Our Shared Shelf discussion

Dear OSS,
We are very excited to offer you the chance to win one of 25 copies of Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom!

For your chance to win, please answer this question in the comments below:
"Why do you feel it’s important for OSS to feature work from transgender writers?”

This competition is open globally - we will pick 25 winners at random.

Good Luck!
The OSS Moderators

Feminism is about diversity, is about accepting the differences between individuals and embracing them. There is no feminism without trans women. Their rights are human rights and feminism should be a safe home for them, where they are heard, respected and loved. Trans people have the lowest life expectancy; in my country their life expectancy surrounds 35 years. It's horrendous. We need to change that, and in order for that to happen their voices need to be heard.

Representation = Understanding.
Equal or increased representation = equal or increased understanding.

Understanding, compassion and empathy. Without having authors who write about these things along with many other important ways to live and be feminists, we don’t learn.

Representation will normalize, will education and will include.

Because all of us women need to support each other and it's even more difficult for transgender writers to get to be published. We all need to get together in order to help them and visibility is the first big step.

Inclusivity is key, just LOVE

The problem with a lot of feminism is the lack of recognition of intersectionality, especially transgender women. They are often left out of discussions regarding sex work, mental health, reproductive health, etc. Transgender women of color, especially, are the most marginalized group in western countries.
In order to understand the experiences without actually experiencing it ourselves, is to read about it from their point of view. It is as close as cis-women will get to understanding what it's like to be transgender. Empathy comes from understanding.

Jo wrote: "Dear OSS,
We are very excited to offer you the chance to win one of 25 copies of Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom!

For your chance t..."

oh, because there is so much to learn from it. I really know nothing about this brave new world/ That has such people in 't.

I think that feminism needs to be more inclusive and by hearing the stories of all women is important. There is no one best way to be a woman and we can learn a lot from each other.

For feminism to truly do the work necessary to dismantle the various oppressions people face and truly free people, we need to learn about and recognize all of the different aspects of oppression and identity. Feminism MUST be inclusive and intersectional to be effective. As Audre Lorde said, "I'm not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles look very different from my own."

I think it is important for OSS to feature work from transgender writers because to me feminism is about equality and inclusivity for everyone. This means that we should not only read books written by women, but definitely also books written by transgender people.

Because transgender writers are writers and because transgender writers deserve to be recognized and read.

“If my feminism isn’t intersectional then it isn’t feminism”- Also, as a group of feminists we should be supporting women of all walks of life and buying their books is a great way to do that.

Diversity and inclusivity are important. Marginalized voices need to be heard.

Because the voice of the unheard is the most important to share.

Because I don’t know any transgender writers and they have an opinion, a voice too. I would like to see, read a story from their perspective!

We all should be equal without labels.

I think that OSS values diversity and inclusion. We have had books from authors of various ages, races, countries... so this is the next logical step for opening all our perspectives to what it means to be a woman.

The best way to learn about people is to learn from them. Transgender people are awfully underrepresented in literature and to deny them the opportunity to tell even their own stories in fiction or nonfiction further exacerbates that problem. Letting cis people tell trans stories (especially without care, attention and sensitivity reading) could lead to the exacerbation of harmful stereotypes.

All authors should have a chance to have their work featured regardless of their gender, sexuality, race, religion or disability. A good read is all that counts, different points of views & opinions.

I am so happy you are featuring Kai Cheng Thom! I read A Place Called No Homeland and I loved it! I think it is important to feature work from transgender writers because we need to hear the voices of all women and be truly intersectional. Sadly, trans writers are often ignored in feminist literature but this is slowly changing and what a huge audience OSS is!

YES! Feminism is about equality for all women. This really isn’t a question I need to think about.

Reading books by diverse authors is an excellent way to open your heart and mind to people who might be different from you. It increases empathy and engagement, and makes the world a better, safer place for everyone!

Representation = power. As a part of feminist intersectionality we owe a chance for power to every one regardless of their identity.

As an underrepresented population, it’s so important to feature trans authors and it’s equally as important for readers to pick up books by trans authors. I’ve read a handful of books in which the characters are trans, but they’re written by cisgender people and, while I commend their effort to make their stories diverse, it’s impossible to write on the trans experience without actually living it. As a member of the LGBT community, I love finding books written by other in the community and I find that the trans point of view is a tough one to come by. I jump at any opportunity to support trans authors.
Additionally, it’s important to feature trans authors because unfortunately, workplace discrimination is something that exists even in publishing and too often, trans authors and authors from other marginalized populations have trouble getting their books front and center. I love a good opportunity to lift up the voices of those we hear from the least and I really appreciate this book being featured.

Reading is about sharing experiences. The beautiful thing about a book is that it gives you a window into a life that you may have never been given the opportunity to peer into. There are an awfully large number of books by cisgender individuals which overshadows the trans writers in the world. We need to work to showcase these writers in literature to ensure that we are giving others the chance to learn about their experiences.

Because everybody counts and everybody's experiences are important and should be voiced. Everyone needs to be able to be related to. It's about representation. If one person connects with the material, makes them feel less alone, it's worth it.

I think it is important because everyone should have an LGBTQ point of view so we can respect and understand each other!

Representation is really important, for the people that are being represented to be able to relate to a story, to learn from it or see themselves in it (and there is very few representation of trans people in literature - fiction or non fiction). And it’s also important for people who don’t relate to learn as well, and see from a perspective that is very different from their own.

The books picked by Our Shared Shelf have made me read stories about many different people, some I could relate to and some I didn’t but I definitely learned from all of them. I’m happy that we get to read about the trans community now, and I can’t wait to see the discussions that it will spark, as the Our Shared Shelf comments space/discussions have always been a safe space for everyone to share their story!

All voices matter. Unfortunately, marginalized groups typically go unheard because of mainstream self-congratulatory grandstanding. While those voices deserve an audience as well, they tend to have a limited scope and, because of that limit, they are not receptive to the plight of the softer, underrepresented voices.

Transgender individuals offer a unique perspective and keen insight into daily living, the fight for acceptance, and the need to live their version of “normal,” which is different for everyone. They are, at baseline, human beings, just like everyone else, and they deserve the rights and privileges afforded to other human beings, including having a voice. To let others know that they are a part of the greater whole, that they live valuable lives, and that they deserve equal representation among the masses. What better place to start than with a group of readers who are as diverse as the writers we explore? Acceptance is key, and this group is founded on acceptance.

Empathy is the most important characteristic that our species has, and is a very important part of our humanity. The best way to be empathetic is to open your heart and mind to the life of another. Books like this give us a unique view into the life and problems of another and allow us to realize how similar we truly are.

This book club group showcases many books aside from the typical bestsellers or easy reads. OSS is inclusive and featuring transgender writers aligns with their objective to promote women empowerment and equality.

A truly inclusive society/community cannot exist without diverse representation in our literature. Books offer a unique opportunity to learn, escape, grow, reflect, and challenge the reader in one fell swoop. Looking forward to reading this important work and to one day seeing book shelves filled with myriad perspectives and authors celebrating our connecting feature: humanity.

In order to understand that trans individuals are more than their gender identity AND their unique perspectives. Greater exposure leads to greater understanding.

We only leave one reality (our personal reality), so reading is a way of understanding. And to understand is to care, and we must care about each other if we don't want to live in a dystopia. We need to know about other realities and grow as people. So, for me, we should read transgender writers to be the best version of ourselves and to love and care about each other.

Because inclusivity isn't an option. Because we need to know more about the hurdles transgender people face on a daily basis. Only then can we fully understand their struggles, discuss the issue with others and find ways to help the trans community have equal rights and representation in society as a whole. Trans rights are human rights.

It’s fundamental to appreciate authors for their work, not for their gender, sexuality, race, etc. With that said, it is also extremely important to give under-represented communities the chance to be put in the spotlight for the right reasons. In this case, I think it would be an amazing move for OSS to feature a transgender author due to the amount of people that interact with this book club, which would give representation to other transgender authors (and readers) making clear the importance to acknowledge diversity and less represented communities.

Because of representation of course! To not include is to say, 'We do not stand by you, we do not welcome you.' And it is important to spread that message of acceptance and inclusivity. Standing up for and believing in equal rights for women means being aware of intersectionality and thus acknowledging both the differences and
different struggles women go through.

It is in the name: our SHARED shelf. We share ideas, books, opinions,... Why not share them with everybody? I believe that it is important that the LGBTQ community can share their ideas and feeling freely with the people who are interested. I do not know much about it, which is a pity. If we want to keep an open view, we should learn more about the different groups. The more you know...

Jo wrote: "Dear OSS,
We are very excited to offer you the chance to win one of 25 copies of Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom!

For your chance t..."

We can only learn so much from our experience; if we learn and educate ourselves on what other people go through, we can do much more for our community. This is why its super important to promote and surround ourselves with the stories of others, including the trans community, who are more often than not, facing many difficult challenges we can help alleviate. I'm stocked that OSS is amplifying the voice of Trans Writers who wha so much to tell and such a small window of opportunity to do so! I think it's vital that we all help them get to the general public, while not tokenizing them for their gender expression, to fight the stigma and have a more diverse pool of writers in the world and thus, a richer universe of writers.

For two reasons, put very simply. 1. Because representation matters. "You have to see yourself to see yourself." - a quote I recently read in Yes She Can (compiled by Molly Dillon). 2. And we can learn from characters, true and imaginary.

I would love to be a winner!

Awareness. Fairness. Y'all means ALL.

Feminism has primarily long been about white women’s concerns. It’s time to represent all women, particularly marginalized communities.

That transgender writers have a voice that is heard and listened to, we get an alternative perspective from
What it is like to be a trans person

It's important to include works by transgender writers because the point of feminism is to recognize all people as fully human and deserving of rights and respect, and because access and amplification should not be denied.

All means all. All women should be represented on a feminist site.

Representation is everything. It can save lives. I'll never forget the first time I read "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe". I want others to experience seeing themselves in literature.

Just as transgender People are becomming more and more visable in the community and in the media, it is important to show their work, such as book, artwork, Comics, articles etc. to show the rest of the world that they also are human beings and needs to be treated the same as non-transgender People. It is a step towards toleranse and inclusion. OSS is doing amazing work in fronting autors that would otherwise be ignored and passed by. Keep it up.