers, including oversharing and focusing on physical transitions.

It was eye-opening to see that the medical battles faced - GP's unfamiliar with the correct processes and overly long referral periods, are so similar to the pelvic pain challenges so many women face in the UK. It raises questions over the training of anything that strays from 'traditional problems' and the need to update medical training. Overly complicated processes, doctors with misguided advice and a lot of emotional distress for the person going through the motions. Hopefully with time, both of these will become problems of the past.

I look forward to continuing to follow Shon's writing in the future and learning more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A well balanced researched book on what it means to be trans in Britain. This book has the potential to change the world and I would thoroughly recommend it. I have had my eyes opened.

I’m ambivalent about this book. On the one hand. It is politically charged, well-researched and eye -opening. I appreciate the way in which it looks at aspects of trans lives affected by law, society and capitalism. This is not performative and doesn’t fall into the old territory of talking only about trans bodies for the mawkish glee of cis people. On the other hand, if you happened to be a trans person who was also conservative, you will not find yourself represented here. If you are a trans person who disagrees on popular narratives about who is transphobic, you will not find a place here. If you are transmale or non binary, you get a mention in the last few pages. If you’re going to read this, make sure it’s part of a balanced diet on the subject. Six other books from various povs should do it.

"The Transgender Issue" is, I would agree with the marketing quote, a "landmark work." It describes a number of issues facing trans people in a way that is easy to read, understand and (to as much of a degree as possible for non-trans readers) relate to.

I believe, however, that it's real strength is arguing for how people need to unite around the many issues facing trans people because they are issues that many, if not all of us, have faced or will face in the future - from issues around abuse, and homelessness, to employment, access to benefits, suitable elderly care and many, many more. In this, I believe it has been successful and I am incredibly grateful to the author for providing an education on this. I hope to read more on the subject and to take action where possible to support trans people.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is going to be the next big thing. If it isn’t, it should be.

Across seven chapters, Shon Faye covers enormous ground in discussing transgender rights or, as she puts it, transgender liberation. It’s no secret that trans rights have become a hot button topic and a political bargaining chip worldwide, but especially in the UK. In this book, Faye discusses the systemic ways society and the state are failing trans people, what needs to be done about it, and why transgender rights are an inherently feminist cause.

The amount that Faye covers in 300 pages is astounding. For the first few chapters, she focuses on how and why trans people are among the most marginalised in our society. From gendered homeless shelters, to the bureaucratic nightmare of getting an NHS appointment, to violence in prisons and more. As well as giving a thorough but clear explanation as to why things are the way they are, she explains in no uncertain terms why and, more importantly, how they need to change. It becomes clearer and clearer as the book progresses that what is needed is not just a few legislative adjustments or special allowances here and there, but a radical overhaul of our perception of gender and of the relationship between the state and the individual.

For the last section, Faye focuses on the relationship of trans people with the LGB community, and of feminist attitudes towards trans rights. For most people picking up this book the complexities of these relationships will be known but not necessarily understood. Faye has a remarkable ability to lay out clearly the history of what is now called the LGBTQ+ community in a way that not only makes perfect sense but gets you to rethink your own understanding of LGBTQ+ history. As for trans rights and feminism, you could write a whole library on the intricacies of British anti-trans ‘feminism’, but instead you could read a few paragraphs of Shon Faye. In a few pages she succinctly explains not just why trans people (and other marginalised groups such as people of colour and migrants) are often excluded from British feminism, but why the very existence of trans people should be celebrated by all feminists.

All we hear about via the media is the ‘conversation’ or ‘debate’ of trans rights in the UK. This book is a call for the end of the conversation and the start of action. As much as it’s a book of the moment, I have no doubt that it will become one of the books of the decade if not longer in reshaping how we think about transgender rights.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Truly a fantastic book, brilliantly comprehensive, well structured and researched, eloquent and concise. I saw someone on Twitter compare this book to Revolting Prostitutes, in how the author takes a single subject and approaches it so well and manages to cover so much ground in a single book, and I have to agree. She also covers and acknowledges different privileges within the trans community, due to e.g. race and class, and the differences in oppressions of trans women, trans men and non-binary people. She covers the moral panic around trans kids, violence and abuse against trans people, trans healthcare in the UK, bigotry in the UK media directed at trans people, intersectionalities in the trans community, sex work, the state's role in the oppression of trans people (including historically) and the divisions in the LGBTQIA+ community and the feminist movement around trans people. So, a fair bit to read about and I learnt a lot. I was hyped for this and it lives up to it - pick it up, it's an important read.

I am so glad that I got given this book, as a member of the LGBTQ community with trans friends I really wanted to read this and see if it did the community any justice. Most books targeted to the trans community tend to only focus on white, passing trans people- which really annoys me as the representation is so poor, this book wasn’t like this at all. It focussed on a wide range of members, ranging in different ethnicities, different ages and social classes- it looked at everyone who is a member and represented them all in a way which did them justice. It’s one of the first books I’ve seen do this. It was such a well written book- it had great research including case studies, quotes from transgender people and even interviews with those who have trans family members. It included statistics of the struggles that this group faces, and research provided via charities. It looked into media representation and researched details of coverage. You can tell that the author spent a lot of time ensuring that they had looked into everything, fact checked it all and then published it. This book evoked so many emotions in me, it made me angry, it made me disappointed and almost made me cry at points. It was a difficult read at parts due to the harshness of the topics, but one that I think was definitely needed. I recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn, or wants to help understand how we can better the world for this group of people.