My latest memoir was another Australian trans experience from Dr. Yves Rees but as a non-binary trans masculine presenting trans person ‘All about Yves’ comes from a unique perspective. This was my motivation to understand more about different experiences in the trans community which is especially important as I build deeper connections online and here in Melbourne. Additionally, the fact that Rees is a Historian their method of storytelling and connecting to the historical context of what it means to be trans is in some ways validating and specifically connected to my interests as teacher, academic and writer.

Structure

Yves Rees’s story follows a linear progression as they describe coming to terms with their identity, coming out and eventually progressing to seek hormones. However, regularly through this liner structure Rees’s will use their feelings or thoughts around contemporary events to segway into an account of childhood or young adulthood before bringing it back to the progress or uncertainty they were facing in their journey. Despite the different gender perspectives and experiences this brings Rees’s accounts of childhood, school or their journey as an adult is still relatable to a transwoman like me as the emotion, they felt towards their body are relatable. In many ways for myself, due to the Australian context or comparable age, but at times Rees’s journey was more relatable for me than some accounts from other transwomen I’ve read. However, I feel like it is more of a result due to the quality of the writing and use of vocabulary that allows Rees’s to describe specific events in their life but also explore their thought process and emotions in realistic way. Either way, for me it really helped to crystallise my own views and give me a shared language to explain various parts of my journey.

Historical and political discourse

The personal narrative is also interwoven with history and the larger political discourse around trans rights. This is done with skill and intellectual rigor which is again different from other memoirs which might use comedy, personal experience or even versions of political slogans to engage with this discourse. However, Rees explores the history of transgenderism, colonialism, and discrimination as they highlight the changes in medical classification as well as the promotion of the gender binary. Throughout these sections of more political discourse Rees provides sources and reference to a plethora of queer writers and figures that have been vocal throughout the 20^th century to move social perception and find their own truths. In this way reading or listening to the memoir on audible gave me a real sense of connection to community whether I read some of these sources or not I feel not only more informed about the history of oppression but also have built a better understanding of myself through this education.

Feminism

As part of this discourse Rees struggles throughout their journey with the question of feminism as they move beyond the binary. This surfaces several times throughout the memoir as Rees must work out as someone that was AFAB and now identifies as trans what this means for their own identity as a feminist. This topic occupies a large conversation with their mother about the earlier stages of Rees’s journey and is at the time left unresolved. Rees chooses to revisit the notion of feminism at the very end of the memoir to conclude that feminism is served by moving away from the gender binary which is a tool of patriarchy. This interpretation not only makes sense considering the current social discourses where TERFs attempting to enforce and emphasis the binary is consistently appealing to right – wing conservatives and misogynists but also presents a way forward to continue to undo the evils of patriarchy. It is unfortunately one that is unlikely to be heard by those that need it most but alongside the use of historical and literary references it is well articulated and carries the reader to the logical conclusion.

Overall, I highly recommend picking up “All about Yves” however it is going to be more dense reading then other memoirs, it also might draw you into being angrier at the world as Rees does unpack the subtle cultural discrimination that have contributed to many of us remaining closeted, suffering in silence. At the same time, if you are looking to learn more about our community and want to engage in advocacy it is definitely a great place to start.