This book is a very educational and trauma-informed way of deep-diving into what gender is and what it means to us as a society. I think anyone would benefit from reading this but due to some of the highly scientific aspects of the book, I believe it would be best received by grades 5 and up. I think it would be amazing to have studied a book like this in my science classes growing up and it definitely would have made several people in my class feel safer and more comfortable expressing their gender identities.

Some times confusing. Language too medical and specific for me; it is a good thing, but some times I myself could not understand well what they were saying.
Also, one negative side is the order of the various illustrations in a page, which was often unclear to me.
For the most part, it seems some sort of medical specific text? I guess it just wasn't what I was looking for.
I have learned some new information, so I consider this book useful. Overall, I liked it.

This is an excellent title for anyone questioning their gender identity, interested in the topic, or as a jumping off point for anyone trying to make sense of what gender is and all that it encompasses. The graphic novel format makes a rather large and complex idea more digestible. Excellently executed!

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was great little intro to gender kind of book. It had a lot of really great and interesting information but didn't go super in depth due to how short it is. I would love to see a longer version! Overall, I thought it would be a good book for people who don't know much on the topic or want to learn more. Would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for giving me access to this ARC.

This books was a comprehensive look at how western society has shaped our perception of gender.

I really liked learning about other cultures gender identities and the complex way they evolve and don't fit into as strict boxes as some are used to.

This would be a good introduction for someone exploring their own gender or looking for a resource to give to a loved one who would like to learn more.

This was a great comic book, super informative rather than narrative. A bit too heavy on the science for me, but I enjoyed the exploration of differently gendered people throughout history and in different cultures. And the illustrations were so unique and just a gorgeous style!

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for giving me access to this ARC!

This was incredibly informative for a 40 page book. I thought I had a lot of knowledge on gender and sex and still learnt new terms I’ve never heard of before such as ‘autigender’ and ‘neuroqueer’.

As somebody who has recently been exploring their gender and trying to find themself, I felt this spoke to me in many ways and made me feel less pressure to have make a decision on a specific gender right away.

I loved reading about the medical side of gender and sex and appreciate that the author recommended different sources and encourages the reader to go away and do their own research to gain even more knowledge on the topics.

This would also be a great book for parents of queer children to better understand and accept their child.

The illustrations were beautiful and so inclusive. I may have to get the physical copy now!

‘Trans or Cis, we are all on gender journeys and all gender journeys are valid’

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

This book, though only around 40 pages, holds lots of information. I went into this expecting more of a basic introduction to the subject of gender, but it was a lot more than that! Gender Is Really Strange covers multiple things to do with gender, like history, biology versus socialization, and how different cultures view/have viewed gender over history. I don’t think this would change the minds of any extreme right wing readers who check out the book but it definitely serves as a good introduction to the subject of gender for people who want to learn more.

I don't know if I'd describe it as a book. It's more of a brochure or pamphlet or something...

Regardless, the pictures are lovely and the information is very educational. I mean, there was A LOT more than I thought was going to be included. I loved the cultural significance of gender from people and places around the world. That hooked me the most.

I think that information like this is so very important, especially nowadays with everything that's happening in the world nowadays and this makes it more a little more easily understood.

*thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

Gender is definitely really strange. This graphic novel is a great resource for anyone questioning their gender. It’s a balanced mix between the science aspect of sex and the societal, cultural and personal aspects of gender. The questions page at the end is definitely a great place for people to question their gender with examples to help.

Gender really is strange. This is jam-packed with information and at times gets very jargon-y, but with the right audience, you’ve got a brilliant story that will educate and entertain. A very interesting illustration style too!

I'd probably rate this a 3.5 but the art is so pleasant that for this review, it will be a 4.

This was a very basic overview of explanations on how gender came to be, how some cultures experience gender and why it's important to be aware of gender and gender expression and performance. My favorite page in the book is a list of questions to ask yourself about gender. It's something that would translate well into journal prompts for further breakdown of the emotions and feelings we have about gender.

The art in this was incredible and very aesthetically pleasing. It's short and again, it's a very basic informational read but I think it's a good introduction for anyone who hasn't really contemplated what gender is or has a hard time understanding the different terms and language being used currently. Our understanding of gender and individuality is constantly evolving so I'm not sure how long the information in this book will be relevant but currently, it was pleasing to look at and the content was easy to understand.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This book details both the scientific and social reasons behind gender diversity. I found myself learning so much about gender that I don't think I could have found elsewhere. I love that it talked about the influences of hormones on mental health for both Cis and TNG people. I feel like every topic that could be covered within this graphic novel was and it was an incredibly intersectional read.

Epic! Wonderful!

This book is a fantastic tool. I would love to see it in school libraries (if new laws weren't making such a thing illegal). Epic! Wonderful!

This book is a fantastic tool. I would love to see it in school libraries (if new laws weren't making such a thing illegal).

Gender is Really Strange does a great job of presenting gender/sex in their cultural and scientific definitions. It goes in depth to explain why some bodies are different from others and how it is that cis-white men have created this false ideal of a two gender world where each gender has their own defined brackets of existence.

Gender is Really Strange is a wonderful example of what comics can do -- a geometrically designed and unique vision of comics plus informational text. Well-designed and well-researched work.

Gender Is Really Strange is one of those books that I wish was available for a long time. Through everyday examples, it explains to readers the basics of gender identity, societal expectations, the variety of gender identities across the world, and the medical research behind the diversity in biological sex. Teddy G. Goetz manages to explain complex information without talking down or assuming any prior knowledge from readers.

This would make a great starting point for learning about gender for anyone who found their biology textbooks lacking on these topics. Throughout the book, the author references other publications which are great for further reading.

The text is accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by Sophie Standing that showcase a variety of lived experiences and make the book incredibly inclusive.

I am always amazed by the thoughtfulness and consideration behind the books put out by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. They are providing easy access to important information and creating a safe space for LGBTQIA+ folk and anyone with intersecting identities..

This short book is packed with so much. Even if you believe you know all there is to know about gender, this book will deliver something more.

An informative and thought provoking read.

Do not be fooled by the <40 pages here, they are packed with insightful info and perspectives that help the community feel seen and offer great education to ally's.

Vivid pictures that relate to the material aid in conveying content relating to what gender is and is not.

A takeaway quote: "-a person's gender does not develop in a vacuum. We embody in whatever way we desire, but others will assign gender to us however they see fit."

Thank you Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Gender Is Really Strange comes out in October 2023.

This little beauty was packed with loads of information. It educated me, made me feel seen and made be think. I also learned many new terms as well.

This is a really great way to present the information while explaining it with pictures. The complexity of the vocabulary will likely lead the book to the hands of people looking for this information.

Let's start with the art, since that's such a big part of this book: I'm not personally super crazy about the style of the bodies, being rather oddly shaped with tiny heads, however, it is unique and eye-catching. I do like the larger "bust" type images - notably on the last page, and also that the art is quite colorful while also bordering on pastel-type shades (but not quite, as there are still a couple vibrant colors that make it pop); it makes it very pleasing to the eye while also grabbing attention.
I wasn't aware there were so many different cultures that embraced the different types of gender-identities that the US/Western world is only just now starting to be more open of. I was aware of a couple, but not that it was so widespread. I think that's pretty awesome, and I'm also not at all surprised that it was a white cis male thing to make a fuss of genders, using it to further subjugate everyone who wasn't like them.
I really liked the page near the end, that has a whole bunch of questions for trying to determine how you see/define yourself. There wasn't much new for me in them, but they're good, thought-provoking questions.
While there's not a ton of text in this short illustrated book, I still feel like I learned a fair amount. I would definitely recommend to others who are interested (and/or maybe ignorant) in the topic.