My take on the @/MavenOfMayhem situation is:

a). Trans women have a right to talk about the fact that cis women writing about them get more attention than they do when talking about themselves. They shouldn't be painted as angry or jealous for doing so.

b). Amanda is one of the best allies I've ever seen and her book is the only good example of that genre I can think of. It is the only one that really takes into account how trans lives actually are and is bursting with love and respect. She deserves every success she has gotten.

c). I also think it's important to remember that her book is aimed as a beginner's read that is sympathetic to people whose family members have come out and are at a loss. It's a way to help those family members understand, it's not meant to be the end all be all of trans lit.

The hope would be that it provides a safe empathetic way for a clueless cis family member to learn the basics - how to love, respect, support their trans friends and family - and that they would then go on to learn more, from actual trans people.

d). To that end, Amanda has been amazing at promoting and sharing the writing of trans people, including my own. She has a huge platform and she has used it to boost our voices over and over again, in a great act of allyship.

e). Amanda is not directly responsible for the cissexist bias among buyers and in the publishing industry. Personally, I don't think she has taken up space that should have gone to a trans person because the niche she is filling is different (again, as an intro to the topic).

If she did that and then ignored all trans writers I would have concerns, but she didn't and doesn't. She is constantly boosting the work of trans creators.

f). I don't think the trans women talking about her as an example of cis privilege (cis people getting lots of money and a big platform for talking about trans women, while trans women get murdered for talking about themselves) deserve to be attacked by anyone.

They are not wrong and they are not being hateful to Amanda by discussing that there is an issue of bias and privilege happening here.

g). But equally, that does not mean that Amanda isn't doing good work or that she doesn't deserve her success because she is and she does. I know that she has deactivated for now and I really really hope she is doing okay and is spending the time offline with her family