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mrs_hanna_reads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
emilycdennis's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
necolep630's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
spenkevich's review against another edition
5.0
I am so happy and thankful for books such as this, protect it as it frequently faces bad-faith challanges for removal and should remain on shelves in public libraries. Once again, Gender Queer was cited by the American Library Association as the most challenged or banned book for the year (read the full list for 2023 here) in a year that saw 1, 247 demands to remove 4,240 unique titles among other library services, making for an alarming 65% surge from the previous year. But don't let that turn you away. Gender Queer, a graphic memoir by Maia Kobabe, is such an honest and open look at the author’s own path through understanding gender and sexuality.
This is a beautiful book that will be useful to anyone looking to reflect on better understand non-binary gender, particularly as the telling is so full of careful nuance that looks at all the many avenues and aspects of non-binary identity and shows how discovering the language to assess identity is key in helping process yourself. Using the Spivak pronouns e/em/eir, as in ‘ask em what’s in eir tea’, Kobabe shows how there are many ways to identify yourself in a way that feels true to yourself.
The path can be confusing, with Kobabe demonstrating how e grappled with different possible identities, realizing that asexual or trans were close but not quite right. For Kobabe, performing gender was less the issue as much as wanting to reduce gender—'I don't want MORE gendered traits, I was LESS'—and e’s journey is a really valuable story to help guide others in their own struggles with gender identity. Books like this one are really important, especially as this book can be read and understood at a younger age when finding yourself in the story will be super helpful and supportive. I wish I had found books like this when I was 14 instead of not realizing I was non-binary until my late 20s. Then it all clicked.
The poet [a:Charles Simic|25415|Charles Simic|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1614439085p2/25415.jpg] once wrote ‘everyone wants to explain the poem except the poet’ and in that spirit I feel like I shouldn’t explain too much and just encourage you to read this. A general overview of the ideas is useful but I feel like Kobabe’s nuanced approach would be far more educational. Another book that I would recommend along with it is the graphic nonfiction, [b:Gender: A Graphic Guide|45014042|Gender A Graphic Guide|Meg-John Barker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554896050l/45014042._SX50_.jpg|69679796]. It isn’t perfect but it gives a really useful overview and historical context.
This is a really well done memoir that is very moving. Maia very tenderly examined eir life journey and interpersonal relationships, as well as really demonstrates a love for reading. I particularly enjoyed this as so much of my own journey to figuring my gender identity and sexuality came from reading. Shoutout to the poets, you gave me the words to understand myself. I really appreciate e’s approach to showing how much language can help us unpack ourselves. There are some amazing descriptions here or fresh ways to look at ideas that are helpful, such as Kobabe describing gender as less of a spectrum and more of a landscape.
There are great discussions on using correct pronouns and why it is totally acceptable to ask others to identify you appropriately. 'Instead of asking people to do something to make you feel more comfortable, you'd rather just feel a little uncomfortable all the time?' someone asks Maia. While it is show how it can be difficult at first to switch pronouns (Maia included when having eir's first they/them professor), it also really shows the discomfort someone feels when being misgendered. Its a helpful and healthy lesson we can all learn.
An important book that I’d love to see on the shelves of every public library everywhere. This book tends to be frequently the center of bannings, all of which being tantrums with little to no rationality behind them. Maia Kobabe put out this wonderful respose in the Washington Post about the situation and reminds us that these books can be a lifeline for teens who need it.
This is a beautiful book that will be useful to anyone looking to reflect on better understand non-binary gender, particularly as the telling is so full of careful nuance that looks at all the many avenues and aspects of non-binary identity and shows how discovering the language to assess identity is key in helping process yourself. Using the Spivak pronouns e/em/eir, as in ‘ask em what’s in eir tea’, Kobabe shows how there are many ways to identify yourself in a way that feels true to yourself.
The path can be confusing, with Kobabe demonstrating how e grappled with different possible identities, realizing that asexual or trans were close but not quite right. For Kobabe, performing gender was less the issue as much as wanting to reduce gender—'I don't want MORE gendered traits, I was LESS'—and e’s journey is a really valuable story to help guide others in their own struggles with gender identity. Books like this one are really important, especially as this book can be read and understood at a younger age when finding yourself in the story will be super helpful and supportive. I wish I had found books like this when I was 14 instead of not realizing I was non-binary until my late 20s. Then it all clicked.
The poet [a:Charles Simic|25415|Charles Simic|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1614439085p2/25415.jpg] once wrote ‘everyone wants to explain the poem except the poet’ and in that spirit I feel like I shouldn’t explain too much and just encourage you to read this. A general overview of the ideas is useful but I feel like Kobabe’s nuanced approach would be far more educational. Another book that I would recommend along with it is the graphic nonfiction, [b:Gender: A Graphic Guide|45014042|Gender A Graphic Guide|Meg-John Barker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554896050l/45014042._SX50_.jpg|69679796]. It isn’t perfect but it gives a really useful overview and historical context.
This is a really well done memoir that is very moving. Maia very tenderly examined eir life journey and interpersonal relationships, as well as really demonstrates a love for reading. I particularly enjoyed this as so much of my own journey to figuring my gender identity and sexuality came from reading. Shoutout to the poets, you gave me the words to understand myself. I really appreciate e’s approach to showing how much language can help us unpack ourselves. There are some amazing descriptions here or fresh ways to look at ideas that are helpful, such as Kobabe describing gender as less of a spectrum and more of a landscape.
There are great discussions on using correct pronouns and why it is totally acceptable to ask others to identify you appropriately. 'Instead of asking people to do something to make you feel more comfortable, you'd rather just feel a little uncomfortable all the time?' someone asks Maia. While it is show how it can be difficult at first to switch pronouns (Maia included when having eir's first they/them professor), it also really shows the discomfort someone feels when being misgendered. Its a helpful and healthy lesson we can all learn.
An important book that I’d love to see on the shelves of every public library everywhere. This book tends to be frequently the center of bannings, all of which being tantrums with little to no rationality behind them. Maia Kobabe put out this wonderful respose in the Washington Post about the situation and reminds us that these books can be a lifeline for teens who need it.
lyricluciferin's review against another edition
3.75
Very relatable at times, interesting to see some experiences shared that I've not really seen talked about, have some qualms with parts of it, particularly the unevaluated bioessentialism even though it can help some folks find more security in their own identity.
soulforsolstice's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0