We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film

The awards that journalist Anderson (host of the podcasts What a Day and FANTI) has won for writing about marginalized people and communities in entertainment and pop culture give this volume about trans visibility in film and television a solid pedigree. Merging memoir and media study, the author spotlights trans narratives, past and current, while reflecting on the ways those stories have crossed their own personal journey of identity. The advancements in and frustrations of media representation are sharply observed, but the gems of this volume are Anderson’s spotlights on people (Laverne Cox; RuPaul), TV shows (Pose), films (Tangerine), and characters who, though often unacknowledged, have provided instances of LGBTQIA+ visibility that are just as vital. Anderson effectively demonstrates the power that self-recognition—even in slivers and fragments—can fuel those that are hungry for it.