This book covered a wide variety of topics - which I appreciated. I just wish things had been a little more in-depth. There wasn't the passion or depth I'd expect from a manifesto. I do appreciate that important issues were touched on, and it's a great way to introduce people to some of the issues facing the community. A manifesto lite I guess you could call it. Otherwise well written.

I feel as thought this book has a lot of positives, and that it is a necessary discussion to be having. There are a lot of people that don't understand trans issues at all, and I do feel that this book is trying to address that. However, I did have a few niggling issues with it.

First, the way that is structured seems a bit off sometimes. There are topics that would have been better served being closer together within the structure of the book--allowing for more expansiveness in the discussion of the topics. For example, gender fluidity and nonbinary identities are a natural fit, and I think that some of the issues with nonbinary identities (this books seems to treat them as sort of an afterthought, more on that in a minute) would have been better served by allowing that build on gender fluidity and including it as part of a broader discussion.

Second, nonbinary people are not "trans lite". I really do think that, while there were some good things said about nonbinary identities, it felt disengaged from the text at large. It would have been nice to see that more effectively incorporated into this text, especially because it touts itself as being a transgender manifesto.

All that being said, I still think it is a good book for the right audience. It is written very informally, which I think is good for being accessible to a wide range of readers. The author seems to be trying to reach out to cis people to give them a better understanding of trans issues. She sometimes addresses prejudiced people directly. I do feel that people that already have an introduction and some familiarity with this subject matter may not find it as useful.

This book does touch on very important issues like bathroom laws, passing, the fact that transitioning is different for everyone and it is not centered on genitalia, and many more things. It is validating and affirming for trans folx, and informative for cis people or people that do not necessarily understand the issues that trans people face. Overall, I liked it, though the problems I did see prevented me from loving it.

Definitely an interesting read! Malone uses the book to talk about her side of the story when it comes to anti-transgender sentiments, policies, and arguments. It's books like this that need more attention, because it feels like we mostly see cisgender people arguing about trans rights in the media. We need more trans voices out there, and this is a good place to start!

I really liked the book even if I'm not a transgender but I'm a part of LGBTQ+ community. Also, being a pansexual, I'm attracted to all genders and I wouldn't mind Dating someone who's transgender. This has been a nice input for me to learn more about transgender People so thank you for writing this book.

I got an ARC copy of this book.

I am a sucker for manifestos. I read them like people eat candy. I crave them and I seek them out. This seemed perfect for me. I had to get a copy.

The book ranges in topics from fashion to bathroom rights to terminology. There are a ton of topics covered, but none of them felt overwhelming. This book was far from deep or thought provoking for a trans person. If you are newer to the trans movement or are trying to dip your toe into gender theory or activism, then this is a great book to start with. That being said, this does not feel like a manifesto. There was no call to arms. There was no real drive behind the book or topics. 

The closest thing I could find to a cohesive message is "leave trans people alone", which I did't feel like was covered in every chapter or even in most chapters. There were some great parts to this book, but it wasn't cohesive enough for me to find it to be a manifesto. Simple reading, feel good pep talk, and a lighthearted look at trans rights, yes. Manifesto, no. 

There were some chapters that were just too far off topic for me or just bad. The main bad chapter was equated being intersex with being trans. Those are drastically different movements and there is quite a bit of animosity between the groups for reasons beyond me. Labeling an intersex person as transgender can be a very messy situation. I am not intersex and can't speak for the group, but wouldn't you expect a book that promotes letting people be who they are without forcing labels on them understand that maybe an intersex person would identify as intersex? The author admits to not being an expert on the subject, but I wish she had just not included that chapter at all. It really wasn't relevant and it showed a gap in knowledge that could have diminished her points. One issue was saying the genitalia was both male and female, which is not correct. A better way is saying "ambiguous genitalia" which is usually the case with births where doctors label the baby as intersex. Though there are many conditions where someone does not know they do not have XX or XY chromosomes until later in life or ever. Most people don't even know their chromosomes, which would have been a better point for Malone to make. "Birthers" use chromosomes to fight off trans people, yet don't even know what their own chromosomes are. BAM. Better point and fits within the scope of the book without making Malone look like she doesn't know her subject. 

The other chapter that was just a bit off putting was the fashion chapter. It made sense, loosely. There was really no need to rag on boxers though. They are comfy. They are loose and breezy. See how ridiculous that sounds? This whole section promotes men wearing women's clothing in the middle of a somewhat serious book about transgender people having basic human rights. It doesn't fit. Malone even says that cross dressing and being transgender are not the same, so why does she spend one of the longest chapters in the book discussing the pros to women's clothing? There was no relevancy to the rest of the book if the theme was transgender people deserve respect or transgender people aren't going away. 

I feel like I must note that I have never heard anyone over the age of thirteen say trouser snake outside of making fun of thirteen year old boys until now. It wasn't just once, it was a repeat reference. It felt like the choices of words were bringing down some of the points and dumbing things down to a level that wasn't needed to understand the point. It could have been used to invalidate society's obsession with penises, but it doesn't feel like that was the goal and it wasn't explored enough to reasonably be the reason. So here I am annoyed with juvenile language in a very serious topic, again. Usually it is the trolls that do that, but this time it was someone I was agreeing with on 99% of her points.

A thought provoking read. Malone breaks down the “birthers” arguments one by one in such a clear and precise way in each bite sized chapter. The style of the writing is one that is infused with such wit and snark and character that it’s akin to conversing with a friend while still bringing forth incredibly nuanced points about the validity of the existence of the transgender community. While this book speaks directly to the transgender experience, I found that it also spoke more generally on the LGBTQ+ experience as well. This book is definitely something to put into the hands of my library’s youth and adults alike.

5* The author's certainly impacted on me with her writing style - in your face, from a transwoman's personal perspective and with real, everyday life arguments to back up her assertions, opinions and beliefs.

This book hit me initially as rather aggressive in how short and succinct the 'chapters' were and in how blunt, to-the-point and in-your-face (not a criticism at all) the author's responses were. Some chapters are no more than a page long, but each and every one takes stuff that heterosexuals, bashers, birthers, the uneducated, the uninformed and others might interpret a certain way and shows them from a lived, i.e. a transgender person's perspective.

Some of it is very sad, some has snark and humour, but all of it made me think and feel. I happened to finish the book on the International Day of Transgender Remembrance, which was unintentional, but which culminated in me reading about some of the transgender people who've been murdered in the US this year, and I think I got hit by a deluge of information, in a good way.

At first, I admit that the author's 'aggression', as I perceived it, turned me off a little, but I went nosing on her website and as I read more and more, I realised that she is just passionate about her life, about experiences good and bad that she's either experienced or known via others. The examples cited, of so many things that het people take for granted, but that a transgender person can't, were humbling. It saddened me and also made me appreciate the 'rights' that I have, simply for being born het and in the UK. Compared to the US, where not all states allow transgender people to change their sex on their birth certificates post-transition, the UK has many protections and rights for all its people. Would that this happened all over the world.

The author puts out some great truths in this book - I just hope that people read it, talk about it and make lots of noise about it. It's the kind of book that 'tells it as it is' and it needs to be read to educate people.

ARC courtesy of Green Muffin Publishing and NetGalley, in return for my reading pleasure.

The Transgender Manifesto is very honest and practical about what is means to be transgender. Malone has a compelling argument for those who are not supportive of trans people. She points out the fact that even if these “birthers” are not agreeing with our views, they are not denying the face that we exist. We are here and we are proud. This short book has many inspiring points for its lgbtq+ audience and a practical perspective for all the skeptics out there.

Malone succinctly knocks down a wide swarth of talking points anti-trans activists use to attack trans folks. Her perspective is unique and refreshing, brutally honest, but ultimately hopeful. You know those tracts fundie Christians leave in bookstores, bathrooms, etc.? If Malone's brief chapters were printed as individual tracts, I'd be leaving them all over the place for cis people to find. This is a fantastic little book.