What's interesting — even special — about this book is that it can be a good resource no matter how "woke" you are (or think you are). A lot of books about intersectionality and activism seem to be aimed at people who don't know anything about the topics, which is important ground to cover but can be boring if you already have fundamental knowledge of the vocabulary and concepts; others have a level of detail and/or aggression that can alienate readers. This one is neither.

Through the lens of personal experience, Ramsey gives us an approachable narrative with experiences that contextualize and humanize the "lessons learned" without being sanctimonious. These are thoughtful takes on complex topics; I can appreciate where she's coming from, and I do agree that to some extent your intentions matter.

Only to some extent, though; there are some missteps in the text itself (for example, a nod to "trans brothers and sisters," but many nonbinary/genderqueer folks also identify as trans). Still, it's difficult to unlearn a lifetime of societally-ingrained biases, especially when people seem to jump on you no matter what you do say. And it's acknowledged throughout the book that it is a continuous learning journey: mistakes are inevitable, so what really matters is making it right inasmuch as is possible, and doing better going forward.

(I was not actually required to read this book, but it was mentioned as recommended reading at a leadership seminar/training I attended.)

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CONVERSION: 11.5 / 15 = 4 stars

Prose: 8 / 10
Intellectual Engagement: 8 / 10
Credibility: 9 / 10
Organization / Structure: 7 / 10

Emotional Impact / Interest: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 3 / 5
Memorability: N/A