BEFORE WE WERE TRANS A New History of Gender

Author and narrator Dr. Kit Heyam's incisive global history of transgender, intersex, and queer experiences, both lived and fictional, encourages listeners to reexamine the past with fresh eyes. Their companionable narration creates space for thoughtful engagement with the cultural, linguistic, and social factors that permeate our contemporary understanding of historical people and literary figures. Heyam weaves together their personal experiences in present-day England and carefully explored accounts from West Africa, Europe, the U.S., and Asia, along with scholarship from the communities featured. The author's rich work challenges the centrality of whiteness, Western ideologies, and the "burden of proof" in explorations of gender history and identities, advocating for an inclusive, more expansive understanding. This stimulating production is an outstanding entry into LGBTQIA+ history. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2022]