A laudably current guide to rape culture that at times sacrifices depth for clarity.
Sexual assault remains one of the most common crimes committed in the United States; this book explains why.
Rape culture, described by Betty Friedan in 1963, is a set of beliefs and cultural practices that excuses sexual violence, most commonly perpetrated by cisgender men against women. Keyser (Underneath it All, 2018, etc.) references events and cultural trends ranging from the #MeToo movement to Brock Turner’s acquittal to Trump’s 2016 presidential election campaign to explore the underlying causes of rape culture as well as its devastating consequences. The author, who envisions the book as a “road map for building a better future,” ends each chapter with recommendations for action that readers can take to combat toxic and pervasive societal attitudes. The intersectional analysis does a thorough job of considering issues like blackness and gender nonconformity. However, the people profiled, as well as the quotes from and interviews with teens, lack diversity, for example, not mentioning any high-profile cases of transgender individuals. Additionally, topics such as the high rates of sexual assault of Native American, transgender, and gender nonconforming people, among others; the effect of immigration status on reporting rape; and the potential for prison reform through restorative justice are skimmed over. While one book cannot cover everything, this one certainly could have covered more.
A laudably current guide to rape culture that at times sacrifices depth for clarity. (source notes, glossary, bibliography, further information, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-4020-0
Page Count: 148
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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