I had never heard of the writer before picking this book up. I thought I knew a fair amount about issues that transgender people face, thanks to discussions with a close relative, some TV shows and articles I read over the years.

... I was wrong. I learnt SO MUCH by reading this book. Everyone should read it. It really is so educational and it pulls no punches.

I'll give you some examples of topics addressed, some of which were on my radar, but most weren't:

❓Were do transgender people go if they are victims of domestic violence? Most womens' shelters are reluctant to accept trans women, and mens' shelters can have some homophobic/violent cis men. This is particularly worrying as transgender people are more likely to be abused by a partner.

❓Where do transgender people go if they are incarcerated? There is a lot of transphobia in prisons. Shon does not stop at this - she denounces the inefficacy of prisons and looks at more humane alternatives.

❓ Why does the media / the average cost person think of transgender people as white and middle-class, when the statistics show that most are working class, and from a range of backgrounds and ethnicities?

❓ Why do trans women get criticised for overdoing the makeup/feminine clothes/shoes, sometimes seen as parodies of women, showing too much skin or being too sexual, but on the other hand, get criticised by doctors if they don't look feminine enough, and can even be refused treatment or operations if they don't live fully in the gender they identify as? Damned if you do, damned if you don't, hey?

❓ Why do trans women always are the butt of the joke in popular culture? As if the mockery and implications that trans strippers/dates are the worst thing that could happen to a straight man, did not have dire consequences on their safety and day to day lives?

❓ Why do a lot of feminists (in the UK much more than in the US) either outrightly reject trans women, or think they would be a welcome addition to the movement? Why do some cis women think that trans men are a danger to young lesbians, when actually, the input of people breaking the gender binary would be crucial to break down patriarchy and violence against women?

❓ Why do so many trans people get vilified for turning to sex work, whilst also being refused job interviews/jobs because of their identity/appearance? Why do so many trans people hide their sex assigned at birth from coworkers or bosses?

❓ What is the place of trans people in the LGBTQ+ movement and why do straight people assume everyone gets on and has the same goals just because of their sexual orientation?

❓ Why is capitalism incompatible with trans liberation?

Etc. I could go on for hours about this book. Read it!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't get it. I just don't. Where does all this anti-trans angst come from? I have trans friends. It doesn't cause me any distress. When a friend told me that they were trans, I... Well, look, I can't say I didn't care - I wanted them to be happy and safe - but it didn't bother me. Is it a bit cumbersome remembering a different name and pronouns? Sure. But it's no harder than remembering Miss Smith is now Mrs Jones. Is it a bit discomforting to hear about some of the medical issues they face? Yup. But I'd be just as green-gilled if they were talking about a burst appendix.

Should trans-folk use the same toilets as cis-folk? I genuinely don't care as long as they don't piss all over the floor. The only thing that bothers me is that there just aren't enough toilets. When I'm king, every toilet will be an accessible, unisex stall, with a sanitary bin for those that need it. We shouldn't be restricting who gets to use "our" loo - we should be building more loos!

The existence of trans folk has zero negative impact on my life It's like the argument against equal marriage. If you don't want gay people to get married - don't marry someone who is gay. So why do other people get so wound up by the "Transgender Issue"?

This book presents some of the flimsy arguments that people wield against the trans community - and demolishes them with ease. But, if you're so far down the rabbit hole that you think trans-folk are an existential threat to your way of life, then I'm not sure if this book will change your mind.

Shon Faye presents her case with plenty of data and anecdotes to cut through the blustering rage from the media. It has a strong UK focus - with occasionally dips into USA and EU issues. Again, it's good to remember that the UK has its own unique set of issues - even if we are in the orbit of two outsized cultural influences.

The book covers history, common myths, and contemporary issues. You can feel the righteous indignation behind each paragraph, and it would be easy for the author to lapse into a howl of rage, but she stays remarkably calm.

She handles the delicate subject of how to help trans kids with sensitivity and rationality. Far away from the usual moral panics, the book sets out why it is necessary to support kids in a hostile world and how to do it safely.

There are a few parts which I think make poor arguments. Much like the book "No Bath But Plenty Of Bubbles: An Oral History of the Gay Liberation Front " there's an assumption that LBGTQ+ acceptance means the necessary reconfiguration of society into a socialist paradise. It's an argument I have sympathy with - but I don't think it is particularly convincing. There are plenty of gay investors, lesbian landlords, and trans CEOs - do they all want the abolition of capitalism?

Similarly, should we reform prisons? Absolutely. Does it have much to do with the Transgender Issue? I don't think so. As the book points out, trans-people are a minority and only have the tiniest impact on the prison system - they cannot simultaneously be insignificant and be a compelling reason for abolishing prisons.

In the end, this is an excellent book. It distresses me that some people spend so much of their time, effort, and money to demonise a minority. Undoubtedly there are some difficult questions to be asked about how we alter society to accommodate people who don't feel that they fit. But that doesn't necessitate witch-hunts and pearl-clutching.

Here's the thing. The only slight bit of gender non-conformity I exhibit is long hair. Very rarely, someone makes a snarky comment. Even rarer, someone misgenders me. Also, I'd kinda like to wear a utility-kilt, but don't really want yobs beating me up because I'm "in a skirt". Total liberation for my trans friends also liberates me. There's no downside here.

I thoroughly recommend this book - and will be buying a copy for a few friends.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. The book is available now.

A really interesting read for anyone who wants to better understand the expereinces and barriers faced by the trans community. The book is well reserached and I felt like it offered a balance view by acknowledging concerns raised but also debunking some of the myths around these concerns.

Shon Faye brings remarkable journalistic insight to this topic, shedding light on the real issues faced by a community that, she points out, are usually figured as an issue, rather than as people - a hypothetical problem for mainstream society to address or reject. This book is a remarkable contribution to a field of writing that usually focuses on biography as the main way to communicate to the reader the human impact of cisheteronormativity - or, emphasizes theory in order to explain how gender is a structural issue. Instead, by reflecting a deep and highly skilled research process, alongside interviews with trans people in many different situations, Faye makes clear the scale of the problems faced by trangender people in the UK, and demonstrates that they are not separable from broader socio-economic justice issues. In the end, they present an "argument for justice" that goes far beyond a mere request that trans people be accepted by the mainstream - reading this book, I find it impossible to ignore the fact that society be restructured in many different radical ways if trans people, and indeed all people, are to find liberation.

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.

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.