Julia Serano's Blog, page 3

Pre-order my new book: “Sexed Up”!

My latest book, Sexed Up: How Society Sexualizes Us, and How We Can Fight Back , will be published by Seal Press on May 17, 2022 – three weeks from today! I believe that it is my best and most important book (fwiw, I have not claimed this about any of my other post-Whipping Girl books).  

I highly encourage you to pre-order it now if you can, as this really helps to convince bookstores to carry it. It’s available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook – those links will take you to the Seal Press website, which offers a variety of outlets to choose from. You can also go to your local bookstore or library and ask them to order a copy for you. 

While Sexed Up covers a lot of ground (see description below), it is especially timely given the recent conservative/GOP onslaught of accusations claiming that everything they oppose (e.g., LGTBQIA+ people, critical race theory) is tantamount to “grooming” or “pornography.” Sexed Up explains why these sorts of sexualizing charges resonate with so many people, and how we can effectively challenge them.

Praise for Sexed Up:

“Julia Serano continues to be one of the most remarkable feminists writing today. Sexed Up is a must-read for anyone who cares about feminism, misogyny, and how we talk about sex.”
—Jessica Valenti, New York Times-bestselling author of Sex Object

“A brilliant tour de force on an under-theorized topic – sexualization – and the havoc it wreaks on so many lives, especially the most marginalized. I can't wait to discuss this book: it's essential reading.”
—Kate Manne, author of Down Girl

“Julia Serano brings us the incisive, clear-eyed analysis of today’s culture wars that we so desperately need. Thoughtful and deeply researched, Sexed Up provides a more compassionate way of dealing with our cultural programming around sexuality.”
—Annalee Newitz, Lambda Award-winning author of Four Lost Cities

“How lucky we are to have Julia Serano – a writer who brings razor-sharp analysis to the most challenging issues we face today. Sexed Up is another worthy addition to the canon, brimming with the unique patience, care, and clarity Serano brings to untangling our sexual preconceptions.”
—Jude Ellison S. Doyle, author of Trainwreck

Book description:

Feminists have long challenged the ways in which men tend to sexualize women. But pioneering activist, biologist, and trans woman Julia Serano argues that sexualization is a far more pervasive problem: it’s something that we all do to other people, often without being aware of it.

Why do we perceive men as sexual predators and women as sexual objects? Why are LGBTQ+ people stereotyped as being sexually indiscriminate and deceptive? Why are people of color still being hypersexualized? Serano confronts these presumptions head-on, showing us how they arise from unconscious biases rather than reflecting reality. While many view sexualization as a mere component of sexism, racism, or queerphobia, Serano persuasively argues that liberation from sexual violence comes through collectively confronting sexualization itself. She then reveals powerful new ways to resist, providing numerous strategies designed to foster sexual equity without sacrificing sexual diversity in the process.

Lively and provocative, Sexed Up provides a breath of fresh air for seasoned activists and newcomers alike. Once again, Julia Serano proves that she is an unmatched voice leading us toward necessary change.

More praise, plus early book reviews:

“Fascinating, comprehensive, and clearly explained, Sexed Up leads the reader through a radically sensible analysis of what sexualization is and how it happens. (Hint: You're soaking in it!) As we work to create a sex-positive culture, we'll reference this vitally important book again and again.”
—Carol Queen, PhD, Author of Exhibitionism for the Shy and co-founder of the Center for Sex & Culture

“Julia Serano acutely speaks to many nuances in gender and sexuality that unjustly dictate the safety, value, and autonomy of marginalized genders. Immersive and precise, she traces enduring stigmas to their illogical roots.”
—Koa Beck, author of White Feminism

“Julia Serano has done it again, taking an idea you thought you understood and unfolding depths to it you never knew were there. Sexed Up is the sexualization rethink you didn't know you needed.”
—Jaclyn Friedman, author of What You Really Really Want

“Julia Serano is a razor-sharp observer and a generous, compassionate, and liberatory thinker. Sexed Up is a wise, nuanced, and unapologetic guide to understanding what goes on under the hood of sexualization in American culture.”
—Dr. Hanne Blank Boyd, historian and author of Straight

“Serano succeeds in explicating a wide range of complex ideas about gender, sexuality, and identity, and offers incisive new frameworks for reckoning with some of the most discussed issues in contemporary feminism and queer culture. The result is a nuanced and approachable guide to ‘making sex more equitable’.”
—Publishers Weekly (full review via link)

“An engaging and thoughtful addition for any library’ s popular human sexuality collection.”
—Library Journal (full review via link)

More information about the book (including the Table of Contents) can be found at my Sexed Up webpage. And once again, here are the links to pre-order it in either hardcover, ebook, or audiobook formats.

crowdfunding for Japanese translation of Whipping Girl

Some good news to share: The Tokyo-based publisher Thousands of Books has made an arrangement with my publisher (Seal Press) to translate my first book Whipping Girl into Japanese!

The translation is dependent on their ability to raise money for this effort via crowdfunding. So if you (or someone you know) are excited about this prospect, here are the links where you can contribute. They also share further information about the publisher, project leader, and translator for the book.

This is the main crowdfunding link; it is in Japanese, but many browsers can translate the page for you:

https://greenfunding.jp/thousandsofbooks/projects/5658

And here is a supplemental crowdfunding page on Indiegogo, which is in English and in USD currency:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/japanese-translation-of-whipping-girl#/

Like I said, please feel free to share these links, as they have until mid-April to raise the necessary funds for the translation.

99 Erics on Kirkus Reviews' Best Indie Books of 2021!

Earlier this year, I was happy to announce that my first foray into fiction, 99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel , was the winner of the Publishing Triangle’s 2021 Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, and an Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) 2021 silver medalist in LGBT+ Fiction.

On top of all that, Kirkus Reviews just released their "Best Books of 2021" issue, and they included 99 Erics on their Best Indie Books of 2021 list! The entire list can be found via that link (you'll have to scroll down for 99 Erics, as the list is alphabetical by author last name). 

The full Kirkus review of 99 Erics is available online; here is an excerpt:

“Serano has written about gender identity and feminism in her nonfiction books Whipping Girl (2007) and Excluded (2013); she explores many of the same ideas in her debut work of fiction. The writing is conversational in style, and though Kat claims to be uninterested in banal descriptions, the scene-setting in various California locales works well. Kat recalls the Manic Pixie Dream Girls so often used in male-oriented stories, but she’s decidedly more warts and all in her presentation, almost too quirky to function, and enthusiastic about her role as ruler of all the Erics. The result is a lovable composite of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1966) and a less murder-y version of Marvel’s Deadpool, using absurdism and humor to break down the fourth wall and the very idea of ‘normal,’ with all its silly little boxes and prejudices. If that makes the book sound serious, it isn’t — and that might be the most effective way it makes its readers think about identity. Knocks down literary conventions, sexual stereotypes, the fourth wall, and more in enthusiastic defense of the weird.”

As always, for more reviews, excerpts, details, virtual book readings, and where to purchase the book, please check out the 99 Erics webpage!

end of year update, plus signed books for sale!

Last week, I published my latest email update , you can read it via that link. (If you want to receive these email updates directly into your inbox, you can sign up here .)

The update includes links to all my writings from the past year! On top of that, it includes a special deal that I will reiterate here:

I am once again offering signed copies of two of my books – 99 Erics & Outspoken – for sale! (for $25, shipping included, provided that the address is within the U.S.)

99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel is silly, surreal, and sex-positive — click that link for book reviews, praise, and excerpts. 99 Erics is the winner of the Publishing Triangle’s 2021 Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, and an Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) 2021 silver medalist in LGBT+ Fiction.

Outspoken: A Decade of Transgender Activism and Trans Feminism collects many of my trans-themed writings from 2002-2014, including my early slam poems, and numerous essays written contemporaneously with my books Whipping Girl and Excluded.

All of the book-purchasing details (including signing instructions) can be found on the STUFF TO BUY page of my website. That page also has links to purchase my other books and music too. While I cannot sell signed copies of Whipping Girl or Excluded online, I do sometimes offer them as gifts on Patreon, so please consider supporting me there...

2 new essays on anti-trans activism & the "sexual predator" trope

A few months back, I published an essay entitled Transgender People, Bathrooms, and Sexual Predators: What the Data Say . It cited numerous research studies showing that trans people and trans-inclusion policies pose no threat to cis people in sex-segregated spaces. It also chronicled how similar campaigns to smear an entire marginalized group as supposed "sexual predators" have occurred previously, for instance, against Black people, Jewish people, and gays and lesbians. In other words, this is a standard trope that bigots and haters love to wield.

In the wake of recent events, I have two new "sequels" to that essay. The first is my formal response to being named in that anti-trans manifesto that was going around last week. (For the record, I am doing okay, all things considered.) In my response, I discuss how anti-trans activists' increasing attempts to smear trans people (and particularly trans women) en masse as "sexual predators" is directly responsible for expressions of violence such as this. You can read it here: .

The second new essay chronicles anti-trans activists' increasing promotion of "autogynephilia," a debunked psychology theory that they use to ... wait for it ... smear trans women en masse as "sexual predators." I also describe their recent attempts to wield "autogynephilia" in tandem with the fake diagnosis "ROGD" in order to undermine trans healthcare more generally. You can read that one here: Autogynephilia and Anti-Transgender Activism.

By the way, both are on Medium (these are no-paywall links), so please read & share widely & give them lots of "claps" (up to 50, I believe).

[note: If you appreciate my work and want to see more of it, please check out my Patreon page]

6 recent Medium articles!

As some of you may know, I sometimes publish articles on Medium – that link will take you to my Medium page, where you can find all the pieces I've written there. Here, I will share my six most recent Medium articles, spanning back to December of last year. All of the links below are "friend links" that bypass the site's paywall – so feel free to read them all for free! 

For Bisexual Visibility Week, I published Bomb (image to right), which is a chapter from my award-winning book 99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel. It humorously defuses many of the assumptions people face upon coming out as bisexual. It also critiques what Kat calls the "stereotype trap," as well as authors who turn their LGBTQIA+ characters' identities into "plot twists." If you enjoy it, many more excerpts from the novel can be found on the official 99 Erics webpage.

Transgender People, Bathrooms, and Sexual Predators: What the Data Say was months in the making. The piece not only compiles numerous research studies showing that transgender people are victims (not perpetrators) in such settings, but it also places these "bathroom panics" in historical context, showing how they evolved directly from Anita-Bryant-1970s-era claims that LGB people are "child molesters" out to "recruit children." The final section debunks more recent outlandish claims that trans people are "grooming" and "sexualizing" children. I wanted to touch on all these themes, not only because they unfairly disparage trans people, but because they are all more generally used to smear marginalized groups who are perceived as "other" in some way, and thus misconstrued as a potential "threat to women and children." 

I don't usually write about TV shows and pop culture, but I did just that in Here’s why some people find the Loki-Sylvie romance unsettling. Hint: the answer (or at least one of the answers) is unconscious transphobia...

I compile many of my writings related to transmisogyny in the piece What Is Transmisogyny? It includes a downloadable link to a brand new academic review article that I wrote on the topic.

The Dregerian Narrative (or why "trans activists" vs. "scientists" framings are lazy, inaccurate, and incendiary) is a new essay describing a very old anti-trans trope.

And finally, Transgender People, “Gay Conversion,” and “Lesbian Extinction”: What the Data Show was my response to the increasingly common anti-trans memes that lesbians are supposedly going "extinct" due to people transitioning, and/or that transitioning constitutes a form of “gay conversion therapy.” As the title suggests, I show that current research data do not support these claims.

That's it for now. If you appreciate the fact that I make these articles available for free, please consider supporting me on Patreon.

a statement about the thing

CW for mentions of child sexual abuse (CSA) and accusations thereof

so basically, it’s a trap. no matter what you do. 

because person X (who you don’t know personally) has threatened that if you (and 65 other people they “follow” on Twitter, the majority of whom you also don’t know personally) don’t immediately “unfollow” person Y, then they will publicly “name” you tomorrow. even though they have already tagged you and all these other people on a giant multiple-tweet public thread as part of said threat.

in other words, you’ve already been named, pre-naming.

so who is this person Y, who you’re supposed to unfollow? well, according to person X, they are “the leader of a whole ass organization that promotes and supports pedophiles.” wow, that sounds totally fucked up! so you should probably unfollow them ASAP, right?

well, it’s not that simple. for starters, you know that person Y is not actually “the leader” of organization Z; they merely do communications for them. and sure, you could unfollow person Y for simply being affiliated with Z. but you also know other people—let’s call them A, B, and C—who are also demonstrably opposed to CSA (at least one of whom is a CSA survivor themselves), yet have expressed support for, or done events with, Z in the past. as of now, ABC are not being targeted by this “unfollow” campaign—likely because they are AFAB, or not in the public eye as much, or not working directly for Z, or perhaps for other reasons. But they very well could be next.

as evidence that ABC could be next, look no further than yourself: you are being targeted right now, as we speak, even though you have absolutely zero associations with Z. other than following person Y (as well as ABC) on Twitter, of course. and even if you were to unfollow Y & ABC (which you’d rather not do, as you appreciate some of their non-Z related work), you just so happen to follow a few of the other 65 people targeted by this unfollow campaign. so if they refuse to unfollow Y, then you will subsequently be pressured to unfollow *them* as a result. that’s how these public naming campaigns work. it’s basically a version of six degrees of Kevin Bacon, only with the specter of pedophilia replacing Kevin Bacon.

so you begin crafting a response. mostly about organization Z, since they’re at the center of this. Z (like X, and Y, and ABC, and yourself, and probably all the 65 other people) is outspoken about wanting to end CSA. some of what Z advocates (e.g., sex education to help reduce CSA) you 100% agree with. other things they promote (such as destigmatizing consensual adult sexualities, including sex work and BDSM) also align with your beliefs, although you think it’s potentially confusing and possibly counterproductive for an ostensibly anti-CSA organization to focus on these latter adult-specific issues too. but your main concern with Z is the so-called “MAP” support group that they are associated with. this is why they are accused of supposedly “promoting” and “supporting” pedophiles.

because you regularly write about sexuality-related issues, you’ve done your own research into these matters. you have found that numerous experts in the field (most of whom have no affiliation with Z) have argued that destigmatizing “MAPs” to a degree may help them seek out professional help, which could ultimately reduce their chances of committing CSA. this is the stated rationale behind the MAP support group, and why Z (and Y, and presumably ABC) thinks it can help reduce CSA. but in your mind, there is a big difference between destigmatizing a condition so that people can safely seek out help, and *normalizing* that condition so that it is viewed as socially acceptable. if the latter came to pass, it could potentially lead to an increase in CSA, not unlike how destigmatizing racism has been shown to result in an increase in public expressions of racism. another (more positive) example of this phenomenon can be found in how the gradual destigmatization of same-sex relationships over the years has led to even more people identifying as LGB relative to the past.

from everything you’ve read, you don’t think organization Z has adequately grappled with this distinction between destigmatizing and normalizing. and while they would likely claim that they are not doing the latter, there appear to be (from what you’ve seen online) some MAP-identified people out there who *are* trying to normalize it. and via the power of “six degrees of pedophilia,” anything these “MAP normalizers” say or do automatically becomes what people imagine MAP support groups must be doing, and what organization Z is supposedly advocating, and what person Y is supposedly supporting, and so on. it’s “pro-pedo” all the way down. 

so you abandon writing your initial response mid-way through. it’s a sensitive and complicated issue, and you strive to write with thoughtfulness and nuance. but there’s no room for any of that here. like, as soon as you even attempt to parse the difference between CSA and pedophilia, or mention the term “MAP,” you’ve already lost, as some people will inevitably jump to the conclusion that you must be a “pedo apologist.” especially given the fact that you’re a trans woman.

oh, did I forget to mention that you’re a trans woman? yes, it’s true: you are a trans woman. and as a very public trans woman, you are routinely (and baselessly) accused of being a “pedo” or a “groomer” simply for existing, or for advocating for gender-affirmative approaches for trans children, or promoting trans rights—in fact, you wrote an entire essay about this! these experiences have certainly influenced your thinking with regards to these matters. it has made you averse to people who hurl such accusations at others without any actual evidence that said individuals have perpetrated CSA, or are planning to.

for the record: if organization Z was forwarding NAMBLA-type positions (i.e., explicitly encouraging or normalizing CSA), or if any of the aforementioned individuals (X, Y, ABC, the 65 others) were discovered to have committed acts of CSA, I would be quick to denounce them. CSA is abhorrent and it should be stigmatized. but what I see here are many different parties, all of whom express concern about preventing CSA, but who have very different ideas regarding how to go about it. some of these approaches may be better or worse than others. it is perfectly fine for people to debate or critique approaches that they believe are problematic or harmful (as I have done here). but I will not be a party to “six degrees of pedophilia” . . .

99 Erics Wins Two Book Awards! (plus other news)

I recently sent out my latest email update – you can read it at that link. And if you want to receive these email updates directly to your inbox, you can sign up here.

The biggest news is that my latest book 99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel, is the winner of not one, two book awards! 

First came the Publishing Triangle’s 2021 Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction (shown to right). And I have since learned that it is an Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) 2021 silver medalist in LGBT+ Fiction (medal below). 

I am honestly a bit flabbergasted! Two of my past books were nominated for awards, but this is my first actual "award winning" book! 

Publishing Triangle described the book as: "Whip-smart, fast-paced, and drop-dead hilarious, Serano gives us the lighthearted fun read that we all need right now." So please consider adding 99 Erics to your summer reading list!

The book is available at all the usual online booksellers, and can be ordered from your local independent bookstore too – in fact, you should encourage them to carry it! 

If you're still tentative, check out the 99 Erics webpage, where you can download the first 5 chapters for FREE, plus read other excerpts, blurbs & reviews, or watch recordings of my virtual book readings.

In addition to the book award news, my latest update shares my four most recent online essays. They are all on Medium – these links will bypass their paywall:

Transgender People, Bathrooms, and Sexual Predators: What the Data Say What Is Transmisogyny? The Dregerian Narrative (or why "trans activists" vs. "scientists" framings are lazy, inaccurate, and incendiary) Transgender People, “Gay Conversion,” and “Lesbian Extinction”: What the Data Show

If you enjoy them, please give them lots of "claps" (up to 50) and share with others! And if you appreciate the fact that I make these freely accessible, please consider supporting me on Patreon.

Finally, since the update came out, my first book Whipping Girl has received two nice Pride month write-ups:

50+ Years of Pride: The Best Queer Books From Every Decade 1970–2020 21 LGBTQ+ Authors On The Books They Wish They’d Had As Teenagers (selected by one of my favorite writers, Charlie Jane Anders)

Publishing Triangle finalist, review, and reading!

As some of you may know, my latest book 99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel was recently announced as a finalist for the Publishing Triangle’s 2021 Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction!

On April 23rd, the Publishing Triangle published a lovely review of the book; here it is:

99 Erics is such a delightful read! Julia Serano attacks gender norms, sexual stereotypes, gentrification, and homophobia. In addition, she breaks the fourth wall and gets super meta in this romp as her main character, Kat Cataclysm, dates 99 people—each of whom is named Eric. Kat is a writer who wants to learn how to better write conflict, so decides to go on these dates in the hopes of gaining enlightenment, in the process handing us hysterical anecdotes from dates with various Erics. Serano expertly navigates heavy issues while at the same time embracing the absurd. Whip-smart, fast-paced, and drop-dead hilarious, Serano gives us the lighthearted fun read that we all need right now.

The awards are on May 12th – wish me luck! Leading up to that, Publishing Triangle is hosting two finalists readings, featuring many of the writers up for awards. I will be a part of the Monday May 10th reading – all the details (including how to register) can be found on their Eventbrite page.

Hope you can make it out to the reading, and/or share the review, and/or spread the word about 99 Erics more generally!

new 99 Erics book reviews!

So a couple new 99 Erics book reviews were recently published and I wanted to share excerpts with you!

This excerpt is from Kirkus Reviews:

Serano has written about gender identity and feminism in her nonfiction books Whipping Girl (2007) and Excluded (2013); she explores many of the same ideas in her debut work of fiction. The writing is conversational in style, and though Kat claims to be uninterested in banal descriptions, the scene-setting in various California locales works well. Kat recalls the Manic Pixie Dream Girls so often used in male-oriented stories, but she’s decidedly more warts and all in her presentation, almost too quirky to function, and enthusiastic about her role as ruler of all the Erics. The result is a lovable composite of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1966) and a less murder-y version of Marvel’s Deadpool, using absurdism and humor to break down the fourth wall and the very idea of “normal,” with all its silly little boxes and prejudices. If that makes the book sound serious, it isn’t—and that might be the most effective way it makes its readers think about identity. Knocks down literary conventions, sexual stereotypes, the fourth wall, and more in enthusiastic defense of the weird.

the full review (with a few spoilers) can be found here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/julia-serano/99-erics/

The second review is from BookLife:

Serano (Whipping Girl) drenches readers in satire and absurdity in this “faux novel” written from the perspective of Kat Cataclysm, a wannabe author who decides to jumpstart her career by introducing more conflict into her life -- in the form of dating 99 men named Eric and novelizing the experience. With light chapters that recount Kat’s dates and failed relationships, the tone akin to conversational journal entries or letters to friends, Serano delves into issues of city life and contemporary romance, such as how money destroyed San Francisco or an analysis of Kat’s annoyance when straight men assume bi women will want a threesome ... The appeal, here, is in Kat’s noxious encounters with Erics and how she heroically mines them for witty considerations of the absurdities women face when dating -- and even occasional catharsis ... Takeaway: This meta-fictional satire in which a woman dates 99 Erics will please readers who favor pointed absurdity over emotion. Great for fans of: Daniel M. Lavery’s Something That May Shock And Discredit You, Spike Milligan’s Puckoon.

the full review (with a few spoilers) can be found here: https://booklife.com/project/99-erics-a-kat-cataclysm-faux-novel-52545

As always, you can learn more about 99 Erics (including free downloads, excerpts, virtual book readings, and how to purchase signed copies) at my website.

One final semi-related thing: Esquire recently published a piece called These 15 Feminist Books Will Inspire, Enrage, and Educate You, which includes my first book Whipping Girl!