Today is World Book Day and it also falls on a Monday. Unless you have today off or in between jobs, you may fall into this latest statics by Statistic Brain Institute¹, which concluded that 80% of American households did not buy a book last year. Unfortunately, I’m one of the 80%.

Like many of us, we were inspired by someone early in life to read a book; parents-school-friends. My inspiration was my fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Lane. Before 5th grade, I read the usual public school required readings, that were forgotten by the end of the book. I was the child, at the time, of a single parent who worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week. Understandably, this leaves little time for bedtime stories. Yet on the first day of 5th grade, I had an inspiring teacher read to the class. I was raptured, clinging to every word, and every book she read to the class. Her book choices were always the best and are the basis for my love today of sci-fi, fantasy, writing this blog, and reading countless articles daily (hopefully that eases me out of that 80% some). After several weeks, she would urge her class to go the library, find a book, read, write a brief review and the best grade got her to read, your book to the class. I wanted in on that challenge and chose Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’brien², the first full novel I ever read. I did get the highest score and my choice of book was read to the entire class and I was hooked on reading ever since.

Today, as an adult, our lives are pulled in a thousand directions to survive. Life in 2018 is a lot busier, filled with more distractions than 1978, which I’m sure leads to the high percentage. That’s why for World Book Day I pulled out a beautiful book by Dave Naz, that he so kindly sent to me  a couple of months ago. I did mention I was one of that unfortunate 80 % last year, so my apologies to Dave Naz and my readers for not sharing this beautiful work of art! A brilliant show of the humanity behind the label of Trans, you will not have to set aside half your day to enjoy this book, which is a collection of beautiful images of every day trans people like you and I, with intimate life experiences told by various participants.

 

A work of art, really, some may ask? Yes and here is why. Trans people are capable, and ready, but are not going to win this war for equality alone. Not only do we need the other members of the LGBTQIAIPD alphabet to stand in unity, we also need the visibility and support from our cis family members, friends, and co-workers. Allies like Naz, doing respectful, thought-provoking, compassionate support of trans visibility, add to our goal of equality. Also, this book sends a powerful message to so many in our community. Many of us, no matter our transition status deal with some form of body image shame. There are internal, community debates over blending, cis-normative appearances or the lack thereof, issues over illegal cosmetic enhancements, racial-weight-age discrimination that our trans society must deal with. Identity does this with powerful images and stories of every day trans people who you may never see on the cover of mainstream media.

Respectful. Thought provoking and compassionate view of Trans lives

♥♥♥♥½, 

 

Dave Naz³ is a California native photographer, whose work revolves around the varied identities of the twenty-first century. He has seven published works under his belt and his eighth, Gender-Queer, was published by Rare Bird Books in 2014. Dave’s work has appeared in GQ, Maxim, and Salon. Naz identifies as a Cis Male, yet in his work, he captures the beauty of being trans and gender-queer in a respectful, raw, thought-provoking and compassionate matter, that shows the essence of the human being behind the label.

The importance and timing of these works are critical. As a trans blogger with several social media pages and groups, I see and hear countless cries of #metoo in our culture. Some see a certain type of trans man or woman that is often displayed in mainstream media. Usually, people who have been transitioning for two or more years. Being a victim of beauty standards aren’t regulated to just cis(biological) people. In fact, it can be even more dangerous to trans people who already deal with gender dysphoria and feelings of low self-esteem. That same trans or non-binary person connects with there community for support, and comradery, only often to face mainstream media ideas of what a perfect trans person looks like. This is very dangerous on so many levels that it would deserve it’s on discussion in a later post: continued feelings of alienation even in your own community, deepening of dysphoria, resentment that can be easily be seen in any transgender online forum or group, a fixation with perfection, self-hate, eternal fighting, and promoting dangerous trans hierarchy rhetoric to name a few examples.

If one transgender person is left feeling not trans enough by the media we must change the language we send to them and if by their own trans community, then none of us deserve support for our identity. 

My only negative to Dave Naz on his work would be the neglect to show more words of the trans people pictured. The few stories we are given, along with the imagery is powerful and inspiring. It reminds me of some of TMP’s Trans Faces¼ interviews, where we are treated to non-celebrity transgender people having the chance to tell their stories and their unique journey. Also, a possible negative for some, if you only see nude as nakedness and not art, this may not be a choice for you.

Overall TMP gives this book ♥♥♥♥½, four and a half gold hearts. This is a perfect warm up reading that will keep you from being in that 80% for 2018; not too time consuming, emotionally moving, beautiful imagery of pride in one’s individuality, and most of all respectful art of the countless, everyday humans that just happen to wear the label of being Trans.

WE ALSO RECOMMEND YOU CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS REVIEW BY SENIOR WRITER LYNNEA STUART: LESSONS OF LEADERSHIP: A REVIEW OF TRANS/ACTIVE

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1. Statistic Brain: Researched the reading habits of Americans in 2017 Ex. Below
   

   Total percentage of college students who will never read another book after they graduate	42%
   Total percentage of U.S. families who did not buy a book this year	80%
   Total percentage of adults that have not been in a bookstore in the past 5 years	70%
   Total percentage of books started that aren’t read to completion	57%
   Total percent of U.S. students that are dyslexic	15%
   Total percentage of NASA employees that are dyslexic	50%
   Total number of U.S. inmates that are literate	15%

2. Davenaz.com, Photographer and Illustration author of such books as ‘Identity‘ and ‘Gender Queer’
3. Z for Zachariah, The first novel I ever read by Robert C. O’Brien. Interesting and beautiful side note about this book; Robert died before finishing the novel, but his wife would create the last few chapters of the book. The tone does seem to change and you left wondering, after discovering this, how would he have ended it. There has been to cinematic versions of this novel.
4. TMP’s Trans Faces, our ten question interviews of the various brother, sisters and thems in our community.