Struggling for Ordinary

Across the seven chapters of his book, Cavalcante traces a clean arc from the history of transgender media portrayals, to how those portrayals shaped what trans people thought possible in their own lives, to the strategies trans audiences developed to manage the affective toll of negative portrayals, and finally to how media became (limited) tools to managing the accomplishment of quotidian tasks. -- International Journal of Communication
Struggling for Ordinarymakes important contributions to media studies and LGBTQ scholarship. As part of media studies, reception studies strives to see audiences as individuals rather than nameless monoliths, and Cavalcante's research takes care to present specific, contextualized perspectives. * Popmatters.com *

Ultimately, Andre Cavalcante's book is an empathic and historically significant exploration of trans visibility in American society. Though a reader's familiarity with queer theory would be beneficial, it is not a requirement... each in-depth interview successfully amplifies intimate lives and exposes insights into the struggles and reflections of each participant's pursuit of the ordinary. Those who have an interest in trans studies; oral history/life history narratives of trans, gender-variant, and queer identified individuals; queer theory; and/or media studies
will find Cavalcante's work particularly relevant

-- Oral History Review
Struggling for Ordinarychronicles the complexities of transgender media experiences and challenges commonplace assumptions about how audiences are influenced by media. Dedicated to giving trans voices and experiences a generous space, Cavalcante compassionately details how trans folk participate in queer worldmaking. This book serves as a model for other scholars working with underrepresented populations. -- Isaac West,author of Transforming Citizenships: Transgender Articulations of the Law
Struggling for Ordinaryis a richly detailed account of transgender encounters with the media in a rapidly changing environment. Providingan engaging snapshot of how transgender people have negotiated with trans images, Cavalcante finds these images to be tools for trying on andimagining new selves, and for making a life in which transgender becomes integrated into everyday, ordinary life. An innovative and unique study. -- Joshua Gamson,author of Modern Families: Stories of Extraordinary Journeys to Kinship