Trans Pleasure

"What a relief it is to finally move out of the institutional settings—medical, psychotherapeutic, legal—that impose meaning on trans women, and to instead settle into an exploration of their experiences of pleasure, comfort, and agency. In Trans Pleasure, Brandon Andrew Robinson turns over the mic to trans women to describe who and what they love and desire—a reality that is much queerer, more t4t, and dare I say more lesbian, than the dominant narrative would have us believe. Here, trans women remind us that good sex is not only about pleasure, but also witnessing and comfort."—Jane Ward, author of The Tragedy of Heterosexuality and Not Gay

"Finally—a sociological book that takes trans desire and pleasure seriously! Trans Pleasure is a revolutionary study—an accessibly written, full-throated takedown of compulsory heterosexuality, with what Robinson calls a trans twist. Foregrounding the dating, romantic, and sexual lives of trans women and femmes, especially folks of color, Trans Pleasure maps new and exciting paths to reimagining gender and sexuality and fostering gender liberation and sexual freedom."—Angela Jones, author of Camming: Money, Power, and Pleasure in the Sex Work Industry

"Robinson offers a powerful intervention into the politics of desire, showing how trans women and femmes navigate the sometimes-fraught boundaries of intimacy and identity. Meticulously researched and expansively theorized, Trans Pleasure bridges trans and sexuality studies to illuminate the affective and material stakes of gendered life. It’s a vital, affirming, and transformative text with revolutionary insights into how we ought to (make) love."—TJ Billard, Associate Professor, School of Communication, Northwestern University