Thank you so much for the opportunity to review, I really enjoyed this book!
It was such a lovely, easy and quick read. It is simple and accessible in writing style whilst also including lots of important and detailed information about the complexities of the subject, coming from a scientific and sociological perspective, backing up points made with data and research. It is a short read but gets the balance just right, it captures attention being concise and is fun to read but doesn’t leave anything out that takes away from the goal and intent or the factual nature of the style.
The accompanying art throughout is so wonderful too and the diversity displayed was so nice to see, intersectionality is so important! As a disabled person, I particularly enjoyed that there were several references to the crossovers and intricacies involving disability intersecting with sexuality and gender.
This a great resource for allies to learn more about a subject they may feel confused about but also for queer people to learn more about themselves or other people in the community. There were lots of things I knew but enjoyed reading about them in much more detail but also lots of new things I learnt that were so interesting. The list of references provided so people can do further reading or find more from people mentioned is also a great addition.
I would really recommend this book!

Hey science side of NetGalley, what is gender? Well, this book brings you through some of the science of gender versus sex and the most basic and easy to understand definitions of variances in self-identification, including, I"m happy to say, that some non-binary people do not consider themselves (ourselves) as trans, and some non-binary people (like me) do not use the term "enby" but that some do.

This short little book also takes us through gender divergence throughout the ages, that there is cultural proof all around the world that non-cis folks are not new and that some classifications and identifications persist even to this day.

There is a lot of science here about hormones and the studies that have been done regarding hormones and stress (and the lack thereof, too), and about a zillion reference notes for the back, but this is probably to be expected of someone who's a recent MD graduate with a ton of papers to their name so if you're someone whose eyes glaze over when things get too sciency this might not be for you, otherwise go forth and learn!

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for this eARC in exchange for the honest review.

"Gender is Really Strange" is a short book, only 40 pages, and it's packed with information. It works as a great entry point for people wanting to learn more about gender identity.

I liked how inclusive it is. There is a lot of information about different cultures and time periods, even if at moments it felt like an illustrated textbook. Still, I felt a little overwhelmed by how technical the language was in some parts.

My main issue with this book was the art style. Nothing wrong with it but it felt very "corporative". It's nice and looks good, the colors are fantastic but there is no personality, it felt cold. When you are reading something so technical, a little bit of heart is needed.

Besides that, I think it's an interesting book that tackles an important topic, and it's worth reading.

This short but comprehensive guide is perfect reading for starting the conversation about gender and identity. Informative and beautifully illustrated this book is an excellent starting point for anyone looking for more information on the complex subject. Talking in equal parts about societal constructions of gender in western society through to native cultures where people are not assigned gender at birth. This title will get you to start asking the important questions and is an excellent springboard to other sources for required reading. I highly recommend this for everyone, cis, trans and those beyond the binary.

This was a well-developed, highly informative, and organized guide to basics about gender identity and the history of the development of gendered concepts over time and across cultures.

A relatively short book, I was curious just what the author could do in 40 pages that would be able to explain what gender is- which as the title states, Gender IS really strange, and to address such a strange topic in so few pages, I didn't think it could be done. However, I was proven wrong. Each page is filled with countless facts and endless information to not only inform those that may be curious what all the hubabaloo about this gender stuff is, but for anyone questioning what their own gender identity may be, it's clear and PACKED full of examples. Even someone like myself, who is open and understanding of gender differences and pretty much gets all of it, was still surprised by how much I learned while reading this book. I will say some pages gave a little too much information/ detail for a reader like myself (or someone who understands less and just simply wants to learn about the different genders that exist, and are not on a journey to discover what their own gender may be) and it was very wordy and informational- almost to a fault. HOWEVER, these same passages are vital to explaining the very detailed nuances of gender and can be very beneficial to someone trying to discover themselves and what they identify as. So. It's going to come down to the reader on how they feel about this one. But I felt it gave a ton of great examples of people and cultures and how they view and celebrate gender. I felt this was a great read, and if you don't want such a deep history lesson, just skim some sections.

This was such an informed and interesting graphic novel, I really enjoyed it. The illustrations were stunning, the information was so interesting, and definitely something I would want a physical copy of. So great!

Gender Is Really Strange is a short and informative comic covering the sociological, cultural, and scientific bases for gender. It was a great introductory text that was incredibly well-cited, and while a lot of parts were not new to me as an LGBTQ+ person, I learned a lot from it.

This comic covers a surprisingly wide range of topics. It starts with societal expectations, how sex differs from gender, as well as explores the spectrum of gender identities. The largest portion focuses on different cultures’ expressions of gender (or lack thereof) both today and predating colonialism. I appreciated the vast array of examples in this section, and the dedication to viewing what we know as gender from an anti-imperialistic and anti-white supremacist lens. It was also pleasant to then see the comic delve into the science, discussing the role of hormones in the body and gender in relation to neuroscience, particularly neurodivergence and mental health. The comic’s final message to readers is to question the societal standards with which we so often view gender and explore for yourself what gender means to you.

Huge congratulations to Teddy G. Goetz for this marvelous read and Sophie Standing for the amazing illustrations! This is a text that I would definitely recommend to anyone and could even see doing well in schools, and I hope it gets the attention it deserves when it is released on October 19.

Thank you to Net Galley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for providing me with an advanced readers copy

I loved this book, and I will probably purchase a physical copy once it's released! Goetz goes into a variety of identities and experiences, but it never feels heavy or dense for the casual or more serious reader. The art style was also fun and unique, rounding out the book.

Very great graphic novel! It's a little more prosey than I was expecting, but it works very well! This is good for both people just learning about the queer community and people who want to expand their knowledge beyond LGBT.

I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to read "Gender is Really Strange" by Teddy G. Goetz. It was a short but excellent introduction to the difference between sex and gender, gender identity and also a brief topic about history of gender (and the differences of gender all over the world). There is also a "chapter" about psychological and mental factors.
The reader can understand what it means to be trans, intersex, non-binary, gender-expansive, agender, gender fluid, and many many other labels.
The graphic style is simple but effective! The color palette gave me some comfort.

You should read it, whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community an ally or a person who wants to explore this topic!

[Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.]

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in turn for an honest review.

This book is a short colourful and visual understanding of gender fluidity and identity.

As someone who is doing a sociology degree/major, it was very enlightening and enjoyable to learn about topics that are coming up later in my modules. The book itself dives deep into the understanding of gender and sex and deconstructs colonial ideas of what gender is 'meant to be'.

Highly recommend this short book

Provides relatively thorough explanations of the multitude of gender labels. As an ebook, however, it's difficult to read because of the page spread formatting.

I was excited about this and thought it was going to be a good introduction to understanding gender, but felt overwhelmed by the technicality of the language almost right away. It felt like there were a lot of things I needed to know before I could read this book. I do think it was well written and the illustrations were beautiful, it just was not what I was looking for.

I don't really know what I expected but I just felt like this book was not exactly what I wanted it to be when I picked it up. Nothing wrong with it but it's very short and somehow dense and I expected something maybe a little more light.

Gender IS really strange. This graphic novel is a an adventure through all of the aspects of gender and how it is different from sex. It goes into the history of both, and the nuances of different identities.

This novel is an introduction to the concepts involved in gender, I think it would be a fantastic resource for anyone who is newer to their gender identity journey.

I really liked that the author included how the gender binary is a largely colonizer concept, how so many culture have different expressions of gender that should be accepted in the modern world, and how many of them don't even assign gender until alter in life.
Thanks to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity to read this.

Lot's of super great information in this graphic novel that is now more then ever an important topic to understand. The information is approachable and easy to absorb, although a bit dense in some places, whilst even those with lots of knowledge about gender will have something they can take away from this book.
A brief commentary on gender definitions and their roles and presence throughout history with lots of scientific facts to support the authors words, the graphic novel definitely feels more like an a book of factual information rather then a 'story'.
Lots of important information to gain from such a quick read and would recommended to anyone to develop a deeper understanding of gender, LGBTQIA+ and themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Gender is Really Strange is a nice overview of different ways gender is experienced and expressed in various cultures. This book is thoughtful and informative, while presenting information at a level that kids can understand it. The illustrations are great as well. I wouldn't consider this as the primary source of information if a kid asked for books on gender, but it's certainly a great primer and provides a long list of footnotes for conducting further research. I appreciate the attention to detail and consideration for other cultures in this book.

Overall a very well done book that I'd be happy to have on my library's shelves.

Gender Is Really Strange is a delightful comic, beautifully designed and with an incredible amount of inclusive information about the tangled webs of gender and sex - all in just forty pages.

I LOVED the anticolonialist, anti-white supremacist lens the book took – the inclusion of information on gender outside of this lens, e.g. in indigenous communities was excellent, as was the discussion on gender identity and neurodivergence.

My prior understanding of scientific terms definitely came in handy while reading this book, so I probably wouldn’t give it to my students, however, I will absolutely be recommending the book to people working with older young people and to my adult friends.

This is a short book, but one that is filled with a plethora of information and presented in a really easy way to assimilate.