Library Staff Recommendation
Transgender Australia attempts to cover the history of trans* and gender diverse people in Australia, from 1910 until the present. There are many obvious difficulties in this undertaking, but Riseman does an excellent job of presenting the early stories he could find.
I found it quite interesting to see how attitudes, expert theories, and laws have evolved over time. The book also highlighted the challenges that trans* and gender diverse people have faced in the past, as well as those they still face today.
The only complaint I had with the book was how brief it was. In trying to cover such a large period of time, Riseman had to be brief and focus on the key points for each issue he wanted to cover. It would require a more comprehensive book to dig deeper into specific topics.
4/5 Stars
Reviewed by Rebecca.