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emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Transphobia
I tend to be kind of defeatist and pessimistic when it comes to the state of the world, including and maybe especially the US government. But Sarah McBride has a contagious optimism that really swept me up. She shares so many stories of triumph- interpersonal, local, regional and national- from her life as an activist for LGBTQIA+/human rights in America. She’s not naive, and has had a lot of shit flung at her, but there’s so much hope to be found in her journey as an activist and staunch believer in the power of government since she was 13(!) years old. There’s also a good bit about her husband Andy, who was also an audaciously hopeful and loving activist and person, until he died of cancer before he turned 30. Their love story is so beautiful and the loss so tragic, it wrecked me; I was crying in my car on the way to work listening to it. As a whole I was pretty riveted with everything in this book, and I’m grateful for writers and activists like Sarah who put everything on the line in their work and share their stories with such tenacity and optimism and vulnerability. Highly recommend this book to everyone.
Usually I find it so hard to rate non-fiction books. I always feel like I’m rating someone’s experiences when it’s a biography or a memoir. But this was a clear 5 stars to me.
Sarah McBride’s story is an inspiring yet tragic story as she has fought for LGBTQ+ rights and particularly trans rights and sadly lost her husband to cancer 4 days after they were married. Despite this Sarah has continued to fight for equality and is carrying on her husband’s work and legacy, who was also trans and did so much for the LGBTQ+ community.
There was a really good balance of statistics, politics and personal. I never felt bored reading (listening) to any of it. It was always engaging. McBride shared some shocking statistics with us about trans people and the one that shocked me the most was that 41% of trans people attempt suicide and that that figure halves when they are supported by friends and family. How shocking is that?
I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much whilst reading a book. There were tears of joy for the victories Sarah described, but they were mostly tears of sadness. Of course I know that cancer is present and exists in many people’s lives, and of course you see it in films and TV. I myself know a cancer survivor. But Andy’s story was just so tragic and I cannot imagine what he and Sarah went through. The way Sarah wrote about him, it felt like I knew him.
Whilst there was so much loss in this book, there were uplifting moments. Like when they passed bills to help the LGBTQ+ people, but particularly the ending. Whilst Donald Trump is a disgusting human being who was elected as president in 2016, McBride didn’t give up hope or make it seem like it was pointless to try and step forward when a step has been taken backwards. She believes that allies and the LGBTQ+ community can stand together strong and united and as long as we continue to fight for change, tomorrow will be different.
Please I highly recommend you read this book if you haven’t. It’s so sad but Sarah’s story is incredibly inspiring. Please share it, but particularly I think transphobic people should read this and see the impacts that that transphobia has on people.
Sarah McBride’s story is an inspiring yet tragic story as she has fought for LGBTQ+ rights and particularly trans rights and sadly lost her husband to cancer 4 days after they were married. Despite this Sarah has continued to fight for equality and is carrying on her husband’s work and legacy, who was also trans and did so much for the LGBTQ+ community.
There was a really good balance of statistics, politics and personal. I never felt bored reading (listening) to any of it. It was always engaging. McBride shared some shocking statistics with us about trans people and the one that shocked me the most was that 41% of trans people attempt suicide and that that figure halves when they are supported by friends and family. How shocking is that?
I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much whilst reading a book. There were tears of joy for the victories Sarah described, but they were mostly tears of sadness. Of course I know that cancer is present and exists in many people’s lives, and of course you see it in films and TV. I myself know a cancer survivor. But Andy’s story was just so tragic and I cannot imagine what he and Sarah went through. The way Sarah wrote about him, it felt like I knew him.
Whilst there was so much loss in this book, there were uplifting moments. Like when they passed bills to help the LGBTQ+ people, but particularly the ending. Whilst Donald Trump is a disgusting human being who was elected as president in 2016, McBride didn’t give up hope or make it seem like it was pointless to try and step forward when a step has been taken backwards. She believes that allies and the LGBTQ+ community can stand together strong and united and as long as we continue to fight for change, tomorrow will be different.
Please I highly recommend you read this book if you haven’t. It’s so sad but Sarah’s story is incredibly inspiring. Please share it, but particularly I think transphobic people should read this and see the impacts that that transphobia has on people.
This book was so good and I want everyone to read it. I cried LOTS of tears while reading, but it felt cathartic and hopeful and empowering. I am a forever fan of Sarah McBride!
I do believe that McBride is a good person, but this book is nationalism through & through (and honestly, I should've expected it when I saw that Biden did the foreword).
Glorifies US presidency & politics as honorable systems that just need to be "fixed" to include trans people. There are moments when she uplifts Stonewall as a momentous moment for trans folk and in the next breath talks about how much political 'leaders' are fighting for trans rights. Completely disregarding that those bricks were thrown at police in accordance with (& funded by) politicians.
This work is not queer in the least and I would not recommend it to folks looking to learn about trans experiences in depth. The best value it has is as a memoir.
Glorifies US presidency & politics as honorable systems that just need to be "fixed" to include trans people. There are moments when she uplifts Stonewall as a momentous moment for trans folk and in the next breath talks about how much political 'leaders' are fighting for trans rights. Completely disregarding that those bricks were thrown at police in accordance with (& funded by) politicians.
This work is not queer in the least and I would not recommend it to folks looking to learn about trans experiences in depth. The best value it has is as a memoir.
This was such a powerful memoir. Learning about Sarah McBride’s journey and the impact her trans identity has on her story is worthwhile. She is such an amazing individual, make huge strides for the LGBTQ community, especially for the Transgender community.
This is a powerful memoir that everyone needs to read. I cried so many times. Such an emotional, riveting memoir.
This is a powerful memoir that everyone needs to read. I cried so many times. Such an emotional, riveting memoir.
I didn’t know anything about Sarah McBride, her life or her history, before reading this book.
I was heartbroken to read of the struggles trans people in America (and all over the world) face on a daily basis. Things that I never even have to think about and take for granted as a cisgender person, like going to the bathroom, becomes a dangerous (and potentially even life threatening) scenario for a trans person - especially if not protected by the law. I am astounded that these laws did not already exist; it is equally upsetting to see that the progress made towards trans equality under Obama was later largely undone under Trump.
It was so heartbreaking to read of her internal struggles and identity as a trans woman. Amazing that her family were so supportive. But even more amazing to read of the love story that blossomed between herself and Andy. I was in total shock and disbelief to read of his diagnosis, decline and death. He was my age when he died, which perhaps made it all the more shocking.
This book had the right balance, in my opinion, of personal life and political/work life. It highlighted the importance of her work even more so than if it had just been focused on politics.
As mentioned, I didn’t know anything about Sarah McBride, her life or her history, before reading this book. But now I’ve read this I am totally inspired by the bravery and humility of this amazing woman. Under all of the loss and setbacks and abuse, there is a constant message of hope in the pages of this book. Especially when you read the foreword from the now-president Joe Biden.
Keep fighting the good fight Sarah
I was heartbroken to read of the struggles trans people in America (and all over the world) face on a daily basis. Things that I never even have to think about and take for granted as a cisgender person, like going to the bathroom, becomes a dangerous (and potentially even life threatening) scenario for a trans person - especially if not protected by the law. I am astounded that these laws did not already exist; it is equally upsetting to see that the progress made towards trans equality under Obama was later largely undone under Trump.
It was so heartbreaking to read of her internal struggles and identity as a trans woman. Amazing that her family were so supportive. But even more amazing to read of the love story that blossomed between herself and Andy. I was in total shock and disbelief to read of his diagnosis, decline and death. He was my age when he died, which perhaps made it all the more shocking.
This book had the right balance, in my opinion, of personal life and political/work life. It highlighted the importance of her work even more so than if it had just been focused on politics.
As mentioned, I didn’t know anything about Sarah McBride, her life or her history, before reading this book. But now I’ve read this I am totally inspired by the bravery and humility of this amazing woman. Under all of the loss and setbacks and abuse, there is a constant message of hope in the pages of this book. Especially when you read the foreword from the now-president Joe Biden.
Keep fighting the good fight Sarah
Sarah McBride is such a compelling figure and her story is both uplifting and heartbreaking. She is quick to acknowledge her relative privilege in the trans community and uses it to uplift and advocate for others. I’m sorry to say I was not aware of her before reading this but I will definitely be following her now. Also, be sure to read the acknowledgments at the end. To me it felt like the true ending of the book.
One of the trans communities most visible members is Sarah McBride, now a state Senator in Delaware and the first transgender state senator in American history.
When Sarah published this memoir in 2018, she was already a person of many "firsts." The first transgender person to speak at a national political convention. The first to work in the White House. A student body president at American University who stepped down and came out in her school's newspaper.
This book is a wonderful way to read a first-person account of coming out as trans. Sarah's emotions and journey are beautifully described and keep you engrossed in her story--particularly in the human aspect of it that gets muted by the vitriol and misinformation rampant in today's political landscape. Sarah is a human being who knows her truth and merely wants to be allowed to live it.
Not only does this book highlight her coming out, it also tells the story of her marriage to a trans man who is diagnosed with cancer. Like all people, she feels love, while facing heartbreak. Like all people, she strives to keep going in the face of it, while finding hope. Like all people, she's a fully realized human who just wants to live her truth, follow her heart, and realize her dreams with the respect and dignity we all deserve. This book will help people empathize with this routinely persecuted community--and the LGBTQ+ community in general.
I'm hoping that books like this & the increased visibility of other transgender people in the public sphere--including Danica Roem, Rachel Levine, Amy Schneider, & newly elected James Roesener--will decrease the denigration aimed at this community. More people will question rather than persecute, love rather than hate, lift up rather than harm. Here's hoping that the many tomorrows to come will actually be different.
When Sarah published this memoir in 2018, she was already a person of many "firsts." The first transgender person to speak at a national political convention. The first to work in the White House. A student body president at American University who stepped down and came out in her school's newspaper.
This book is a wonderful way to read a first-person account of coming out as trans. Sarah's emotions and journey are beautifully described and keep you engrossed in her story--particularly in the human aspect of it that gets muted by the vitriol and misinformation rampant in today's political landscape. Sarah is a human being who knows her truth and merely wants to be allowed to live it.
Not only does this book highlight her coming out, it also tells the story of her marriage to a trans man who is diagnosed with cancer. Like all people, she feels love, while facing heartbreak. Like all people, she strives to keep going in the face of it, while finding hope. Like all people, she's a fully realized human who just wants to live her truth, follow her heart, and realize her dreams with the respect and dignity we all deserve. This book will help people empathize with this routinely persecuted community--and the LGBTQ+ community in general.
I'm hoping that books like this & the increased visibility of other transgender people in the public sphere--including Danica Roem, Rachel Levine, Amy Schneider, & newly elected James Roesener--will decrease the denigration aimed at this community. More people will question rather than persecute, love rather than hate, lift up rather than harm. Here's hoping that the many tomorrows to come will actually be different.