This graphic novel is a really great resource for people learning about gender. I love that it uses easy, effective language to really get the point across. There is a lot of misinformation regarding sex and gender, so it is nice to see an easy-to-understand breakdown of the terms, as well as the conversation regarding gender being a social construct. I also like that it discussed gender throughout the world.
Overall, I think this is a really short but informational read that is beautifully illustrated, and I would definitely recommend reading it!

I haven't read any of the other "Really Strange" books, but now I'm interested in them! It was a short and beautifully illustrated guide that still managed to cover a wide variety of topics. It discussed the etymology of gender, how colonialism affected gender and gender roles, the medical side of gender/sex, and what to do if you're struggling with your gender identity. It did well at explaining each of the topics while giving pointers of where to research first. It's like baby's first gender analysis when Judith Butler is far too difficult. The art style was what originally caught my eye and it was consistently beautiful throughout. I absolutely recommend this to anyone interested in the biopsychosocial elements of gender.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author Teddy Goetz, and Jessica Kingsley publishers for providing me with a free electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gender is Really Strange... Well, yeah, it is! Examining gender and gender expression, highlighting the white colonialism that underpins much transphobia, and inviting further reading and discussion, this short but informative graphic novel does well to serve as an intro into gender, but has a wealth of sources to dive into. I really enjoyed reading this and found it incredibly informative. A great read for Pride Month!

A clear and very nice explanation with very beautiful drawings, to make the concept of gender even more explicit for those who don't understand it.
Beautiful

This book is very informative, even for a parent whose adult child is transmale. This book is extremely scientific, gender-neutral, and affirmative for those on the gender journey. It also provided a historical context for gender, identification markers, cultural influences, and societally assigned roles. It goes on to normalize gender issues, for both cisgender and non-gender conforming people. As someone who considers themselves aware and awake to the life experiences of my trans-son, I definitely recommend this read as one that will open your mind to the complexities of gender assignment by Caucasian society, and how dynamic gender truly is. This book is highly regarded. Thank you to the author.

2.5 stars most accurate for this reader.... This short book packed in a lot of information & big words! It is pretty easy to navigate though, considering all the relevant terminology it presents. I thought the illustrator did a nice job, & the title is probably appropriate. The book offers quite a comprehensive overview of this topic. It offers some good info.
I received this e-ARC from publisher Jessica Kingsley via NetGalley in return for reading it & posting my own fair/honest review.

This is more a graphic design book than a comic/graphic novel.
Really didactic book about gender and hormones and different cultures although there is a lot of information per page which makes it very dense.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was very interesting, and beautifully illustrated!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Short but packed with information. Nice visuals. Of course, a lot of this I did know, but this would be a good starter book to give to those who may not be as knowledgeable on some of the science aspects. I learned some things about different cultures' practices on gender and sexuality.

Graphic novels aren't really my thing, but I needed one for the "Decolonize Your Books" challenge by Black Walnut Books. I was pleasantly surprised by this one!

Gender Is Really Strange is an educational, accessible introduction to the difference between sex and gender, gender as a social construct, and further expands on what it means to be trans, intersex, non-binary, gender-expansive, agender, gender fluid, and many many other labels. Additionally, the authors provide a historical and anthropological overview of gender diversity (I think this was my favorite part), as well as an explanation of the impact of white supremacy on gender norms, and how that plays out in communities of color. There're also sections on sports, science, and more!

This really is quite comprehensive for a graphic novel, with cited sources. I'm impressed!

I studied gender in university so much of this was a refresher for me - but even so, I still learned some things and I can see how this will be a great resource for teens and adults alike!

Note: this was difficult to read on a Kindle, as the pictures showed up sideways and the font was tiny and unable to be enlarged. This did not impact my rating. 💕

Thanks to Jessica Kingsley Publishing & NetGalley for my eARC.

If you want a quick read with beautiful illustrations and great jumping off points for further research and discussion on gender, this is the one for you! As a queer reader, I found that I knew a lot of the basics in this book but I learned some new things and found some terms and concepts to look into later. The art style was simply gorgeous. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5⭐️

Starting off I was instantly impressed with the artwork. I absolutely loved the style and thought it was beautiful!

This graphic novel dives in and gives you the details of gender. In my opinion it is feels very matter of fact and more like reading a text book. I think the book could have used some personality and to feel a bit more relatable instead of delivering the facts. It doesn’t really explain how people FEEL. It just states the facts and gives you definitions.

Overall it was an interesting read. I liked that it dove into the history of gender in other cultures along with explaining how two genders came to be in European and white society. I also like that it touched on the mental effects gender can have on society.

I found it a little hard to read at points because it did feel like a text book but I did learn a few things. Just keep that in mind when going in!

Thank you for the ARC through NetGalley!

Such a great inclusive and illuminating resource. Particularly interesting to read of those other cultures who treat gender so different to western society. Beautiful illustrations. Warm well researched writing. Recommended to all who want to learn more and or help support a loved one or just society as it struggles to make the world a welcoming home for all.

This is a beautifully illustrated look at gender from biological and cultural perspectives. It is affirming of trans, non-binary and gender expansive (TNG) experience and takes a close look at how our internal sensation of gender turns into outward performance of gender and how both of those may or may not relate to our sex, defined as the combination of anatomy, hormone milieu, chromosomal complement, and reproductive organs.

I particularly enjoyed and learned a lot from the historical look at different cultural understandings of gender and of TNG folks. There was also a super interesting section about hormones, which also brings in the Minority Stress Model and how stress affects TNG folks. While the sciencey parts were interesting, I couldn’t totally wrap my mind around them without reading more than once - someone more familiar with science or less tired than I am might enjoy this part more. Overall, this was a lovely and affirming look at the nuance of gender.

thanks to netgalley for an arc of this graphic novel, due to be published 19th October.

this is a wonderful, short graphic novel which introduces gender and trans identities. it's inclusive of non-binary identities and has a good exploration of two spirit identities and other indigenous genders across the globe. it also discusses historical genders that colonialism destroyed and how colonialism and white supremacy affect our current understandings of gender. it was a really good introduction and short discussion to some complex ideas around gender and I'd definitely recommend it as a starting point for people wanting to know more.

It’s simple fact that sex and gender aren’t always the same thing. And when we look into it, gender is a bit strange, isn’t it? Who decided what random set of traits were feminine or masculine? How can a hobby or appearance make me less or more of anything? And considering we created genders, who gets to tell us what ours are?

Gender Is Really Strange is a brilliant, beautifully illustrated graphic story that delves into both the science and the social elements of gender in an accessible, engaging way — starting off by getting us involved in thought activities and asking us to be aware of ourselves and our relationship to gender. In just 40 pages, this is a quick read but it is full of knowledge and food for thought — giving real examples and scientific evidence to show historically how sex and gender have evolved, as well as diverse cultural and social aspects of gender. The language is clear, concise and easy to understand.

It starts a discussion, as well as giving an insight into different terms and words you may hear. I loved the inclusion of healthcare and disability in the conversation and how important it is to remember gender informed care. As a genderqueer person myself, there are even things I wasn’t entirely aware of — and maybe even things I don’t fully understand but now can be aware of and respect regardless.

This book is affirming and accepting, a brilliant read for someone just looking for a moment of connection, or looking to understand more about themselves and the people around them.

Gender Is Really Strange is a great graphic novel about genders and everything that comes with it.
It gives the reader enough information about each topic without it being too overwhelming, which is awesome because understanding who you are is overwhelming as it is.
This book is also a good starting point for people who want to understand what a friend, family member, etc. could be thinking or experiencing.

Loved the illustrations, the bright colours, and the layout of the pages it flows really well.

This was a very quick read that provided an in-depth look at gender. It was a nonfiction/graphic presentation, and it gave so many examples from different cultures. All around the world gender is viewed and valued differently, but the mainstream definition comes from white countries. I valued this read immensely, especially during pride month!

Teddy G. Goetz's comic book look at the science and history of "gender" offers a lot of information in a short number of pages. The information is accompanied by a number of visually appealing images. The comic is a solid attempt at providing so much detail about the history, biology and social aspects of gender.

I was surprised to learn that researchers won't use rats because of their "hormonal variability." That's good for the female rats as they're not put through the testing. Goetz also does an admirable job of connecting social's bigotry on a person's self-perception. Distal stressors are a main cause of depression and a negative self image.
The comic ends with questions that aim to help readers with understanding and expressing their gender identities.

Goetz provides this subject matter in short bursts of text but it can be a bit overwhelming at time--there are 54 endnotes for a 40 page comic. So much material is thrown at the reader that it would have been better to add 1o to 20 pages to the comic so the material was spread out a bit more.

This graphic novel was very informational! The graphics were visually engaging and the information that was covered was explained and talked about in an accessible way.

I particularly enjoyed the section about how different cultures view gender and the page of questions to consider if you have questions about your personal gender identity.

I think this book is great for those in the queer community, those who want to educate themselves about the queer community, and those who wonder if they themselves are queer.