Symptoms of Being Human

by Jeff Garvin

[Angie]

If you want to learn more about gender fluidity and read a great story about self acceptance and the power of the internet, then I'd highly recommend Symptoms of Being Human. Riley has recently started identifying as gender fluid: some days they feel more feminine and other days more masculine. However, Riley is not "out." With a politician for a father, Riley's family is always in the spot light and that's not what Riley wants at all. They just want to blend in, especially at their new school. Although blending in does cause Riley to stick out.

Symptoms of Being Human is all about Riley dealing with anxiety and their identity. As part of that, their therapist recommended starting an anonymous blog to share Riley's experience with learning that they're gender fluid, what that actually means, and how day to day life is for them. Riley's blog is funny, sad, enlightening, and just real. Of course, we also get to see how the internet is not always a nice, accepting place which becomes evident when Riley gains a stalker who know who is really behind the blog which threatens Riley's safe space.

I do have to admit that in the beginning I was wonder what gender Riley was assigned at birth. It's never revealed. Any references to Riley's birth gender/sex are danced around with neutral words. But at about 100 pages in, I realized that I wasn't even wondering anymore. I was just immersed in Riley's story and wanting to know what would happen next as they start making friends and find a community to be a part of. However, there was one point where keeping gendered words out felt forced and more like a way to keep up the "mystery." I didn't like that at all.

Symptoms of Being Human was a great read. It was hard at times, because Riley does go through some very tough moments which broke my heart and upset my stomach. But it's not an overall sad book. It's very hopeful and informative, while still having an interesting story that I think a lot of people can relate to, no matter what their gender identity is.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.