Picked up this little book for a ‘read in one sitting’ prompt for the Queer Your Year 2024 challenge, and really enjoyed my hour with it. Liam Konemann writes in a really engaging way that makes it feel like you’re having a (one-sided) conversation with an old friend. Konemann’s original ‘Appendix’ was a document of every instance of transphobia he came across in ‘real life’ (so not deliberately sought out online), to document the rampant transphobia of the UK that wears down trans folks who are just trying to live their lives. Understandably, this project took a toll on his mental health, so Konemann decided to write about the joy of being trans for the 404 Inklings series, in the face of anti-trans attitudes that seem to be more and more acceptable every day.

I did expect a bit more on the subject of transmasculine joy but there were enough instances of it to lift the spirit amid reading about the hate so rampant in the British press. He writes about times as a kid, before even being aware of terms like trans, when people would mistake him for a boy and the absolute euphoria he would feel at being seen, and that just warmed my heart.

A must read for a quick dive into attitudes around trans folks in the UK today.