Short History of Trans Misogyny

Between the Hijras under the British Raj, the genocide of two-spirit people by the US, and the persecution of transvesti in Latin America, this book demonstrates that the persecution of groups often now identified as trans massively predates the modern concept of trans women. This book outlines how deeply ingrained trans misogyny is in our society and its connections with aspects of class and race. It's a vital and challenging read in outlining the inherent violence of trans misogyny, how broadly it impacts peoples swept up under medicalised labels, and how the broader gay rights movement abandoned those who started it.

This is a richly researched work, and one of my only complaints is that I wish it was much longer (of course "short" is in the title). Gill-Peterson focuses much more on specific people as emblematic of broader trends, with the paucity of quantitative data until extremely recently making that a necessity. It's quite US focused, but the examples from US history are insightful. Highly recommend