Gender Queer: A Memoir

I love this book as a cisgendered straight man. I hope it is helpful to a lot of people in increasing their understanding of themselves and empathy to others.

Loved it and learned so much. Thank you for sharing you experience.

I read it before because I had gotten some severe misinformation about it. Research. I rather liked it and found out half the people who've been complaining about it never read it. Go read it. I bought two other used copies to leave in little free libraries far away from schools. You don't watch your kids and they gain the ability to sympathize with people who are different from them that's on you.

As an elderly heterosexual male, I found Gender Queer to be a worthwhile exploration of the author's development and struggle with their own identity and sexuality. It has very little to do with me, except for the generalized fact that we all question our nature and place in the world, in one way or another, during adolescence.Even so, I am reminded of the quotation from Terence, "I am human, and I consider nothing human to be alien to me."The book does not come to any profound conclusions, but is a reminder that there are many ways of being human, and that we should be kind to one another.The idea that there is anything pornographic about this book is baffling and risible.

Why did it take me so long to read this, it is so good it resonates with part of me I never thought it would as someone who identifies male and is male by birth. It's just so well done they put their emotions on the page and they're plainly there and easily accessible. I know part of why it took me so long to read is I get nervous about books that everyone proclaims are amazing because I build up how they should be and how I feel it will be and then I'm let down. Only this time I wasn't it was everything I thought it would be it was the author putting their emotions onto the page and just letting it all be there.

I've considered myself progressive for most of my life. I've been marching for civil/women's/enviro/voting/gay/healthcare/housing/gun control/children's rights since the Kent State shootings. This book has made me all too aware that I haven't sufficiently kept up with LGBTQIA+ rights. I learned so much from reading this book. I especially loved the snail graphic as Maia's introspective questions spiraled into a nautical shape. Read up on the sexuality of snails to discover the reproductive systems of these gastropods: as fluid (& natural) as He-->She and every permutation in-between.I'm glad the question of misogyny came up because I too couldn't find anything that Maia appreciated about females. E loathed every female aspect of eirself and, with the exception of eir mom & sister, not sure about other females either. I was also lost when the graphic of a family health crisis with an IV in a hand appeared out of nowhere. I backtracked thinking I had skipped a page. I hadn't. Any clue?It's imperative we vanquish the fundamentalists who suppress and oppress self-actualization.

Maia Kobabe's "Gender Queer: A Memoir" is like sitting down with a close friend and hearing eir deepest thoughts on gender identity. It's real, it's raw, and it's incredibly relatable.This graphic novel is all about Kobabe's personal journey. Ey don't hold back, sharing the highs and lows of figuring out eir gender identity. It's refreshing to read something so honest and down-to-earth.But it's not just about Kobabe. Through eir story, you get a crash course in gender diversity. Ey break down stereotypes and show that gender isn't just black and white – it's a whole rainbow.What really shines through is Kobabe's courage. Despite the struggles and doubts, ey embrace who ey are with unapologetic confidence. It's inspiring stuff that'll make you want to live your truth too.The artwork is stunning too. Kobabe's illustrations capture the emotions perfectly, pulling you into eir world with every page turn.In short, "Gender Queer" is a must-read for anyone curious about gender identity. It's like a warm hug and a wake-up call all rolled into one. So grab a copy, settle in, and get ready to see the world in a whole new light.

Bought this book because it keeps showing up on banned book lists and had to know what it is about. I ended up reading it in one sitting. The story is engaging and I think the author does an excellent job at conveying concepts that are often hard to give voice to, even now when the language around gender has expanded.I'm not sure why people are complaining about the "mature" content of this book, especially given that this book is intended for high school and older aged readers (rated for 14+). Yes, there's some awkward life moments depicted in the comic but life is awkward. This isn't a young adult fantasy novel where parallels to current societal anxieties are carefully hidden behind allegories. This is a autobiographical story about one person's journey on the path of self discovery and acceptance. For some of us this is a story we sorely needed when we were younger as it would have let us know that we were not alone and for others it is an educational journey about a life perspective completely different from one's own.What I truly cherish about this story, though, is that it is free from the typical trauma porn that LGBTQ+ stories marketed towards the mainstream have. This story is about a person from a relatively well-meaning albeit sometimes clueless family unit (with some positive exceptions). The lack of external antagonists (whether they be societal or inter-personal), allows the narrative to focus on what is most important - the author's personal journey.

I saw a comic today about banned books, Gender Queer was one of them discussed. Clearly the people against it (and other banned books) had not actually read them.I did not want to be like them, so I looked for this on Amazon and found it free to read with my Unlimited subscription.I am very glad to have read it and highly recommend it. I shows a perspective of life that many are unfamiliar with. We need to be open to other ways of looking at life. Accepting.Maia was fun and reminded me of many of my students when I taught 8th grade. I always tried to respect them and expected them to respect each other and themselves.Back to the banning issue.I can see how many young people NEED to read this book. They have questions, issues, feelings that need to be addressed. They need to know that they are not alone and that there is hope for a happy life.Adults need to read this and remember how it was when we were their age. And how we must be prepared to protect the you g as they mature and not damage them.This book is not pornography. It deals with adult issues in a matter of fact way which makes some people uncomfortable. Perhaps they need to be aware that THEY make people uncomfortable as well.PS - If someone asks that they be addressed in a certain way be respectful and honor their wishes.Read everyday and read for fun!

I am an 85-year old christian (white-protestant) woman and find nothing objectionable in this book. It is a book for mature middle school children and up. I am grateful to learn, at this point in life, genetic factors (chromosomes) that make us male, female and otherwise. Others have criticized the "comic book" format as dumbing down. I am of the opinion that a picture can be worth 10,000 words. The author is an artist and has conveyed eir experiences and emotions effectively through words and drawings. I am questioning why my education in biology left out the chromosomes that were other than XX (genetic female) and XY (genetic male). This is an excellent book and I have purchased two copies--one for myself and one for my grandchildren. I believe God created all people to be loved and accepted for who they are; to be entitled to live full and rich lives. The vilifying of "other gender" people is a tragedy and only through education can this be corrected. LBGTQ+ deserve no less. They have much to contribute to society and to the world.

If you are an individual that strives to honor everyone where they are, even if not fully understood, then I highly suggest reading this magnificent piece of cartoon style literature. I can’t sing enough praises for this book. Really “hearing” someone’s story with your heart is a must if we truly want to achieve equality for all people in this world. I do not know the pain and anguish that this author has gone through trying to find “er” right identity, but after reading this zine, I am better equipped to embrace all areas of life on a deeper level. I grew up bullied, moving multiple times each year…always “the new kid”, sometimes “the fat kid”, trying to find my own identity and how I fit in with other kids my age while vacillating back and forth from East to West schools. Different hairstyles, different clothing styles, different lingo used. Always the kid that had to walk into the classroom, in the middle of a the school year, all alone, pink slip in hand, while all the other kids stared at me as the teacher mis-pronounced or shortened my name. I was too embarrassed to correct them. I was humiliated and mortified numerous times a year…what I experienced, is only the tip of the iceberg for the Gender Queer, but none-the-less traumatizing in its own damaging way. Not knowing where we fit in as younger versions of ourselves is universal. What a lovely world it would be if we were all allowed to be our own brilliant, beautiful selves in what ever way we chose to show up, Accepted and loved unconditionally! Kudos to Maia Kobabe for “er” bravery and commitment to bringing Gender Queer awareness to the forefront. ALL THE COOL KIDS ARE READING THIS BOOK…I HOPE YOU WILL BE ONE OF THEM!

After listening to all the hoopla about unacceptable books in school libraries, I decided to read one of the more often demonized books to see for myself. Actually, it's a rather poignant story about a young person's struggle with gender identity issues and not nearly as salacious as it's made out to be. I don't think it's appropriate for kids younger than about 14 or 15, but that said I don't think it should be banned. Granted, there may be other books on similar subjects that are more problematic, but I personally didn't find this book to be one that needs to be thrown on the bonfire.My real complaint is that it's a darn comic book. It purports to be adolescent literature, but what little text there is seems to be written at about a third grade level. The book is mostly pictures. I've noticed this trend before. A year or so ago I took my at the time 10 year old granddaughter to Barnes and Nobel to get some books. I think she was looking at the Beverly Cleary Beezus and Ramona series. I remember my daughter reading Cleary, but at that time they were honest-to-goodness books with an occasional picture. Now they've been dumbed down to the point that it's no longer really reading.I now understand why the college freshmen I teach have such poor command of the English language. If they read at all, what they're reading is probably nothing more than glorified comic books.

If you’re looking for a book to read for Pride month or to learn more about gender identity this is it!Maia Kobabe does a wonderful job at bringing us through eir life. E take us from the start when e first noticed feeling a little bit different. As we go through eir life we feel for em and start to understand how ey feel. E did an incredible job of sharing eir experience so that someone who has not been through what ey are going through can understand.Something I really enjoyed was the fact that ey shared facts about gender as well. We have a few pages that go into detail explaining how gender identity can be caused due to chromosomes and hormones. It was something I never knew before and think it is so important that everyone does.The art in this was beautiful. I love Maia’s style. It brought me into eir world and made me love the story even more.Overall I can’t recommend this book enough. Gender identity is something a lot of people don’t understand at the moment and I think this book does a wonderful job explaining it. Even people like me who support people with their gender identity can’t know what it’s like and I truly learned so much and am grateful I did.Thank you Maia for sharing your story🫶🏻

I just finished reading Maia's amazing book. It's a fast, fun and at times poignant read.Gender Queer is a memoir in which Maia tells of how e grew up and learned to make space to live, thrive and find joy outside rigidly defined boundaries of gender and sexuality in American dominating culture. The story is deeply personal and covers the landscape of childhood and mature friendships, attraction, crushes, gender roles and stereotypes, erotic fantasy, masturbation, pleasure, dating, relationships, sex, childbirth, and marriage.I found these landscapes familiar, and the episodes and internal dialogues relatable even when the particulars were so very different from my own experiences. The stories are at different times funny, cringe-inducing, sweet and painful. By the end I felt like I had gotten to know Maia and some of the people in eir life. I developed an empathy for em, which is really what the point of the memoir was, I suppose.Gender Queer is an important book at this moment especially for cisgender folks like myself. Dominating cultures always tell people who aren't happy with the structures forced upon them that they are confused (or worse). Ironically, these cultures often flatter themselves as championing liberty. Those that wish to work for liberation must learn to empathize and listen to one another. Cisgender people must listen to and develop empathy for gender queer (and more broadly trans and all non-binary) folks if we have any aspirations for liberation for all.Maia's story is a gift for those that will listen. Thank you Maia!

This is a great book written for those working through their journey to understand and discover themselves and their place in the world. This story walks you through the authors life and trying to figure out their feelings about gender, sexuality and their idenity. The author recommends this book for older teenagers over 16, young adults and adults. While there is a scene in this book that describes a sex scene, it would be very helpful for those struggling to understand who they are and the feelings they are having. I do not believe this should be in school libraries, but it should 100% be available in a public library and book stores far and wide. For those clutching their pearls about the content of this book, they should peruse the search/website history of their kids and teens because it is no different, at least your teenager is actually reading if you find this in their room or bookbag. For parents whose children and young adults are trying to understand themselves, this would be a great way to open up some dialog with them and help them understand various LGBTQ issues and terminology. I highly recommend this book and beg libraries and stores far and wide to keep it on their shelves and fight book bans. Fantastic book, two thumbs up!!

Graphic novel memoir + queer rep!Maia, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, wrote a cathartic autobiography that shows eir journey of self identity.Teen crushes, coming out to family, and so much more is discussed as Maia describes eir journey from a young child through adulthood.Read if you love…- graphic novels- queer rep- non-binary & asexual rep- memoirsI went into this completely blind, and binge read this graphic novel in less than an hour. All I have to say is put this at the top of your TBR immediately. This one is a must read.Maia’s self identity journey is one that needs to be talked about more. We need more non-binary & asexual representation within books because there are so many people who identify as non-binary & asexual but so rarely see themselves in media.The graphic novel was stunning, in both the art and the way Maia told eir story. I’ve slowly gotten into graphic novels lately and I don’t regret it; there’s so much spoken through the images.I found myself relating to parts of Maia’s story, getting emotional about what so many go through & feel but is rarely talked about, and just sat with this one for awhile after finishing it.This is an absolute must read!Trigger warnings: dysphoria; medical trauma/content; blood; sexual content; transphobia; homophobia; deadnaming; body shaming; panic attacks; biphobia; bullying; acephobia/arophobia; misogyny

I try to be an open minded person and not just accept things at face value. While watching a news channel, I heard about this book and at first I was appalled. I'm A 71 year old Christian female., but again I want to understand and accept people for, who they are and not what I believe they should be. This book opened my mind to a different way to look at gender. While I don't believe this book should be available in school libraries, I could see it as helpful to anyone who has gender confusion as this author experienced. It is a book that should be available, just not in a school library. It would be better if educators who notice a student struggling with gender identification to reach out to the parents and mention this as a book for their child. That way the parent still remains the decision maker to their underage Child's reading material. Happy reading!

I am a queer nonbinary punk actively seeking top surgery. I've had a lot of struggles re gender and the whole shebang. So I am just surprised how I didn't relate better to this story.First need to address...I heard about this work bc of all the anti trans / anti rainbow crew histeria over school libraries over the last couple of years especially. Does this piece have some explicit sexual content ? Yes. Is it "grooming" or going to compel young ppl to immediately go out and seek sexual experiences they aren't ready for? Absolutely not in my opinion. The sexual content was w in the context of someone trying to figure themselves out and it was a lot healthier than some of what I was exposed to as a kid bc it was framed in a consent driven way. And come on let's face it. I know absolutely no one who was comfortable w their first encounters w sex talks. Books like these don't ruin anything. They can help, however, bc I never saw anything other than straight sex talks not mentioning anything about "hey are you comfortable with this" and so on. This book had that and that was what I liked about it. Books like this need to exist and need to be available for young ppl.What this didn't have in my opinion was tonal consistency or literary excellence. The author describes experiences well past undergrad but with the linguistic artistry of a high school student. Things were getting repetitive. The struggle in real life *is repetitive so it might be realistic but it's not necessarily going to translate to a good book. There were relatively obscure words to define gender and sexuality but at the same time the author didn't find other ways to describe an important event besides "that means the world to me."And by the end it just felt like the issue the character/person is having is not the struggle of identity but the struggle of just thinking about identity. Like a damn Woody Allen movie.*Not bc the question of gender and sexuality isn't complex. Not bc we shouldn't think about it and question it often. But bc it was just repeating on the page, all of these wonderful supportive ppl coming and going seemingly to just be toys leading to the main character's sense of self. Like some queer magic pixie dream ppl. Never thought this would come across w the same vibes as Garden State but queer.I don't think I'm the target audience. That's true. I'm in my thirties I've wrestled with some of the questions central to the work. I just thought it could be cut by half of the length w out losing anything. But not for the reasons I have learned about in the news.Would still be first in line to order this for the library if I was a librarian bc there just isn't enough content for ppl like me when we were young and didn't see ourselves anywhere.

Porn? No. This book does indeed contain some sexual content for which elementary and middle school kids will not yet have context. However, high schoolers and up will not have any special puerile interest in it. They will already have giggled over much more explicit material on the internet, although that will have been ugly and devoid of meaning. Instead, this sensitive and well-rendered memoir inspires compassion and empathy with its depiction of a compelling real-life (and ongoing) coming-of-age story.For all people, this period in life involves a changing understanding of what it means to inhabit one’s maturing body and to be one's gender, and an anxious concern with what potential sexual relationships one might (or might not) ever have with others. Self-worth seems in doubt, and there is the uncertain hope for acceptance and support from society, for true friends, and for a committed, loving partner. For a nonbinary and bisexual or asexual person, this journey is particularly fraught, although even for cisgender and heterosexual readers the memoir is surprisingly relatable.If you want or need to understand more about the very real and actually common gender and sexual identity struggles young people face, this book will be informative and helpful. For some readers it will probably be life-saving in an almost universally rejecting world; for their sakes I applaud Kobabe’s personal bravery in producing and sharing it. A graphic novel is the right medium for this, and e does a high-quality and effective job covering the ground. Buy it, read it, speak well of it, and become a better person for understanding those different from you; or perhaps for understanding that there is so much the same between you and them, private thoughts about sex and all.

Firstly, I have to say that this illustrated memoir is absolutely NOT pornography. It is clearly marked for ages 18; the few art portions that include nudity are illustrated memories from the author. Nudity does not equate to pornography. Please stop shaming others about naked bodies and work through your own prudishness.Secondly, this memoir is for anyone who wants to open their mind and heart to understanding the journey of someone else, especially someone “under the umbrella” of LGBTQA+. You will cry and laugh and learn. Please don’t shy away from reading it because a few homophobic, transphobic bigots waged war against it in these comments. Also, I reported them because they were clearly hateful and not really about the book at all.Thirdly, this book and this author gave voice (and amazing illustrations) to my younger, confused self. Thank you for that. We all need to find and hear and see ourselves in the world. Think about the books or film or toys or heroes you have had in your own life. LGBTQA+ folx also need they very same inspirations to feel whole and seen and loved.Lastly, please be kind to others especially people you have nothing in common with. It’s so much harder to be kind to someone you dislike or don’t understand or know well. If you think someone is an abomination and going to the alleged hellfire then do what Jesus would do: love thy neighbor. Love. Them.