Beyond the Gender Binary (Pocket Change Collective)

Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence.

The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four show more categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.

A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change. (writing prompt) (Nonfiction. 14-adult)

-Kirkus Review show less

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Book 4 for the #TransRightsReadathon 2023

Alok is an incredible speaker, writer, and thinker. I think I first came into contact with their work through hearing them as a guest on the Man Enough Podcast (if you haven't checked out that show please do, especially this episode!). Hearing them speak about the gender binary that first time and then continuing to read and listen to them has fundamentally changed how I see and think about gender.

In this short but powerful book, Alok dives into all things gender, self expression, and the need to free ourselves from the self-imposed cage that is our modern acceptance of what it means to be feminine and masculine.

Follow Alok on all social media channels, read show more their work, and most importantly listen to them speak. There is always such an eloquence in their words. When they say it, you feel the truth of it in your soul. show less

This is a slim volume, but it packs a lot of valuable information into a small space. Based on Vaid-Menon’s experiences as a non-binary artist and performer, we get an exploration of gender as expression, but there are also comments on power structures, shame, found family, and art. The second half goes into a detailed breakdown of common arguments used against gender nonconforming people in order to maintain power and control. Overall, a great read- I would have appreciated citations for some points, but that’s my only complaint.

Despite the blurb on the back of the book, I don't think that 'readers everywhere' are going to gel with this book. The first section, while obviously linked to the very personal experiences of the author, talks exclusively about the legal and social situation in the United States. This is fine, but I'd have appreciated something that clearly flagged that this wasn't going to be as relevant to me as I'd hoped.

The second section, which gives well articulated responses to a number of problematic things that people say to/about non-binary people, is more useful for me. However, there are still a lot of unvoiced assumptions that I suspect I'm missing, such that it is most likely to be useful for people who hang out online in English show more speaking, American dominated spaces. show less

Literary Merit: Very Good
Recommended
Grades: 9 and up

The Pocket Change Collective is a series of “small books with big ideas from today’s leading activists.” They are 4”x6” and 64 pages, so they truly are pocket-sized. The authors are a diverse group of young adults (most are in their twenties) whose stories are accessible and could be inspirational to teens. They focus on big ideas like climate change, art, and LGBTQIAA+ issues through the lens of each writer’s experiences that led them to their particular form of activism.

In Beyond the Gender Binary, Alok Vaid-Menon briefly tells their own story of growing up and realizing that they did not fit into society’s expectations for conforming to the gender binary. They discuss show more the hatred and disgust that people express towards them both online and in-person and suggests that this behavior often comes from a place of insecurity and fear. In the second half of this slim volume, they posit that the arguments made against gender non-conforming people are about maintaining power and control. They group them into four categories - dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope and refute each specific argument one by one. This was a concise but enlightening read that would be a great starting point for teens or adults wanting to learn more about the experiences of gender non-conforming people. show less

Great little pocket-sized primer (it is small and only 63 pages) about gender. I especially appreciated the section about biology as I feel the concept of "biological sex" is still getting in the way of society's ability to accept gender as being fluid and broad.

An excellent book to start the conversation. It explains many aspects of how sustaining the gender binary is a waste of time and energy. It’s absolutely exhausting; so why do we as a society do it? This book tells you how and why we do and how we can change our thinking to make society better for all humans.