4/5

In an effort to understand myself better, I have consume many books over the last year about gender. None of the Above was my latest foray and I found a very reflective, emotional and intense experience.

- Travis uses this book as both an exercise in self discovery and a reflection on how nonbinary people are placed in society. They use various phrases (one per chapter) to address different parts of their trans identity and the discussions these statements open up both internally and publicly. I liked this format as it paced the subjects well and allowed for discussion on a wide variety of topics. 

- There is a lot of uncertainty in this book and after thinking about it I believe this is a good thing. Trans and nonbinary people often feel pressure to be certain about things, to know exactly what they want and who they are. In reality I don't know a single person, cis or otherwise, who can say truthfully they 100% know exactly who they are and what they want from their existence. Life is flux and life outside the binary can be even more so. It is refreshing to that uncertainty to be acknowledged and seen as normal and okay.

- My only qualm with the book is it does become slightly repetitive as it goes on. Whilst this makes sense as there are themes that stretch throughout the book it did become slightly dull from a reader's perspective.

If you would like to read a reflection on life as a gender nonconforming person, then Alabanza's offering is a detailed and deep journey through precisely that.