A review by veleda_k
Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall by St. Sukie de la Croix

informative reflective medium-paced

2.0

I think this an important books. It's a topic dear to my heart that deserves more attention. But book itself does not, in my opinion live up to what it needs to be. The writing feels unfocused, despite being broken up to categories.  But my main problem is how it deals with trans history. It's one thing to be muddled and inconsistent with names and pronouns for pre-20th century figures, who didn't have the labels we have now (though I still think de la Croix could have addressed the subject with more thought and clarity), but known figures like Christine Jorgensen are deadnamed and misgendered. This feels more a "gay and lesbian" history, with half-assed trans history tacked on.