Several times each month, we are pleased to republish a recent book review from the Canadian Law Library Review (CLLR). CLLR is the official journal of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL/ACBD), and its reviews cover both practice-oriented and academic publications related to the law.
Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga. By Sam Elkin. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2024. 200 p. ISBN 9781771126656 (softcover) $29.99; ISBN 9781771126663 (ePUB); ISBN 9781771126670 (PDF).
Reviewed by Brianna Calomino
Digital Projects Librarian
University of Calgary
With a distinctive book cover featuring a crocheted penis that elicits a range of reactions from outrage to humour, Sam Elkin’s debut memoir is undoubtedly impactful. Offering eye-opening insights into the realities of working as the first LGBTQIA+ community outreach lawyer in Victoria, Australia, while publicly navigating his own transition, Elkin writes with a combination of raw honesty and a refreshingly self-aware sense of humour.
Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga is a creative non-fiction narrative that tackles the uphill battle of queer advocacy and community law in 2017, when same-sex marriage was legalized in Australia. Working as an underpaid social justice lawyer for a pilot project with St Kilda Legal Service, Elkin recounts the struggle of navigating a time where the lines between his personal and professional life became blurred. His journey begins with optimism, but as the realities of long hours, the need to turn away clients, shared queer traumas, and corporate funding politics become evident, a sense of disillusionment takes over. Elkin describes the challenge of managing all these responsibilities during his own transition while being asked to publicly speak on trans issues as akin to “perform[ing] the ‘trans lawyer’ curiosity show” (p. 206), making him feel “strangely used and exploited” (p. 51) as he strived to enact meaningful change. The shocking candour Elkin displays as he explains his transmasculine experience is an intimate account of navigating awkward voice therapy appointments, hormone treatments, daily misgendering, and, notably, the detachable, crocheted penis featured on the cover. Elkin provides thoughtful critiques on both community legal practices and the LGBTQIA+ community often found at war with itself: “If we couldn’t make room for nuanced discussions of forgiveness for breaches of the ever-changing protocols around language and theories of gender, how would we create a supportive community at all” (p. 124)?
Sitting at a scant 200 pages with compelling tone and subject matter, the writing mirrors that of a fictional novel (largely because it is dialogue-heavy) and is a fast read. There is no legal jargon, making it accessible to those without a background in law, but any overworked and underpaid legal practitioner will be able to deeply relate and sympathize with the uphill battle Elkin faces. Elkin’s tone, combining wit and genuine sincerity, is a pleasure to read. Since the St Kilda Legal Service is in Australia, the intricacies of Melbourne laws, healthcare, and local politics may not always be applicable to international readers; however, the overall fight for queer rights is a worldwide issue, and Elkin’s heartfelt commentary is universally relatable. This is not a formal legal critique with academic references and case citations for those seeking a more in-depth analysis, but rather a personal reflection with anecdotes on the challenges and dysfunction of the legal system for the LGBTQIA+ community during a turbulent period.
Overall, Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga is an insightful and worthwhile read for a broad audience. Whether you are a member of the queer community, an ally looking to understand more, a lawyer curious about community law practice, or a casual reader looking for a short read that packs a punch, Elkin’s work will entertain and enlighten in equal measure.
The post Book Review: Sam Elkin’s Detachable Penis: A Queer Legal Saga appeared first on Slaw.