A suitable introduction to the field of law enforcement with a salutary, rarely seen focus.
This small but ambitious book in the Women of Action series profiles 16 American women who were or are involved in law enforcement, describing their specific jobs while simultaneously showing the painfully slow entry of women into this field.
The author’s recommendation of “adult guidance for younger readers” is not to be dismissed lightly: after a brief introduction, the first chapter uses the example of a young, flogged-to-death pregnant prisoner to underline the urgency for social reform in the 1800s. Next, the text gives short biographies of the first women to work in law enforcement: the so-called matrons who paved the way for “police in petticoats.” With each biography, and in many of the sidebars, readers are presented with examples of sexism that still plagues the field, from the combination gun holster/makeup kit for 1942 policewomen in New York City through the elimination of all female FBI agents from 1929 to 1972 to the premature resignation of the FBI’s first female profiler in 1984, due to feeling “constantly under evaluation by the all-male managers.” Most of the biographies concentrate on women who have persevered to do work that gives them satisfaction for reasons both personal and altruistic. Commendably, biographical information extends into 2015. The writing is generally accessible, so the overuse of exclamation points feels condescending.
A suitable introduction to the field of law enforcement with a salutary, rarely seen focus. (author’s note, introduction, resources, notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61373-422-3
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2016
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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