Let us play Winning the battle for gender diverse athletes

Investigative journalist Rachel Browne and Harrison Browne, the first transgender professional hockey player, are not only coauthors but also siblings who have teamed up to address the "moral panic" fueling attacks against gender diverse athletes and present a compelling defense. Whether it's Harrison's first-hand experiences in the aptly titled introduction, "She Shoots, He Scores," or dispelling misconceptions with arguments for inclusion, this book succeeds in clearly exploring topics that range from the current political climate to hormones, the Olympics, locker-room etiquette, and NCAA rules and regulations by forgoing overly technical language. Let Us Play offers a compelling case of a human-rights issue while reminding readers that gender-diverse athletes, like cisgender athletes, just want to play freely and be part of a team. The authors offer an antidote to the political vitriol with a vision on moving forward without being a threat to women's sports. Part of the Queer Action/Queer Ideas Series, this features gender-diverse athletes from high school to the world-class level and includes a glossary, action items, and discussion topics.

Teaming up to make sports more inclusive. Frustrated by the "the worsening tide of anti-trans rhetoric and legislation" that has characterized our political system, Harrison Browne, the first-ever transgender professional hockey player, teams up with his sister, investigative journalist Rachel Browne, to analyze the causes, effects, and rhetoric behind anti-trans policies in high school, college, and professional sports that exclude transgender athletes from competing with teams that align with their identity rather than with their sex assigned at birth. Drawing on the stories of transgender athletes like boxer Patricio Manuel, runner CeCé Telfer, and swimmer Schuyler Bailar, the book exposes the inherent flaw underlying trans-exclusion laws: the idea that women are weaker than men. The authors write, "The fairness conversation, when viewed through the lens of women's sports and women athletes, misleads people into thinking that physicality is the only thing that makes it fair, that women aren't capable, and their bodies need to be protected and policed at all costs." They argue that the advent of trans athletes provides an opportunity to shift the conversation away from toxically masculine ideas about feminine fragility and toward the lens of access for all, a discussion that is particularly important given that engaging in sports saves transgender people's lives. This well-researched, trenchantly argued, and compassionately written book is a must-read for those invested in the fight against transphobia. Deftly combining memoir-style profiles of trans athletes with political analysis, the authors clearly and adeptly dismantle both the patriarchal, transphobic basis of anti-trans policies and our preconceived notions about gender, ability, and sport. A strong argument for dismantling gender segregation in sports. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.