Gender Queer is Maia Kobabe's phenomonal memoir and queer coming-of-age story about how e came to understand eir gender and sexuality. I can't believe I didn't read this sooner, as this definitely ranks highly as one of the best graphic memoirs / queer graphic novels out there.

I'm about half a generation younger than Maia, and SO many aspects of eir adolescent moments of gender and sexuality confusion resonated deeply with me that I could write pages upon pages about everything that stood out to me. The art and color throughout is just gorgeous, and the way e describe things feels fresh, informative, and easily accessible. I particularly love the way Kobabe uses metaphors involving plants and nature to discuss eir relationship with gender - two scenes that stick out to me are eir description of nonbinary gender being like a plant whose leaves e recognize (things like wanting a different name, feeling confusion about who e are attracted to, etc.) but that for so long e could not name the plant itself, and also the way e describe gender like a landscape, where people might be born on a mountain or by the sea, some people might need to journey to where they want to live, and some people might want to live somewhere in-between like a forest. And also the page comparing taking off eir binder to being like a snake shedding its skin, since e were a snake-obsessed kid! My only nitpick would be that the ending felt a bit abrupt to me - I think I wanted a final moment of holistic reflection about eir gender journey and where e think e might go next.

I can't wait to go out and recommend this to anyone I know who hasn't read it yet. This would be a great read for queer readers looking to see some of their experiences reflected on page & for anyone looking to educate themselves about these topics. Definitely for more mature readers only because there are some extended sections that deal with sex/masturbation/fantasies/etc, but it makes me so angry to see this book challenged or banned so frequently, because this is such an important and informative book and I hope that every person who needs it is able to access it. I could also absolutely see a college women's and gender studies class getting so much out of this book; I honestly wish I could go back to college and write a whole essay about it! I also really love the bonus materials in this edition, especially Kobabe's alternate cover designs (so beautiful) and being able to see original drafts and versions of pages before they were colored. Bottom line: everyone should read this book!

Reading this memoir was cathartic. I read it all in one go as I was thoroughly hooked.

I loved reading about eir journey through eir sexuality and gender and how it was an ever evolving path. I identified quite heavily with some moment and the portions where e struggled with eir relationship/detatchement to sex made me feel incredibly seen and hit me quite hard.

This was a eye opening and educational book as well as the first place I've come across the pronouns e/em/eir and I will include them in my vocabulary going forward.

An utterly wonderful autobiographical graphic novel about the author's experience with gender identity through youth and adulthood. This will undoubtably be an important read for so many with similar experiences.

Absolutely fantastic exploration of gender, that I think would hit close to home for a lot of those questioning their identity, as well as be a fantastic read for cis people to help understand a different experience. I appreciate Kobabe's handling of this topic and being so open with eir journey, with all that includes for em.

Absolutely loved reading this memoir. Maia's personality shines through so well, and having not come across e/em/eir pronouns I felt like I'd really learned something through reading it too. The illustrations are great, and once I'd started reading I had to finish it in one go as I didn't want to turn away from Maia's journey. A fantastic book to share with anyone that wants to read about another journey of self-identity from someone in the LGBTQ+ community.

Thank you to Netgalley and the pulisher for giving me access to an advanced copy of this book.

Gender Queer is a well done exploration into the author's discovery of eir identity, the obstacles encountered, and the support received on eir way.
I adore the art style and colouring and I had a good time reading through the book. It's so important for gender queer people to be able to share their/eir stories freely - not only centered around trauma, but also the process of self-discovery.
I think this will make a good primer for younger audiences and will expose them to the spectrum of gender as well as to people who operate outside that paradigm.

Where I do think this work fell short is that something felt missing - I think it's always difficult in memoir to decide what to share, especially with such important topics, but I do think that the avoidance seemed too palpable and could have been written around better.

I found this book really, really brave, amazing, liberating and honest! It's like one of the best non fiction/memoir I have read in a while, and it's a graphic book, so what are you all waiting for? Just grab a copy and start it!

I'm not sure we can ever get enough of these stories, both for people are struggling with their gender identity and those who never have. This was honest and creatively presented. I will recommend it to everyone.

I'm not even going to try to summarize this, it's such a big chunk of someone's life from childhood to adulthood, I wouldn't know where to start.

This was so very good. It represented so many part of gender-questioning and queerness in general and I loved every second of it. It was captivating and so very important. I recognized some of my own feelings in it and it made me feel seen and i feel like I learned from the rest.
This is the kind of book I wanna buy for everyone I know.
Basically, this was great and we just need more stories like this one, for everyone, everywhere.

Gender Queer is a graphic novel memoir about the author's journey through gender. Following Kobabe's growth to adulthood and beyond, the story is told primarily in small moments that make a big impact. The art style, lettering, and coloring are all wonderful and make it feel like you're getting a glimpse into someone's private journal about their experiences. Kobabe does not flinch to tell eir truth, and as a result this graphic novel has and will no doubt continue to be important to others who have similar experiences. Regardless of one's gender identity, though, there are plenty of moments to make the reader laugh, cry, and feel throughout.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

This is a book kids can see themselves in! Gender Queer is the kind of books ALL students -- all people -- need right now so that they can see their experiences and the experiences of their peers validated in literature. I think this was a phenomenal read. I'm not typically a fan of graphic novels, but this book's format fit the narrative well. This is a teaching tool that can help inform, change minds, and make the world a safer place for everyone.

I was happy to be given the chance to read the digital ARC of the deluxe edition of this moving graphic novel, which centres on the author's life experiences as ey come to understand eir gender and sexuality. It resonated deeply with me as someone who is also trans non-binary and asexual, and I feel like if content like this had been available during my own teen years, things would have made a lot more sense much earlier on.

I'm not really a reader of memoirs, so I did struggle with the pace at times, as of course it focuses on important thoughts or events as and when they happen, regardless of time or frequency. The story is still told mostly linearly though, and the artwork is soft and relatable.

The content itself is honest and open, covering the author's journey to self-understanding through many traumatic experiences and difficult decisions. The way ey explain eir feelings is moving yet grounded, making the graphic novel educational as well as experiential. It really could be a lifeline to many young people going through the same difficulties.

Whether you're part of the LGBTQIA+ community or not, this would be an eye-opening read, and it says enough that there's been so much fury over this book in certain communities - safety and acceptance is still a long way off.

Thanks to Netgalley for access to this great release in advance.

<b>A comic book about finding your own identity.</b>

<i>Gender queer</i> is about Maia Kobabe who are going through a gender journey, and later finds the pronouns e/em/eir that fits em perfectly. This is eir’s autobiography about Maia’s life from childhood to present day.

Figuring out ones identity/gender/sexuality can take some time, and it is often a bumpy road with dozens of questions. My childhood friend found out they are gender fluid and wants to be called both he/she/they now at age 24. I figured out my sexuality when I was 16, but didn’t come out before I was 20. What I’m trying to say is: there is no age limit to figure things out.

I also liked eir’s artwork, and I thought it fitted the story it was telling really well. Sometimes I had difficulty keeping up with what was told, but that didn’t stop me from liking this story and I feel really honored that I got to read about em! (I hope I’m using the pronouns correctly❤️)

An autobiography I would really recommend reading!

Brilliant art, a touching story, dashes of wit, occasionally heart-rending but always enlightening and enjoyable.

This was the first book I'd read by Maia Kobabe, and I will seek out more by em (the author's pronouns are e, em and eir). The writing was so easy to follow, and the art is wonderful. It is occasionally a hard read in places - descriptions of gynecological exams and dysphoric feelings spring to mind - but the overall story is one of determination and self-discovery.

A book I would recommend to fans of graphic novels, queer literature and family stories; and also would encourage those who want to learn more about non-binary gender identities, spivak pronouns and gender dysphoria.

Give it a read!

After seeing how much this book has been fought over in libraries I felt that I had to see what all the fuss was about. I think this is such a great representation of how complicated it is to figure out who you are and how to be the most comfortable in your own skin; especially in a predominately white cis het Christianized society. Maia arguably was born into a very open and loving family structure without much reinforcement on gender roles, yet even for em it was difficult to accept and learn who e was/is. While this is definitely a more mature graphic novel, it isn't something I would ever take off my June Pride display at the library I work for.

This is a gorgeous special edition of Gender Queer. I can't believe this is the first time I am reading it. This is an extremely important book and in my opinion. It shines a light on the inner feelings of people struggling with who they are.

This was what not I expected in the most brilliant way possible. I know this has been out for a while, but I am so glad to have read the deluxe edition. This was brilliantly written and illustrated and gave me a better sense of understanding people who identify as different genders.

I'm really glad this is getting re-issued, it's a really thought provoking an eye opening text for all ages. Kobabe's life is very interesting and I look forward to seeing more from em in the future.

I already read this before, in fact I own it, and I love it so so much. Of course the art is great, but the whole journey of the author is also amazing. I wanted to see what this new edition included that the old one didn't. The only thing I wish had been there too is some sort of note by the author, making clear eir view on JKR, since this book includes positive depictions of HP related things. But that's my only note and I don't know much about the author apart from this book so I won't judge em.

This is such a needed, well done book, which the new introduction makes even better by making explicit why books dealing with and sharing LGBTQIA+ experiences are necessary, and why they're being challenged so frequently. Gender Queer is perfect for both those exploring their gender or sexual identity as well as those who would like to learn more. It does a great job showing how identities can evolve, both as a person changes and as they get more information.

As someone who has struggled through a similar journey, I appreciate the author's honesty in depicting eir own journey. I laughed and cried along with em. Eir metaphors are spot-on; eir illustration is a perfect match for the writing.