I thought this was a very good, easily understandable, and informational "get started" guide to gender.

Gender is really strange

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC to review.

I think Gender is Really Strange is a great resource for those wanting to learn more about gender identity.

To preface: I am a cis-white woman who strives to be an advocate for all people and educate myself on how to better do that.

I really enjoyed my time with this non-fiction graphic novel. I think it’s a great resource for scientific and cultural questions regarding gender. Some sections can be a bit dense for a traditional graphic novel, but I think going into it recognizing that it is an educational read is beneficial.

This is a quick and beautifully illustrated comic. It provides a nice overview of various concepts including gender, gender identity, gender expression, and sex. It also provides direction to several other resources for those looking for more a more in depth understanding. As someone who has done quite a bit of research in the field of human sexuality and taught several lectures on it, I didn't find anything surprising or new in the book, but I don't think it was created for me. Instead, I think it is a great, easy-to-use tool for beginning the conversation around gender and sex. The short length also makes it approachable for even those who don't like to read.

This book was very interesting as an informative guide to the basics of gender. I think it would be excellent for anyone trying to learn and understand more about gender but not really having an idea of where to start - perhaps a young teen or parent. The illustrations were clear and had a good colour palette. I gave it five stars as it was concise and accessible with explanations and definitions but was still interesting. Overall a very good guide to gender condensed into a small book.

This was a "short" but very good and informative graphic novel. I think it's a resource that could be easily used in schools and for all the people who struggle to understand gender identity.
I liked the drawings and the color scheme and the simple approach used.
The language is concise, scientifically accurate, and easy to understand. It also explores the history and the connotation that today's (white) society gives to gender identity compared to others.
HIhgly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about gender identity.

I found "Gender is Really Strange" by Teddy G. Goetz very educational and easy to read. I learned a lot from the book, which is beautifully illustrated. I recommend it.

This is a great book for anyone who maybe doesn’t know a lot about gender or anyone who just wants to know more about how others identify and why. It’s a super informative book with really beautiful illustrations.

This book was very informative. It was written very well, but I am unsure who the intended audience is. I feel like the writing might go over some younger people's heads (or close-minded adults). The images were very well designed, and the book was beautiful to look at. I really enjoyed that it goes into the history of gender and its many variations.

Well illustrated and very educational, breaks gender down into the simplest terms that makes it easier for everyone to understand, a MUST read for everyone !!

Gender is Really Strange gives such a great first dive into what gender is from a multipoint view. Jumping into not only what it CAN be, but to find little tidbits of how gender is explored in different cultures, how it can been seen in unexplored scientific studies, and allowing yourself to ask questions about how you grow in your gender is an absolute treat.

This is surely going to be a mandatory graphic novel in the future to introduce: What is gender and man, it’s WEIRD.

Informative, lighthearted book about gender, sex, stereotypes, and binaries. I really liked how the history of binary gender and all the positive affirmations included in the book—it made my little nonbinary transmasc self very happy. I also liked how it was informative without be overly long, with each page of the booklet adding something important to the story,

As a woman with PCOS, I have long been curious about just how much gender is influenced by socialization vs. hormonal/anatomical makeup. Gender is Really Strange explained so much in its inclusive, beautifully illustrated 40 pages: the difference between sex and gender, the history of gender, the intersectionality of gender and neurodivergence, myriad cultural understandings of gender that differ from the binary, the still-unknown effect gender has on mental health, and more. I found myself surprised, upset, and uplifted by what I learned from each of these topics.

Teddy G. Goetz’s exploration of gender across history and cultures was particularly revelatory to me. I did not realize the extent to which my white eurocentric culture has limited gender by its binary definitions. I felt my mindset growing from this space of limitation to that of curiosity and greater acceptance. I wholeheartedly believe this growth, and this book, is what my country needs now as we struggle with political attempts to erase not just transgender identities, but actual people, from a fictional, “ideal” version of the world. I did not even know that these ideals and gender norms as they exist today were created so recently! The author’s clarifications that “transgender is a form of self-understanding, not dominant hormones or anatomy”, “hormones don’t have a gender”, and “all gender journeys are valid” were indeed validating and eye-opening to read. I hope by experiencing this book, readers are further encouraged to be curious instead of fearful, as they might find there is more diversity around them than they ever realized. I personally felt that my existence as a woman with PCOS (which I just learned can be considered an intersex condition) was uplifted and celebrated by this book, instead of the shame I am all too often used to feeling. Thank you to author Teddy G. Goetz for this amazing read, and to Jessica Kingsley Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Personally, I’ve been looking for a resource like this so I can sit back and learn about gender and non-binary identities. This will not be a one time read through—I think it is a great resource to keep on hand to stay educated. I’m going to get physical copies for my family too. A great read during pride month also!

The graphics and information in this book were very interesting. It was all very informative and if someone wanted a beginner guide to the topic I'd recommend this book. This book was also a bit meaty with how much information there was. While it was all very informative, it was only a 40 page book and I found myself skipping some pages or skimming some parts because it was a bit dry. Overall, if you want something short and informative for adults, this is a good option.

First off, I need someone to send copies of this book to a) a bunch of people in politics and b) a broad swath of people who comment on social media posts with variations of the sentiment "there are only two genders, that's basic biology."

I assumed, based on the first few pages, that this was going to be a book aimed at kids. Incorrect. While I think it would be a great resource for discussing gender and gender presentation with young people, the vocabulary isn't designed with kids in mind. Each section builds on the last, and I had to reread the pages on brain chemistry a few times to make sure I'd gotten it all. The whole book is well-organized and focuses on both the biology of gender and the social aspects of presentation, and what it means for individuals. I'm sure a bunch of anti-CRT people are going to get mad when they read the section about the purpose of placing value on the social construct of the gender binary. There's also a dense page of citations at the back on the off chance you want to follow up on any of the studies the author references.

This book would make a great science-forward companion to Rhea Ewing's graphic novel "FINE," which tackles a lot of the same subjects through a more anthropological lens.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to access the ARC of this comic!

I thought this book was super well done. It was very informative, and as a cis-gendered woman, I still learned things about my gender identity and sex that I didn't think about or never would've known beforehand. I liked the art style and would recommend this book to readers, even if you have never or are not currently questioning your gender identity. This book is a great resource for everybody, whether you're learning about yourself, or want to be more well-rounded and informed for other people in your life.

As someone who is always trying to learn more about others, this book was really great. The illustration was beautiful and the content itself was very informative and well-written. I have been looking for a resource like this for a while now and plan on preordering the book.

Mixed feelings about this one, it was definitely informative but it also felt too political in a way I can't really explain.
Would be a good choice for parents that want to educate themselves and their children but also for people that don't understand "the weird gender thing".

A brilliantly informative text. I learnt a lot about gender in other cultures as well as about the links with neurodivergence. I would definitely signpost people to this to assist in learning about gender. My only amendment would be perhaps some subheadings to separate sections out and give points of focus for those looking into particular segments, however the size of the title means that it isnt so overwhelming that simply flicking through wouldnt be easy enough.

This is a fantastic starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about gender identity. In a quick 40 page graphic novel the author sums up everything from history and culture, to colonialism and its effect on gender perceptions/roles. With scientific and concise language, the book also contains, many sources which further demonstrate the lengths of research that have gone in to producing the book.

The book also contained discussion of neurodivergence and how it interacts with gender identities - something I rarely come across.

Overall the imagery and graphics were stunning with lots of gorgeous representation as well.