Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. Social Science / Gay Studies   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (150)

The most fascinating non-fiction book I've read in years.
Told with compassion and complete objectivity, Colapinto does a fantastic job of revealing the grief experienced by David and his family, a solid understanding of why decisions were made as they were, and why those decisions should never be made in the same way again.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Psycho-Social Politics
Well researched and well written page turner.Dr. John Money's theories run counter to his own research for his doctoral thesis.But they brought him a lot of research money and acclaim.They brought his victims a lot of heartaches.What the arrogant pride of one research has done to so many children and their families ought to be criminal.Not to mention the gratuitous sexual posturing to which he subjected his young patients.
A compelling account...
"As Nature Made Him" is a good introduction to intersex issues. I was only vaguely familiar with the term when I picked up the book. After reading this and Jeffrey Eugenides's "Middlesex" I feel much better informed. "Nature" tells an engrossing story about twin boys born in Winnipeg in 1965, a time when transgender issues were seldom mentioned. One of the boys, Brian, is steered to gender reassignment surgery after a botched circumcision. His parents fall under the spell of Dr. John Money, of Johns Hopkins in Baltimore,who at the time held largely unchallenged beliefs that gender was purely an environmental construct.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Canada    4. Case studies    5. Gender Studies    6. General    7. Identity    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Sex change    11. Specific Groups - Special Needs    12. Transsexuals    13. Psychology & Psychiatry / General    14. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (2)

A Must for transfolk and their allies
Transgender Rights
The Transgender Movement as social movement
This volume of essays conceives transgender as a global social movement for rights, including discussions of law, politics and economics.It is academic in tone, but much of it is accessible to a lay audience.While its essays are wide-ranging, covering such diverse topics as multiculturalism, disability laws and Argentinian concepts of citizenship, there is, to my mind, a theme to these essays: the social contradictions that arise from the attempts of supposedly liberal Western societies to assimilate transgender identity.The title of Jan Morris's gender transition autobiography, "Conundrum," comes to mind.Paisley Currah's discussion of the transgender movement refers to it as one "that seeks the dissolution of the very category under which it is organized." Judith Butler's article about the psychiatric diagnosis of "gender identity disorder" notes that "the price of using the diagnosis to get what one wants is that one cannot use language to say what one really thinks is true." Dean Spade's critique of political economy and thegender compliance it demands discusses how the movement for gender identity non-discrimination constitutes a strategy of normalization that opposes, rather than furthers, the right of gender self-determination central to liberation.
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Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Gender & the Law    3. Gender Studies    4. Legal status, laws, etc    5. Sex and law    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Transsexuals    9. Human rights    10. Social Science / Gender Studies   

Editorial Review

In the first major book on AIDS, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Randy Shilts examines the making of an epidemic. Shilts researched and reported the book exhaustively, chronicling almost day-by-day the first five years of AIDS. His work is critical of the medical and scientific communities' initial response and particularly harsh on the Reagan Administration, who he claims cut funding, ignored calls for action and deliberately misled Congress. Shilts doesn't stop there, wondering why more people in the gay community, the mass media and the country at large didn't stand up in anger more quickly. The AIDS pandemic is one of the most striking developments of the late 20th century and this is the definitive story of its beginnings. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

The Best Book I Read in 2005
And the Band Played On is an act of phenomenal research and writing, and a very frightening book on many levels because of the political wrangling, political bumbling, and political disregard for a medical crisis which cost the lives of so many, the scientific in-fighting which slowed medical break throughs and sacrificed lives, and the insanity of national agencies which were supposed to be saving lives, but which in this case knowingly risked the lives of many either because they didn't want to do the work, didn't want to spend the money, or didn't want to anger certain political groups.Gay men were deemed to be utterly dispensable by so many.
AIDS: A Biography
Good stories work on several levels; they are multi-dimensional views of the same event. To honor the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, I reread Randy Shilts's groundbreaking work, which was published a mere six years after the reports of a `gay cancer' first surfaced at the CDC.
One of the most important books written the previous century
To me this important expose on the begining of the AIDS crises and Reagan's response is extremely important.It's now classic and old information.But it's a valuable history lesson we all must read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. AIDS (Disease)    2. American    3. Conspiracy & Scandal Investigations    4. Current Affairs    5. Diseases - AIDS & HIV    6. Government - U.S. Government    7. History: World    8. Political aspects    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Social aspects    11. United States    12. AIDS: social aspects    13. Central government policies    14. USA   

Reviews (49)

What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality
Good book, packaging ect.. good. Shipping a pain had to be there to sign for a $10.00 book. Would have been easier to order through Barnes and Noble.

Tip of the iceberg in the scholarly research in the subject
Prejudice and downright loathing for homosexuals must have inspired the writing of this book. It is a sad realization, in fact, reality, that Bible religion plays a pillar role in allowing the persecution to happen. Sexuality, at least in the regard of showing affection for one another, should be detached from any religious judgment because it is the core of human experience in which person gets emotionally close to another person and commits passionately to the person. Granted the affection is genuine and mutual, it should be recognized and honored regardless of sex. Embracing this firm belief Helminiak thrives to study, through a historically critical perspective, the Bible's stand on the issue.
Neither thorough nor honest
As is obvious from his title, Mr. Helminiak believes that he is able to provide special insight regarding Biblical teaching on homosexuality.But he makes clear from the beginning that he does not really care what the Bible says: "As a Roman Catholic - and more importantly, a thinking person - I do not presume the Bible has the last word on sexual ethics" (19).He approaches the Biblical text as though it had no Divine origin whatsoever.He relegates God's description of homosexuality as "abomination" (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; cf. Prov. 6:16) to the Israelites' personal qualms about such activity: "The early Israelites considered it unclean. They thought it was dirty. They prohibited it not because it was wrong in itself but because it offended their religious worldview" (63).Of course, God had no problems with offending the Israelites' religious worldview (cf. Ex. 32).Helminiak will deny authorship of a passage if it conflicts with his prejudice.In asserting that the sin of Sodom was actually "inhospitality," he cites a few passages (including the non-canonical Book of Wisdom) and concludes "The Bible often uses Sodom as an example of the worst sinfulness, but the concern is NEVER simply sexual acts" (49).But in this section, Helminiak fails even to consider Jude 7, which establishes beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sin and punishment of Sodom concerned sexual sins.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - Social Issues    2. Gay Studies    3. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    4. Religion - Christian Life    5. Gay studies (Gay men)    6. The Bible   

Subjects:  1. Celebrities    2. Cookery    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Gay Studies    5. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    6. Gays    7. Health & Healing    8. Social Science    9. Gay & Lesbian studies    10. General cookery   

Reviews (3)

Gender Is The Mine Field That We Pass Through Everyday
The American society polarizes the genders in many different and harmful ways. The polarization has roots in our massive merchandising economy, our religions, our fears, our ignorance and more. Males and females are so polarized in our society that it is truly a tragedy. Actually, males and females are very much the same people who have been exposed to various varying hormone baths starting early in the womb. Some of these hormone baths are natural and some are manmade. In simple terms it is testosterone vs. estrogen. We all have both hormones, but in varying concentrations. After birth we make our own hormones based on our genetic codes and on our exposure to environmental factors.
This book highlights the sociopolitical aspect of TG
This book highlights the sociopolitical aspect of transgender.The author says the ultimate solution of transgender is the change of USA's bipolarism society.In Japan, I think the situation is somewhat different.Thebipolarism and homophobia are not so strong.Rather,the phobia for SRS isvery strong.The reason is Japanese think the body is as important as thesoul and cutting off the part of the body is sinful.So , this book alsogave me a chance to think the cultural differences between the twocountries.

Brilliant vision and insight
Packed with information and insight, Transgender Nation challenges the rigid gender norms that victimize people who transgress them, while exposing the mechanism that creates the hate which gets turned againsttransgender people.Her illumination of the emerging transgenderliberation movement is unparalleled and piercing, and the book remains asvisionary today as it was when it was published.A 'must read' for anyonewith an interest in transgender politics, it places the blame for theviolent brutality inflicted on transsexuals, transgenderists andcrossdressers squarely on the narrowness of our cultural gender ideals. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Sexual Behavior    2. Gender Studies    3. Gender identity disorders    4. History    5. Sex change    6. Social Science    7. Social Science / Gender Studies    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. Transsexuals    11. United States    12. Sexual behaviour    13. Sociology, Social Studies    14. Transvestism    15. Transvestites   

Reviews (1)

Fair and readable account of a controversial subject
The "ex-gay movement" is one of the most controversial and polarizing subjects I know of, but Erzen manages a fair-minded and highly readable account of it.The book is based on her dissertation, the result of field work in an ex-gay ministry in San Gabriel, California, and she presents a not unsympathetic picture of the men (and a few women) involved in it.She also gives an update on the current state of the movement, and how it has moved from self-help groups to political activism in recent years.An interesting analysis explains why it is that the repeated scandals have actually tended to be a positive factor for ex-gays, by increasing public awareness. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americas (North Central South West Indies)    2. California    3. Case studies    4. Christianity - General    5. Christianity - Theology - Anthropology    6. Church work with gays    7. Ex-gay movement    8. Gay Studies    9. General    10. Religion    11. San Rafael    12. Sociology    13. Sociology of Religion    14. Christian social thought & activity    15. Gay & Lesbian studies    16. Religion / General   

Reviews (21)

Dallas book an excellent resource
For those interested in understanding the underlying dynamics of homosexual attractions, this book will be a necessary part of your library.The author, Joe Dallas, overcame his homosexual attractions and has been a professional counselor, author and speaker for years on this issue.He is well-educated and compassionate in his approach.No one book explains everything on the issue of homosexuality but I recommend his book first to anyone interested because it gives a great overview in discussion of the general issues.A must read!

You CANNOT Be A Christian And Be Gay
Although the subject matter is extremely controversial, Joe Dallas presents a book that deals with homosexuality and the Christian faith; and does so excellently.
An inspiring, hopeful book
To the detractors of the ex-gay movement:
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Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Christian Life - General    3. Counseling    4. Gay Studies    5. Gays    6. Homosexuality    7. Pastoral Care And Counseling    8. Pastoral counseling of    9. Psychotherapy - Counseling    10. Religion    11. Religion - Relationships    12. Religious aspects    13. Sexuality & Gender Studies    14. Social Science    15. Religion / Counseling   

Reviews (5)

Butler and Agency
Butler is a difficult author to understand, particularly if you don't have a background in theories of performativity. I recommend reading JL Austin's How to Do Things with Words and Derrida's Limited, Inc either before or alongside this book. She also draws heavily from Foucault and Althusser. Irascible Speech
Several years ago, I saw a film entitled Total Eclipse, which is a dramatization of the complex and ill-fated relationship between Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, two nineteenth-century French poets. In one scene, a manic Rimbaud, played by the pubescently-challenged Leonardo Dicaprio, exclaims that "The only unendurable thing about life is that nothing is unendurable" (I may have misquoted this slightly; as I said, its been several years since I saw the film). As I recall, the film was rather silly by and large, although I found that this particular exclamation had the ring of solid truth (incidentally, at the time I had been an autodidactic devotee of Nietzsche's philosophy). I subsequently incorporated it into my own repertoire of pithy aphorisms, held at the ready the appropriate occasion present itself. dilettantism at its worst
The results of Butler's attempt to tackle the very serious issue of speech rights are disappointing in the extreme.With no legal background whatsoever and a myopic philosophical vision which seems ingorant of theliberal tradition upon which the right of free speech is grounded, Butlerprovides an obfuscted discussion (and that's all it is, a discussion) ofthe issue that is at the best of times, irrelevant, and at the worst oftimes, offensively misleading.The book is worthwhile only as an exampleof what happens when a postmodern thinker in the French tradition tries totackle a subject outside the race/power/gender/subjectivity canon outlinedby the philosophers of the 1960s.If you have an appetite for readingphilosophical trainwrecks, then by all means read it.If you wantsomething serious on the issue of free speech, look elsewhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    2. General    3. Hate speech    4. Language and languages    5. Lesbian Studies    6. Oral communication    7. Practical Politics    8. Public Speaking    9. Social Science    10. Social aspects    11. Sociology    12. Speech acts (Linguistics    13. Speech acts (Linguistics)    14. Cultural studies    15. Gay & Lesbian studies    16. Political science & theory   

Reviews (4)

Modern therapeutic guide for gender therapy
Are you - or a family member - considering or beginning male-to-female or female-to-male transition?You should study this book.
CLEAR, COMPREHENSIVE, BRILLIANT, highly readable and useful
"The information contained in this book is SO IMPORTANT THAT NO CLINICIAN CAN AFFORD TO MISS IT. The book offers a clear, comprehensive, and cogent review of the history of the mental health field's thinking about sexuality and gender, and an extraordinarily thoughtful and extensive exploration of assessment and intervention issues with gender-variant people and their families. Lev's knowledge of the subject is phenomenal, and the breadth and clarity of her writing are brilliant. This book lays out an enormous amount of complex material in a highly readable and useful text. . . . BELONGS IN THE LIBRARY OF EVERY PSYCHOTHERAPIST, COUNSELOR, AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL." COMPREHENSIVE AND PASSIONATE. . . TERRIFIC. . . LONG OVEDUE
"FINALLY, a book that does justice to the life-changing power of psychotherapy in the transgender coming-out process. I recommend this book to any psychotherapist called to work with transgender clients. I also recommend it to transgender individuals who might benefit from understanding how psychotherapy can play an invaluable role. COMPREHENSIVE AND PASSIONATE. . . . TERRIFIC. . . . LONG OVERDUE." Read more

Subjects:  1. Gender Studies    2. Gender identity disorders    3. Psychology    4. Psychopathology - General    5. Psychotherapy - General    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Transsexualism   

Reviews (18)

Made a PROFOUND difference in my son's perception of himself
These are the exact words my gay son wrote to me after reading this book, The Velvet Rage:
Life Changing Book for Me
I had reviewed all the comments posted here before I purchased the book because I usually like to get some general ideas of books I am interested in. After receiving and reviewing my copy, I'd like to say this is a great book. This book is very valuable for me personally.
The Velvet Rage:Overcoming the pain of growing up gay in a straight man's world
Easy read.Go flow to it.Lot's of new thoughts on common but often overlooked symtoms.The many real world examples used helped keep thoughts clear. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. General    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Biography: general    7. Gay studies (Gay men)   

Editorial Review

We've all got our idiosyncrasies when it comes to writing--a special chair we have to sit in, a certain kind of yellow paper we absolutely must use. To create this tremendously affecting memoir, Jean-Dominique Bauby used the only tool available to him--his left eye--with which he blinked out its short chapters, letter by letter. Two years ago, Bauby, then the 43-year-old editor-in-chief of Read more

Reviews (92)

A book close to my heart
The book has been the best book I have ever read.
Where does one get the strenght to carry on?
A marvelous book in which a man tells his personal experiences and thoughts in dealing with a stroke that left him completely paralysed,speechless and able only to move one eyelid. It is amazing that he found a way to tell his story and it will show the reader what a slender thread it is by which we all cling on to life. It is a wonderful moving read and will surely leave one with much to think about. I also read many of the very personal reviews that customers have written.
Unbelievably beautiful
With every page, every sentence, every word....every letter....I try to put myself in Bauby's stiff-backed wheelchair and imagine the pain (physical, mental, spiritual and emotional) he was going through at the time. And you know what? I probably didn't even scratch the surface.
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Subjects:  1. 1952-    2. Bauby, Jean-Dominique,    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Brain    7. Cerebrovascular Diseases    8. Cerebrovascular disease    9. Diseases    10. France    11. Gay Studies    12. Health    13. Patients    14. Personal narratives    15. Social Science    16. Specific Groups - General    17. Bauby, Jean-Dominique    18. Biography & Autobiography / General    19. Memoir/Autobiography   

Reviews (21)

An eye-opening journey down the rabbit hole!
Reading Alice in Genderland, one cannot help but be struck by the courage, intelligence, and generosity of its author. What a riveting tale! I could scarcely put it down. This is a memoir like no other.
a thinking t,girls book
When i first saw this book advertised on amazon,i thought it would be the nomal collections of anecdotes,photos, and tales of a t.girls relationship with her own world.
Simply Fantastic
I really could not put the book down.It was very informative and enlightening, and maybe helped me to understand myself a little bit more and put things into perspective.Alice's experiences have mirrored some of my own and my friend's in a way that is somewhat mind boggling. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Interpersonal Relations    5. Personal Memoirs    6. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs    7. Biography: general    8. Family & Relationships-Interpersonal Relations    9. Marriage & relationships    10. Transvestites    11. Gender Studies    12. Transvestism    13. Bisexuality   

Reviews (11)

Truly ONLY For Beginners
I was extremely disappointed when I purchased this title.While the book is indeed full of wonderful full-color photographs, the actual information in the book is useful only those who really need an introduction to gay life.Otherwise, the sex portion of this book, especially, has absolutely nothing in it that two teen boys with a tiny spark of imagination couldn't come up with.I would not recommend this book to anyone who has ever had sexbefore, since you've probably done everything that Ford discusses.

Informative, light and recommended!
This is one of the 2 books which are very good compared to the rest. I like Ford's light, informative and slightly humoristic style of writing. The photos in the book are good quality although an experienced gay may not become very excited. The author himself does not find it necessary to provide great details. However, there is a broad spectrum of information which can be very useful for beginners and gays with limited experience. Overall it is worth being recommended. Additional book which I found very valuable is "Scientifically guaranteed male multiple orgasms and ultimate sex". I am sure that you will like both of them.

Great for introduction!
This book is great!Especially if you're just coming out.It gives you a great introduction to the gay culture, as well as information that would otherwise be akward to talk about.Sure it is the parents job to do that, but sometimes the parents don't even know what to say, especially if you're parents are religious, and do not agree with the gay lifestyle! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Handbooks & Manuals    3. Homosexuality, Male    4. Human Sexuality    5. Love / Sex / Marriage    6. Reference    7. Sex instruction for gay men    8. Sexual Instruction    9. Family & Relationships / Sexuality    10. Self-Help   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. Homosexuality    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Philosophy    6. Queer theory    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Social Science / Gay Studies   

Editorial Review

Leslie Feinberg has been a leader in the transgender rights movement as long as such a movement has existed. This book is both deeply personal and widely researched. Feinberg examines perceptions of the body, the status of clothing, and the structures of societies that welcome or are threatened by gender variance. The portrait gallery that closes the book contains photographs and capsule biographies of contemporary transgendered people. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Transgender Warriors
Although the sections of this book dealing with contemporary issues are reasonably accurate, many historians have pointed out that the history section desperately needed to have been vetted by someone who studies the subject.
The best text book I've ever read
This book was refreshingly factual and frank.I was blown away by what I read about the history of the trans person - especially Joan of Arc!I am a big fan of this book because it has provided me with enough valuable backup material for my thesis.I have searched high and low for supporting quotes such as those found in Feinberg's writing.BUY THIS BOOK - it will end up like mine, with notes written all over every page and lots of folded pages, kept next to the bed for reading regularly.

Liberation Manifesto
This is a manifesto of transgender liberation.It will be remembered and read for many years to come.As a LGBT person, it really touched me.Some societies have honored us and some have murdered us.It is time for us to rise up and say enough.I will re-read this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    3. Gender Studies    4. Gender identity    5. History    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Transsexualism    9. Transsexuality    10. Transvestism    11. Gay & Lesbian studies    12. Social Science / Gender Studies   

Reviews (6)

Compelling.
Jonathan Weinberg's MALE DESIRE: THE HOMOEROTIC IN AMERICAN ART, like his two earlier books SPEAKING FOR VICE: HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE ART OF CHARLES DEMUTH, MARSDEN HARTLEY, AND THE FIRST AMERICAN AVANT-GARDE (1993) and AMBITION AND LOVE IN MODERN AMERICAN ART (2001), demonstrates the extent to which same-sex desire animates American visual culture. That the book's premise should not be widely taken as self-evident reveals the extent to which interpretive perspectives sensitive to the nuances of homoeroticism remain marginalized. Weinberg's analysis of a broad range of visual sources--from fine art to popular culture--is carefully contextualized, tightly conceived, and unfailingly convincing. As a writer, he expresses complex concepts in a voice that is both direct and clear. I highly recommend this book, which makes a unique contribution to the fields of visual studies, gender/sexuality studies, and American history, while exploring critical intersections among them.

Excellent survey of gay male imagery in American culture
"Male Desire" is an excellent work of synthesis, marking a new plateau in the development of queer cultural studies.It gathers enormous amounts of previously scattered material about gay artists, as well as gay writers and other cultural figures, from Walt Whitman to the present -- and sometimes even identifies images by non-gay artists that have some gay interest.Weinberg has a knack for pithy phrases and metaphors, which help to organize his material both chronologically and thematically, and as a painter himself he is capable of good visual analysis and unusual, thought-provoking connections between very diverse types of art.All future writers on American gay culture will have to acknowledge and reckon with his broad conceptual framework.

Great book
I highly recommend this book.Visually beautiful and attractive, the book is also textually insightful.It's a book to enjoy with no need to get entangled in academic debates. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art Criticism    5. Art, American    6. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    7. Criticism    8. Desire in art    9. Gay Studies    10. Gay erotic art    11. Homosexuality    12. Homosexuality and art    13. Male nude in art    14. Sociology    15. Subjects & Themes - General    16. Art / General    17. Human figures depicted in art    18. USA   

Editorial Review