REVIEW: Gender Euphoria edited by Laura Kate Dale

 

● This groundbreaking anthology brings together an eclectic cohort of trans, nonbinary,
agender, gender-fluid and intersex contributors to share their
experiences of “gender euphoria” - bringing stories of joy, belonging and
positivity to the conversation around transition
 

● Moments of gender euphoria include an agender dominatrix being called
‘Daddy’, an Arab trans man getting his first tattoos, and a trans woman
embracing her inner fighter
 

● Gender Euphoria reached its funding target in less than a week, and has over
1,000 backers
 

So often, the stories shared by trans people about their transition centre on gender dysphoria:
a feeling of deep discomfort with their birth-assigned gender, and a powerful catalyst for
coming out or transitioning. But for many non-cisgender people, it’s gender euphoria which
pushes forward their transition: the joy the first time a parent calls them by their new chosen
name, the first time they have the confidence to cut their hair short, the first time they truly
embrace themself.
 

Gender Euphoria seeks to show the world the sheer variety of ways that being non cisgender
can be a beautiful, joyful experience. What each of the book’s essayists have in common are
their feelings of elation, pride, confidence, freedom and ecstasy as a direct result of coming
out as non-cisgender, and how coming to terms with their gender brought unimaginable joy
into their lives.

 

MY REVIEW:

What a breath of fresh air this collection of essays is! I feel it is a stroke of genius by its editor Laura Kate Dale to have initiated such positivity and indeed contributed essays. On social media we are so inured to the perpetual ‘trauma’ of LGBTQIA+++ people - and I wouldn’t for a second downplay that - but thankfully euphoria is the other side of the coin. 

 

It’s heartening to read and witness moments of happiness when people felt right for the first time: going to a gig, coming out, strking a blow for bodily autonomy, in fact many of the things that cishet people take totally for granted. Ah brave new world, that has such people in it! These are the pioneers, who hopefully will pave the way for the generations to come. I was reminded very powerfully of the Museum of Transology, an exhibition I saw years ago at the London College of Fashion, that has now found a permanent home in Brighton Museum (where else?). This book, as the mueum does, powerfully delineates affirms the diversity of the lives of trans-folk.

 

We’re not there yet in terms of inclusion and acceptance but the good work has started. Here is the LGBTQAI+ lived experience in all its joy. Guaranteed to tick the TERFs off and that's never a bad thing. 

 

About the Editor:

Laura Kate Dale is a full-time video game critic, video creator, podcaster and author. Her first
book was Uncomfortable Labels, a memoir about growing up at the intersection of being a
member of the LGBT community and living with autism, and she writes regularly on the theme
of transgender rights and experience. She can be found tweeting at @LaurakBuzz, where
she has over 53k followers.