This was an incredibly insightful book into those life’s of transgender and disabled, being disabled I was able to indentifiy with so many parts of it while also learning about those who are trans, 5/5 star read, I love it

Trans and disabled - both categories that are made invisible and are silenced.

An important collection of essays surrounding disability, being trans and other categories of marginalization. The authors give insight into their personal lived experiences and/or research. Even though it’s is well known that academic research is mainly white, non-disabled and cis-gendered.

Especially given the political environment (worldwide) this book should be a must read.

"Trans and Disabled" is a great anthology to present ideas of intersectionality, with a particular focus in gender and disability but also including race, class, and other minority groups. The anthology itself is as diverse as its authors, filled with fiction, non-fiction essays, and poetry, as well as art.

As someone who is also trans* and disabled, it was difficult at times to get through this book--sometimes the feelings reading created were too much, and I had to take frequent breaks. I don't think of this as a detriment, however; these raw accounts of how life is for those of us that have multiple minority divisions give us a voice, even for those who can't speak for themselves. I was an editor in college for one of my school's yearly student publications, specifically geared toward Women's and Gender Studies, and this is the kind of anthology I would have created myself.

Thank you, to both Alex Iantaffi and the contributors, as well as JKP, for presenting just a few of the many stories trans* and disabled people live every single day.

4.5 stars!

This was a really well done anthology. I loved the diverse breadth of stories within this collection, because even in something seemingly as specific as “trans and disabled”, there is still so much diversity within the community, and the authors have done a wonderful job of showcasing that. Not only was there a spread of people based on their identities, but there was a spread of emotions through the pieces. Some were very loving and comforting, some were harsh and pessimistic, and many acknowledged both sides and the many emotions that come with these identities. It was refreshing to not feel like our lived experience was being sanitized into something palatable.

Most of these essays were the perfect length, not over-staying their welcome, nor being too short. They also all held a unique voice, and touched on a unique topic. The first essay that discusses trans identity and being multiple has really stuck with me, along with the theatre piece (although that’s because I’m a theatre practitioner). This collection is great for both those who aren’t trans and/or disabled, AND those who also hold both these identities. It speaks on the authors’ experiences in a way that is eye opening to those outside, and affirming for those inside.

This is a pretty short read, with a collection of poignant and evocative poems, artwork and essays in it. I enjoyed quite a few of the works, but the inclusion of others left me scratching my head as they didn't seem well edited or clear in the message or meaning they were trying to communicate. Some of the essays read like unedited responses to a survey prompt and were not nearly as compelling as others.

Given the importance of the subject matter and the sensitivity of it, I loved the inclusion of the essays that made it into this collection and there are some real gems here, but ultimately felt that it could have been much longer and could have used some better citation and editing.

Trans and Disabled, edited by Alex Iantaffi (they/he/lui), is a collection of essays, poetry, artwork, and other creative pieces by people who fall into the myriad intersectional identities of 'trans' and 'disabled,' however each creator personally defines and experiences those terms. The anthology is divided into three parts: "Who we are," "Being (treated) different," and "Loving Ourselves and Each Other." These pieces are intended first and foremost for those who also fall under the 'trans and disabled' umbrella, so that readers in possible isolation can feel seen, heard, loved, and in solidarity with others who can truly empathize with mobility struggles, gender euphoria, and invisible disabilities, among many other lived experiences. This is a short book, less than two hundred pages, but each entry is powerful and poignant, each voice not to be ignored.

It is difficult to put a numerical rating to real peoples' true struggles and authentic stories, so I can only offer my gratitude to and appreciation for these creators, who were willing to be open and vulnerable to strangers, especially in the current political climate. You are hear, you are important, and you deserve the space(s) you inhabit, no matter how many spoons you have on any given day. Thank you for sharing your stories, and for paving the way for those who will come afterward. For any readers who may have questions about intersectionality, this book is a perfect example of how various identities intersect and overlap, both in society and in life.

For those interested in further essays by trans individuals, try To My Trans Sisters edited by Charlie Craggs, To Be a Trans Man edited by Ezra Woodger, and Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity edited by Micah Rajunov and Scott Duane. For those interested in true stories by disabled LGBTQIA+ creators and advocates, try Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw by Eddie Ndopu, and Matthew and Paul and Jessica Kellgren-Fozard on YouTube/other social media. For those interested in trans/queer disabled characters in fiction, try The Sweetness Between Us by Sarah Winifred Searle and LoveBot by Chase Keels and Miranda Mundt.

Rounded up from 4.5 stars

A wonderful and important collection of essays. I don't really know what else to say other than I think this is a must read.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the ARC!

Trans and Disabled is an essay collection featuring voices that exist in the intersection of being disabled and not-cisgender.
This was a really good essay collection. I’m someone who struggles a lot with anthologies, but I enjoyed all of the essays in here. As a trans and disabled person, myself, I was able to relate a lot to the various essays.
Despite the similarities in identities, it was interesting to see the differences in perspective among the writers. I especially liked seeing the writing on COVID lockdown and the varying effects across the trans/disabled community.

CW: trans/queerphobia; ableism; abuse; deadnaming; medical content/trauma; suicidal thoughts & ideation

This book was alright. As far as structure goes, I think it fit the synopsis and I enjoyed how the essays were categorized into three sections. However, it's always a little difficult to review an anthology like this because some essays were really insightful and others were written by the most annoying people ever (read: spends too much time on Tumblr). While some writings were truly informative, others lamented so hard to the point of me going, okayyy I get it.

I am certainly not the core audience for this book, though I did appreciate many essays. Definitely a better read for someone in either the gender diverse or dis/abled community.

There were so many fantastic authors brought together to make this work. The last essay "who fights for us..." was particularly poignant considering the politics in the United States and the UK, among others, where life seems particularly hard for the trans and disabled community at the moment and for the foreseeable.

I find as with every essay collection that it is hard for every essay to be your cup of tea; ideally they are selected for variety so by their nature you aren't likely to love all of them. Having said that, I loved almost all of them and the essays I didn't love, I still enjoyed. I also found it generally very accessible and not too academic or dense. Content warnings are also very well marked.

Feels like a book we need right now, and if you can access a copy I would really recommend it.

Whenever I read something that involves Alex Iantaffi, I feel huge quantities of joy. This book is no exception. The collection of stories, academic texts, poetry, experiences, thoughts and feelings is so perfect for discussing the intersections between trans and disabled identities. I really enjoyed the variety and I think it helped illustrate how different we all are even when united under the same characteristics.

I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of people who contributed to this book too. I particularly appreciated the space held for trans disabled people to grieve, be angry, and have strong emotions. As a trans disabled person myself it often feels that society doesn't want us to have any of those emotions and that we should exist as emotionless beings. The authors in this book take that idea and obliterate it in this fantastic display of truly human experiences.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

Trans and Disabled is a really nice anthology of diverse trans voices through personal essays, poems, and vulnerable stories. One of my favorite quotes from it that I think encapsulates the whole book is "My body hurts in a lot of ways." And it that doesn't sum up the trans and disabled experience, I don't know what does. I am enby, ASD, and have a chronic illness myself, so I found it relatable and nice to read.

Thanks to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was an excellent social science piece. It mapped the intersections transness and disability through personal stories. The book was formatted into three sections focusing on the lived experience of being trans and disabled. The second section focuses on the topic of society's treatment of trans and disabled people. The final section focuses on self love and community in the trans and disabled community.

I liked many things about this book. It has an impressive range of topics. These topics range from pluralism to medical discrimination and intersections with different communities, all covered in just over 200 pages.

The book has a variety of contributors from different social, racial economic and disability backgrounds.

This book was a favorite and I was sorry it was so short. I liked many of the different essays and poems but two stood out as my favorite. The first piece was called Pural, Trans and Disabled by Meg-John Baker. This piece explores the lived experiences of being a pural system. It also discusses the intersections that occur when being pural, trans and disabled.

While my other favorite is Bathroom Buzzcut by Liz Moore who talks about her relationship with her hair as her gender and disability evolved. This is an important topic to me and many other queer people. We often have to fight with ourselves. We also have to confront society when it comes to wearing our hair in a way that makes us comfortable.

I’d give this book five stars all of the writing was amazing in different ways and it was edited very cleanly

this is a really fantastic and diverse collection of essays, art and poetry from trans and disabled individuals. there is a myriad of different perspectives on both transness and disability in this collection, and the pieces are organised well to ensure good flow throughout the book. it's clear that the editor put a lot of effort into this project, as well as into uplifting diverse voices within these two communities. standouts for me included Bathroom buzz cut and COVID-19, self-revelations, and the resilience of intersectional online community.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.

Everyone should read this book as being trans and disabled it was so great to feel seen.

I really appreciated the variety of essays in this collection-- a good mix of theory and experience (the highest compliment from me). I especially enjoyed the poetry. It can be hard to edit a collection this diverse and still have it feel connected. Iantaffi did a wonderful job.

As a Trans and Disabled person, this was a great read that reflected my lived experience in many ways. I didn't agree with everything in it but I got something from everything in it.

As someone who is also trans and disabled, this was a powerful anthology.
Identity can be a more layered thing for many people in those categories. The authors in this collection really captured the complex thoughts and emotions that come with it. Exploring how trans experiences and disabled experiences intersect was very interesting; ranging from the relationship with the body to discrimination to medical trauma to community and more. I cried while reading some of them. The top three standouts for me were:
"Do No Harm" by Eddy Samara - transphobia from medical professionals
"Bathroom buzz cut" by Liz Moore - gender euphoria, queer community, and living with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (A condition that I actually also have)
"What are we worth?" by Lee K Hulme - the anxieties of insecurities of dating when trans/disabled

Trans and Disabled is an anthology of writing and art. This writing takes a wide variety of forms, and is authored by a wide variety of trans and disabled people.

“More than anything, I wanted to be free from the expectation to be anything other than who I was, and to be able to exist in a self that was varied and sometimes incomprehensible to others.”

As a queer and disabled person I adored this collection! I found not only recognition in these pages, but also learnt from all the different points of view covered. I loved the variety in age of the authors, which contributes to the intersectionality of this book. I've collected so many quotes from this anthology, and have talked about it with many queer and disabled friends.

"Despite all of the struggle, there is still such beauty in knowing who you are. In finding the words that slide over you and perfectly click. The labels that fill every nook and cranny, eliminating the void of being unknown to yourself. When we find ourselves, in language and in community, it feels like coming home."

Every piece of writing is different, so not every piece might resonate with you, but you can still learn from every single word written. When I started reading this book I was not as familiar with plurality. Luckily Trans and Disabled opens with information on this topic. It was a great idea to make this the first piece you read, because it lays a foundation for what is yet to come.

I read this anthology a few chapters a day, one at a time, because honestly it can be a lot to be confronted with some of the cruel realities laid bare in these pages. But I also loved taking my time so I could reflect on each story. I also see myself returning to this anthology in the future, because I feel there are even deeper layers that can be discovered upon re-reading.

"If you're reading this as a cisgender and/or an abled person, please do not look for inspiration here or for our courage and resilience; this is not what our lives are for, and neither are these pages. I hope, however, that you can find expansion within your mind and heart through these pages."

I would recommend this anthology to every, single person on this earth that is the appropriate age to read this and can handle the trigger warning topics. It is not only a way for trans and/or disabled people to feel validated, but also an important learning tool for people who do not personally identify with these identities. This marginalized community does not only deserve recognition, they deserve justice. Having more knowledge on these subjects can help cis and able-bodied people help fight for a more equitable world.

TW for a wide variety of topics, including: ableism, child abuse, fatphobia, medical abuse, medical endangerment, medical neglect, PTSD, racism, self harm, suicidal ideation and attempts.

A great variety of different perspectives. There are a few about dissociative identity disorder, and similar disorders, which is fun to see, and that doesn't exist much in more professional literature.
All in all a good read. I could definitely use this as a way to help people understand intersectionality, as that might be a hard concept to grasp, and this book really clarifies that.