Title: Two Women Are Opposite Sex
Author: Marcus Westfall
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1449070489
Pages: 280
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers

Read Book Review

Something which has certainly become more prevalent in recent years but has always existed is the question of gender identities. Between the rise of people being able to identify as the gender of their choosing, and the exploration of why society has labeled certain tasks or social events to be geared more towards men, while others were geared towards women, gender identity is a powerful and much-needed goal to help bring a clearer since of equality and share in a more inclusive society as a whole. As Gloria Steinem once said, “A gender-equal society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone can be themselves.”

In author Marcus Westfall’s Two Women Are Opposite Sex, the author explores the concept of gender identity and gender roles as a whole in the landscape of society. Written almost like a play, the author explores a core group of people and those around them from childhood all the way to adulthood. From needing one’s permission to touch another person, to slow dancing with someone of the same sex, and even what we dress in, the author showcases the discrimination and judgement that men face whenever they partake in behavior or interests that are typically looked upon favorably for women.

The author did an incredible job of taking on a powerful topic which really impacts the modern reader. This is a subject that has always amazed me, as the idea that certain colors, certain clothes, or even certain displays of intimacy can somehow determine a person’s sexuality is ridiculous, as these things shouldn’t be confined to any one genre. Especially when the human civilization has undergone changes over the course of its existence that redefine gender roles time and time again. Centuries ago, men in high standing socially would wear high heels, while ancient Egyptian pharaohs and men of status would wear eye shadow and paint their nails. Yet over the last century especially there has been this idea that men have to behave a certain way and do certain things to be considered a man. The author’s ability to craft memorable characters that defy these notions and create a complex and emotional narrative that shows both sides of the argument in a poignant way was amazing to read.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy fictional stories, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction that infuses modern issues impacting social standings and gender roles. The heartfelt way the author shares these stories and shows how a man shouldn’t be judged or critiqued, let alone have his sexuality questioned, for liking things that society has determined should only be feminine, was enrapturing to say the least.

Impactful, heartfelt, and engaging, author Marcus Westfall’s Two Women Are Opposite Sex is a must-read book. The author really packs a punch and hits some important topics, and while the narrative does have some instances of grammar and punctuation that could be edited to help the story flow overall, the theme and message the author gets through by the book’s end is a powerful reflection of the judgmental nature of our society, and how we can change to accept people for who they are, and not what fears they make stoke in the fabric of the world we have always known.