Nonfiction

The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice

The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice

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  • Create Date：2021-09-01 03:42:05
  • Update Date：2025-09-24
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  • Author：Shon Faye
  • ISBN：B08VF2BMV9
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Summary

Trans people in Britain today have become a culture war 'issue'。 Despite making up less than 1% of the country's population， they are the subjects of a toxic and increasingly polarised 'debate'， which generates reliable controversy for newspapers and talk shows。 This media frenzy conceals a simple fact: that we are having the wrong conversation， a conversation in which trans people themselves are reduced to a talking point and denied a meaningful voice。

In this powerful new book， Shon Faye reclaims the idea of the 'transgender issue' to uncover the reality of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society。 In doing so， she provides a compelling， wide-ranging analysis of trans lives from youth to old age， exploring work， family， housing， healthcare， the prison system， and trans participation in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities， in contemporary Britain and beyond。

The Transgender Issue is a landmark work that signals the beginning of a new， healthier conversation about trans life。 It is a manifesto for change， and a call for justice and solidarity between all marginalised people and minorities。 Trans liberation， as Faye sees it， goes to the root of what our society is and what it could be; it offers the possibility of a more just， free and joyful world for all of us。

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Reviews

Cailean McBride ，

There are perhaps only a couple of topics more contentious in the public sphere at the moment than the issue of trans rights and it’s not one that I feel particularly qualified to comment upon in detail。 Which is why I’m not going to and instead focus largely on this book instead。 That Shon Faye is entering into tempestuous cultural waters here shouldn’t be a surprise。 It’s far from her first rodeo in terms of controversy in this area， as she discusses in the book， and she’s ideally suited for a There are perhaps only a couple of topics more contentious in the public sphere at the moment than the issue of trans rights and it’s not one that I feel particularly qualified to comment upon in detail。 Which is why I’m not going to and instead focus largely on this book instead。 That Shon Faye is entering into tempestuous cultural waters here shouldn’t be a surprise。 It’s far from her first rodeo in terms of controversy in this area， as she discusses in the book， and she’s ideally suited for a deep dive into these issues。 And the complexity of the debates in play here can perhaps be best illustrated by some of the preliminary reviews of the book itself。 One that caught my eye expressed disappointment that the book was ‘so political’ and didn’t dwell enough on the personal reality of trans lived experience。 But Faye is pretty up-front （to the point that it’s even expressed on the book’s blurb） that she’s not writing a confessional memoir of transition but that her interests are more social and political。 But it also perhaps highlights how ‘confessional memoir’ is one of the few ways that trans experience is rendered acceptable for capitalist consumption。But such criticisms also illustrate one of the key arguments of Faye’s book。 That just how successfully the personal and political have been atomised and separated， that you apparently can’t have one without the other。 But Faye is making the point that they could and should be intertwined （in the way that they were through the （still ongoing） fights for gay rights and female equality）。 There are definitely aspects of the book we’re talking about political struggle that goes simply beyond greater recognition and parity for the trans community。 That part of the atomisation and rancour around these debates is because trans rights represent an existential challenge to the social structure of capitalism。 That the erosion or outright smashing of the binaries of gender could lead to a more fundamental transformation of society。 Faye’s discussion of carceral policy， for instance， has implications far beyond the trans community， even if her proposed solutions could do with a little bit more detail。This is a book that is significantly about class and Faye very ably highlights how much the current visibility of the trans debate is conducted in terms that are very white and middle-class。 She takes great pains to point the continuing invisibility of the black， working class or disabled trans experience as well as that of trans men which is sometimes at danger of erasure amidst the more heated debates。 It’s important not to forget （and Faye never does） that modern trans experience encompasses far more than the likes of Caitlyn Jenner or Laverne Cox （or even of the author herself）。 It’s a book about solidarity and raises the very real fear that current gender critical debates are being weaponised by right-wing family fundamentalism to not just marginalise trans voices but as means to destroy the power of the LGBTQ+ lobby in general。However， the writing in places is surprisingly flat。 It only occasionally has the sense of the passion that you’d expect this kind of subject matter to inspire and it also lacks the wit and humour that even a cursory glance of Faye’s Twitter feed would show her capable。 But this， I suspect， is a deliberate choice。 Writing something too heated and polemical would be easier to dismiss by the book’s opponents and a more chatty or humorous tone might also be considered counter-productive， especially considering the harrowing nature of some of the case studies contained in its pages。 There are also， to me， some structural concerns。 Faye rightly points out how the experience of trans men is marginalised or even misrepresented in the current debates and she spends some time unpacking these concerns。 However， she does so pretty much in the final pages of the book and this gives them the feeling of being something of an afterthought。 I would have liked to have seen these arguments integrated a bit more throughout the book itself to offset that feeling and perhaps strengthen Faye's core argument。Nevertheless， this is still an engaging and important book。 It’s my hope that it doesn’t become a classic — not as any slight to the author but that the issues and debates that it raises become such anachronisms as to be utterly irrelevant。 In the meantime， however， it offers a nuanced and considered articulation of the current situation and emphasises how there’s no option but to discuss these issues and to find solutions together。 。。。more

Lesley ，

I was sent a copy of The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye to read and review by NetGalley。 This is an informative and very political exploration of the transgender issue of the book’s title。 There are plenty of both historical and present-day facts and statistics regarding how trans people have been viewed and treated both in Britain and around the world。 Some horrific treatment and discrimination are highlighted regarding both society and the establishment， much of which sadly persists in the 21s I was sent a copy of The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye to read and review by NetGalley。 This is an informative and very political exploration of the transgender issue of the book’s title。 There are plenty of both historical and present-day facts and statistics regarding how trans people have been viewed and treated both in Britain and around the world。 Some horrific treatment and discrimination are highlighted regarding both society and the establishment， much of which sadly persists in the 21st century。 The author concentrates primarily on the plight of trans women and seems to me to just pay lip service to issues concerning trans men。 Whether this is because the author is so much more invested in trans women’s issues or whether trans men do not receive as much abuse and discrimination is possibly a moot point。 With the amount of historical and statistical evidence some of the chapters， which are each concerned with different issues， overlapped and therefore there was some repetition。 What is missing from this work is the personal experience of contemporary trans people and their families， which， being the （supportive） mother of a teenager identifying as trans male I would have appreciated。 。。。more

Siobhan ，

The Transgender Issue is an insightful book that reclaims the term 'the transgender issue' to explore what it means to be trans in Britain today， how we got here， and where we can go from here。 Each chapter explores a different area of life， considering work， healthcare， the prison system， and community， and builds towards a call for solidarity and a focus on trans liberation， rather than rehashing the same 'debates' in the media。I've heard so much about this book even before it's out， and there The Transgender Issue is an insightful book that reclaims the term 'the transgender issue' to explore what it means to be trans in Britain today， how we got here， and where we can go from here。 Each chapter explores a different area of life， considering work， healthcare， the prison system， and community， and builds towards a call for solidarity and a focus on trans liberation， rather than rehashing the same 'debates' in the media。I've heard so much about this book even before it's out， and there's a reason why: it is a well-explained and engaging deep dive into trans life in Britain， focusing both on politics and theory and on practical action and everyday realities。 Faye considers both issues that impact beyond trans people to other marginalised people and issues specific to trans women， trans men， or non-binary people to draw out the importance of solidarity across issues whilst still paying attention to the specific needs of particular people， for example trans people of colour or sex workers。The dual focus on uncovering the present and past of trans life and on the vital nature of solidarity and trans liberation for the present and future makes The Transgender Issue a powerful book that is for trans and cis people alike。 It will open up the eyes of many people to look beyond the 'debates' popularised in the media and think about the practical and political work we can do for the future to make life better for everyone。 。。。more

Bob Hughes ，

Shon Faye lends her powerful blend of punchy writing， detailed arguments and deep analysis to this wonderful and crucial book on trans lives， and particularly those in Britain。 The book is brilliantly organised and researched， clearly detailing the historical contexts that have not only led us to the paradox of transphobic arguments and trans rights achievements in Britain， but that also shape how we see future struggles for equity and justice。 It is to Faye’s immense credit that this book never Shon Faye lends her powerful blend of punchy writing， detailed arguments and deep analysis to this wonderful and crucial book on trans lives， and particularly those in Britain。 The book is brilliantly organised and researched， clearly detailing the historical contexts that have not only led us to the paradox of transphobic arguments and trans rights achievements in Britain， but that also shape how we see future struggles for equity and justice。 It is to Faye’s immense credit that this book never sinks into despair （despite the horrors that she outlines） nor blind optimism （despite her focus on a manifesto for change。 Instead， what we get here is a vibrant and powerfully-argued deconstruction of various arguments used against trans people， and clarifies brilliantly how the fight for trans rights must go hand-in-hand with other struggles， whilst acknowledging the unique ways in which trans people are affected by certain issues， such as for example housing， or the criminalisation of sex work。 She intentionally resists the common expectation placed on trans people to only talk about their bodies and their personal stories for a non-trans audience， and instead writes her socks off to produce a startling manifesto for change that is both accessible and very， very good。 I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Emma Hardy ，

Packed with facts and really informative。 I learnt a lot。 Discusses loads on culture and explores hot topics round the world。 I think everyone should read this and discuss it openly。

Eoin Mulligan ，

Every few years a book will come along， look you dead in the eye and firmly say “I will benefit the world。” This is one of those books。 My only wish is that it had been written twenty， thirty years ago， but nevertheless here we are， and I plan to pass it into the hands of everyone I can。 Sharp， to the point and underlined with hope， The Transgender Issue showcases Shon’s talent for stepping outside of herself in order to present varied lived experiences。 Throughout the book she presents the ways Every few years a book will come along， look you dead in the eye and firmly say “I will benefit the world。” This is one of those books。 My only wish is that it had been written twenty， thirty years ago， but nevertheless here we are， and I plan to pass it into the hands of everyone I can。 Sharp， to the point and underlined with hope， The Transgender Issue showcases Shon’s talent for stepping outside of herself in order to present varied lived experiences。 Throughout the book she presents the ways in which the reformation and abolition of a number of sectors of contemporary society - capitalism， anti trans feminism and the incarceration system， amongst others - will not only benefit the lives of the trans community but the wider communities of other marginalised people。 Thank you so much to Dave & Penguin for the proof！ 💓 。。。more

Amrou ，

This book is a total game changer。 It’s rare to read something so groundbreaking and monumental。It might be the most bullet proof and rigorously argued text I’ve ever read。 Every sentence is a mic drop， honestly。 In a current media climate waging a war of disinformation on transgender people， this book cuts through the hellish， bigoted noise with pure facts that place trans people at the centre of the conversation， showing plainly and clearly what it means to be trans in a transphobic society。 F This book is a total game changer。 It’s rare to read something so groundbreaking and monumental。It might be the most bullet proof and rigorously argued text I’ve ever read。 Every sentence is a mic drop， honestly。 In a current media climate waging a war of disinformation on transgender people， this book cuts through the hellish， bigoted noise with pure facts that place trans people at the centre of the conversation， showing plainly and clearly what it means to be trans in a transphobic society。 From healthcare and housing to prisons and families， Shon leaves no stone uncovered in this widespread and phenomenal analysis。But more than that， this book is a manifesto for radical change。 It puts forth a vision of the world where we can ALL be liberated。 It’s an exhilarating and thrilling read， and I had tears in my eyes at several points - it’s a version of the world I want to live in。 It’s a world where can all be free to be who we are 。At a time when global politics is besieged by Far Right actors who are trying to divide us - and it’s working - this book is an urgent call for solidarity between all marginalised groups。 。。。more

Sarah Schulman ，

A clear， intelligent， experience-based explanation of why the scapegoating of trans people must stop， while ethusiastically encouraging more trans people to join feminist， anti-racist movements for economic and social change。

Amelia Horgan ，

A brilliant book from a very smart thinker and much needed intervention。 the central claim - that the media framing of trans issues ideologically denies the realities of trans life， joy， struggle etc - is lucid， cogent & urgent。 this distortion not only enacts and justifies bigotry but is a barrier to thinking and acting politically。 The book makes a much needed and very well expressed call for solidarity and for coalition。 you simply must read it （and pass it on to everyone else you know）

Morgan M。 Page ，

"There can be no trans liberation under capitalism。 This is a fact。"The past decade has witnessed the birth of a global anti-trans （or "anti-gender"） movement， which has reached a boiling point in the United Kingdom with a bitter cultural war over the existence of trans people。 Much of this so-called 'debate' focuses on the supposed threat trans women pose to public toilets， sports， and feminism。 But， Shon Faye argues in her razor sharp new book The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice， th "There can be no trans liberation under capitalism。 This is a fact。"The past decade has witnessed the birth of a global anti-trans （or "anti-gender"） movement， which has reached a boiling point in the United Kingdom with a bitter cultural war over the existence of trans people。 Much of this so-called 'debate' focuses on the supposed threat trans women pose to public toilets， sports， and feminism。 But， Shon Faye argues in her razor sharp new book The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice， this trumped up media frenzy is a moral panic that ignores the very real material oppression of trans people in every facet of contemporary life。Faye takes aim not only at cynical media， anti-trans feminists， and government， but also at a liberal politics that seeks only to absorb trans people into the workings of a patriarchal capitalism that is the source of all of our problems。 She puts forward a refreshing socialist feminist argument for trans liberation — a liberation that would ultimately benefit all， trans and cis alike。 Tackling both the more respectable issues like the broken medical system alongside more challenging （and， in my opinion， equally pertinent） issues like the criminalization of sex work， Faye's liberatory politics are a necessary correction to the past decade which has seen the 'influencer-ification' of trans and LGBTQ+ politics。This is a book that everyone will be reading when it hits shelves this September， whether they support or oppose trans people， and with good reason。 It's well past time for the transgender issue to move forward， and Shon Faye lights the way。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0