Wow!
This short book is filled with information, I did not expect so much!
I learned a lot, and I considered myself fairly aware and educated about gender identities.

Catch me running to buy a copy (or a few) of this book to keep as reference and a good starting point for conversations with students and other adults honestly.

Reading this book had me screaming at my friends (in such joy) about how great it is. I am genuinely mind blown at how amazing this book is.

It includes (so many more things than I will name here but it would be impossible to summarize all the information given in just a few words):
- neuroqueer identities!!!
- facts about how ridiculous the separation of sports by gender is (including how cisgender women have been forced to take hormone blockers to be allowed to compete!)
- brutally honest explanations (good!!!) about how the current Western world ideas of gender were invented and promoted to keep white people separated from "others" in blatant racism
- so so so many examples of other cultures' ideas of "genders" and identities within the social group that are completely different than the ideas mentioned in the previous point

The book ends on the big question, how do you figure out your own gender, and offers many questions and open thoughts to get the reader started on their exploration and questioning.


"Such identities/roles [non "woman/man" identities] are sometimes referred to collectively as 'third gender,' but coalescing 'third gender' categories is a violent construction of (white-dominated) Western academic discourses and erases Indigenous experiences and culture."

"Much of the research on the 'neuroscience of gender' has been conducted within a dominant framework of cisheteronormative, white supremacist, European, colonial, patriarchal gender norms, with little ethical consideration of how it impacts transgender, non-binary and/or gender expansive persons."



And I could not end this review without mentioning the illustrations. Not only are they beautiful, they're precise when there's explanations that could be confusing and the illustrator managed to visually represent concepts that are difficult to picture. They are so interesting and colourful, I cannot imagine anyone not wanting to pick up this book after seeing the art style. I want so many of the panels as big posters for classrooms.


Thank you NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC, and thank you to Teddy G. Goetz for writing this book.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read "Gender Is Really Strange" through NetGalley. This concise yet impactful book, spanning a mere 40 pages, delves into the complex and nuanced topics of sexuality and gender with a remarkable blend of respect, sensitivity, and informativeness. As a reader who seeks to expand my understanding and awareness, this book proved to be an invaluable resource, offering profound insights and presenting new information that I, as well as others, can undoubtedly benefit from.
"Gender Is Really Strange" serves as a guide through the intricacies of human sexuality and gender, shedding light on the diverse experiences and identities that exist beyond the confines of traditional societal norms.

The vibrant illustrations beautifully complement the text, offering visual representations that enhance understanding and engagement. The synergy between the written content and the visual components creates a harmonious reading experience, further solidifying the book's impact.

This infographic graphic novel was giving to me by Netgalley and Publisher.

The only fact I found interesting while reading this graphic novel is the fact that the term “gender” was first talked about in the 1970’s. The remainder simply looked dull to me; I felt like the author didn't break down the explanation of the various sorts of tribes' views on gender clearly enough, in which I was beginning to feel really lost. The art seemed easy on the eye but I cannot say the same for the explanation unfortunately.

The writing is approachable, which is incredibly refreshing because too often trying to do research on the complexities of gender leads to finding long winded academic writing that needs a translator to go through. The language in here doesn't dumb down anything, but simplifies and explains the complex topics very well, which I think is critical in allowing those who may be firm in their own gender identity but don't understand the complexities of gender identity outside the binary to begin widening their understanding of the world. If someone feels like their being talked down to, they will shut down and become unwilling to recieve information, and this book does a very good job avoiding this.. The graphics are also well illustrated and supplement but don't distract from the text too much, they do a good job of moving your eye around the page to the next chunk of information. It's a solid resource, and I can easily see how someone who is in the middle of a gender crisis would benefit from a straightforward educational take on gender theory like this. However, and this is from the experience of myself and the rest of my genderqueer friends, the thing that was most helpful with figuring out ourselves feels a little lacking here, which is a sense of community. Gender is a very personal thing but the resource that will help someone in the midst of finding themselves the most is other people who have gone through similar experiences, and my one issue with this book would be it feels too detached from people. I'd feel comfortable reccomending it as a good research starting off point, but if there were some personal experiences with gender identity supplemented here I could have seen this book become one of the best resources for people who are struggling to find themselves or to understand genders place in society. That being said I still think it is a very helpful and important work, and I will definitely be reccomending we order copies in for our social science section.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC

TBH I dont agree to the tittle that gender is strange. Well, nevermind. I'd like to say that this book is written for people who is wondering "what is gender actually?" AND THIS SHORT GRAPHIC BOOK IS REALLY THE ANSWER TO KNOW CAUSE IT IS WRITTEN BRIEFLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this e-arc.
This graphic novel was very educational. Most graphic novels don't have as much of a message as this one does. It goes into in-depth detail about gender and how to deal with how you may become comfortable in your body. Even though I'm a cis women and thought I had a good idea about the mutple types of genders I still learned a lot from this graphic novel.

For such a small book this packs in quite the large amount of information regarding the idea of gender - both cultural and scientific. This serves as an introduction point to so many more topics that can be delved into deeper.

I’d recommend this to people completely unfamiliar with exploring gender and for those who may have more experience with the topic. The Endnotes and internal citations leave you with plenty more to dive into as well.

This graphic novel is an excellent explanation of gender identity. It explores, with literary references and acknowledgements, gender identities in different cultures to further show that gender isn't a binary. Gender isn't the sekse you were assigned at birth, but it is an identity, a way to express yourself in your own unique way.

As an afab genderfluid non-binary person this book reaffirmed that there's not a single correct way to be genderfluid and/or non-binary.

I'd recommend this one to everyone who is discovering their gender identity or wants to learn more about gender identities.

i absolutely *loved* this super informative visual novel about gender! the illustrations were all really beautiful and captivating, and the explanations were mostly quite accessible and easy to understand, though some parts discussing biological sex vs. gender went over my head, i think that was more of a me problem rather than the book itself. as someone who has been struggling with their gender identity, i found it extremely validating and empowering as well. id have to say that my favorite part was that it discussed gender intersectionally, talking about how other identities such as culture, neurodivergence, and race impact individuals' experiences with gender. i also loved getting to learn about how indigenous people from around the world had more expansive views around gender and all the info provided on that, though i would've appreciated if there was even more info on that, i do understand that that was not the main purpose of the book, which is fair!
overall, i *really* loved and enjoyed getting to read this amazing novel and all of the valuable information it taught to me about gender.
thank you to the publisher jessica kingsley publishers and netgalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Gender Is Really Strange is a captivating and enlightening graphic novel that explores the intricacies of gender identity. Through engaging illustrations and accessible explanations, the book covers a wide range of topics, including biology, neuroscience, cultural perspectives, and historical contexts. It introduces readers to diverse gender identities from around the world, challenging societal norms and encouraging reflection.

While the book provides valuable insights, it can be a bit unclear about its target audience. Some parts feel simplified, while others delve into more complex aspects of gender. Nevertheless, Gender Is Really Strange is a remarkable resource that prompts readers to question and embrace the complexity of gender. The authors and illustrator deserve praise for their thought-provoking and inclusive approach to this important subject.

All in all this book is 4.5 out of 5 for me!

This book does such a great job of interrogating gender and sex, normalizing gender beyond the binary, and validating gender as something that is self-identified and dynamic, with beautiful illustrations providing a visually engaging backdrop. Gender Is Really Strange provides some history of nonbinary gender and even spends a few pages diving into endocrinology, which I found fascinating and is something I haven't seen before in other books and graphic novels about gender. I especially appreciated the last few pages of the book which provide a very brief but profound guide to exploring one's own gender. Highly recommend this to folks interested in questioning and exploring their gender, or who want to learn more about the expansive world of gender identity.

Thank you, NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers, for the ARC!

Gender is Really Strange is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel about the complexities of gender and how truly unique it can appear from person to person. It is a short read but covers a lot of very important topics including different issues caused by different hormone presentations in people, and the various intersex conditions. I believe this book is incredibly important as it touches on so many areas of gender and is a great read, and would definitely recommend this to anyone looking into the topic of gender.

Beautifully illustrated and incredible informational. Exactly what a reader needs if they are looking to learn about what trans identity means.

Themes/Topics:
Gender Diversity

An important and informative text about Gender and Gender Diversity. Including beautiful illustrations which brighten up the page and bring important visuals to the text. Surrounding topics such as history, culture, societal norms, mental health and more.
We dive into the history of gender and why it is the way it is today. We learn about how white supremacy has shaped how gender looks in western society and how to tackle these societal norms to become our most authentic selves.
I can see myself passing this book onto friends and coworkers who may be learning about gender diversity or may find this helpful in their own journey.
This text was inclusive and tackled a lot of topics which are extremely important to the conversation.
I wish we had a reference page for commonly used abbreviations within the text as there were a few times I had to pause or Google what some abbreviations meant. I think this could have been a helpful and welcome guide to those who may be new and unfamiliar to some of these abbreviations. The Endnotes reference all the resources included in the book for possible further reading. Everything was well researched and presented.

Overall a brilliant text which I’m excited to pass onto others.

I loved this! It’s short enough to provide to someone as a reference, it’s colorful, the art is fun. I’ll absolutely be keeping this in mind to tell folks about.

I am neither Trans nor Non-binary so I'm choosing not to comment on that because it is not my experience.

The artwork and colouring are stunning, the artist did a fabulous job. The last half really blew my mind and introduced information that I had questions on that 4 years of Biology in university chose to run around. This graphic novel , I feel, would serve the most good in the hands of teenagers, educators, guardians and those of us who don't want to turn our trans friends into encyclopedias on transness and actually want to go out there and learn. The title is really apt because this book explains where the strange way we've been taught to think about gender stems from. I loved the inclusion of communities all around the world especially indigenous people. If you've been scarred by a Biology or Genetics course this one's for you.

‘Gender is Really Strange’ by Teddy G.Goetz is an informative and important resource on gender diversity. It is an extremely interesting read, which goes into extensive detail and is a guide that I think everyone should read. Education in general is important, and this especially is a key topic that people would benefit from education on.

A 4/5 read for me, as personally I’d find it easier to read if the information wasn’t so squashed together.

Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Kingsley Publishers and Teddy G. Goetz for my gifted copy.

This is a very extensive look into gender and everything that comes with it.
It presents a background and diverse cultural approaches to this difficult topic.
I believe it is an important book that lots and lots of people should read to educate themselves.

“Gender is Really Strange” is a fantastic, informative, visually interesting resource on gender diversity. Goetz provides understandings on the conceptions of gender in both sociological and scientific lenses, the blending of which gives a great basis from which readers can further explore the complexities of gender. The author does not shy away from so called “hot-button” issues, such as transgender sports participation, and is also very deliberate in unpacking the ways in which race intersects with gender, importantly including information about historically indigenous peoples conceptions of gender. The art style wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea but overall I think this is a great resource

Overall, I really liked this book. I liked how the book was able to explain so many different aspects of gender identity that I had previously not known about. Learning about gender concepts from indigenous groups around the world was interesting because they can be so different from mainstream gender concepts in the US. My only complaint about the book is that it seemed difficult to figure out the targeted age demographic for the book. Some parts of the book seemed like they were talking down to the reader, while also explaining more complex gender identities. Besides that, everything else in the book is amazing!