A great informative little book about gender and all the stereotypical bs that makes it hard for people to figure out their identity. I loved the graphics and the way the i formation was in-depth but also very digestible.

Thanks to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for an eARC.

This is such a great book about gender and queer expression. As someone who lived a more sheltered childhood from queer people, this was a really great way for me to explore questions I have about the gender side of the queer community. Since coming out as queer, I’ve been reading a lot of material and this is easily one of the best that I’ve read.

This was a very fascinating read. I think it would help a lot of people to understand each other and get a new perspective. I had to google really quick if the author shared the experience from the book or did some research. It seems like they did try to do some research which is definitely appreciated.

The book gives a comprehensive view on the history of gender and how different cultures used to view it. Is it any surprise that it’s white men that continue to ruin everything for everyone.

I hope these type of books because more frequent in schools. I find it so important that this knowledge is easily accesible. The fact that it’s a graphic novel with a lot of diagrams and such makes it very easy to digest. So it’s time for people to pick up some LGBTQIA+ literature and educate themselves.

Short and sweet in 40 colourfully filled pages.
The length doesn’t go against it, keeping your attention whilst packed with lots of interesting information.

From scientific and anthropological perspectives, it remains accessible enough whatever level you are at so anyone can understand and enjoy.

Beautifully illustrated, informative and important reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Pub.
5/5 ⭐️

Gender Is Really Strange by Teddy G. Goetz is a short graphic novel that was a really interesting read with some good pictures, that I liked. The one critique I have and that has more to do with personal feelings & preference and that is that I identify myself as a woman not a cis woman. Overall I good read with some great information.

This was my first time reading a book in the “Really Strange” series. The book is a short and accessible 40 pages in a full color graphic novel format.
I would recommend this to fans of “Gender” by Meg-John Baker and “Camouflage” by Sarah Bargiela.
The book takes a more scientific and anthropological view of gender rather than an introduction to what being transgender is. It would be a great pick for someone exploring their gender and reflecting on the history and social norms as well as how these things have played out in communities of color.
It’s likely a book someone will want to read twice to really absorb the terminology and abbreviations.
A wonderful addition to anyone trying to build their nonfiction gender diverse collections.

A short but very informative graphic novel that approaches identity in a way that is accessible to a diverse audience. From the outset, what society defines as 'gender' and 'sex' are distinguished, so people who are unfamiliar with the definitions are at no disadvantage going into the novel. Intersex identities are especially underrepresented in literature and history in general, so the time and information dedicated to educating people on the diversity and prominence of intersex people was great to see. I'd previously read an essay on being a non-binary intersex person by Mari Wrobi in Gender Euphoria, but the additional scientific context provided here added an extra wealth of knowledge. Although 1-2% of the population are officially "documented" as intersex, many live indefinitely unaware that they possess intersex characteristics - PCOS is an example of a trait that is often regarded as intersex which many people would be unaware of. It's a misunderstood identity that does not deserve the stigma it holds, and the beautiful illustrations combined with the clarity of this novel do a great job in getting this message across.

Gender is Really Strange is also extremely comprehensive despite being only 40 pages, covering various arguments that have previously been used to discredit diverse gender identities. For instance, the idea that being gender non-conforming is a new phenomenon. This is entirely false, and as you'll see in this novel, multiple religions, tribes, and cultures have acknowledged the diversity of gender identity for centuries. The fact that gender within the African continent has historically been assigned based on energy is certainly telling of the influence Western ideologies have had in contributing towards a gender-binary. It also signifies the way race and gender are intrinsically linked - the desire to impose a gender binary onto society is reflective of white supremacy and colonialist ideologies - just consider the way body hair is thought of as masculine, and the way WOC are genetically predisposed to grow more body hair than white women.

Some other branches I found particularly interesting are the ways hormones interact differently depending on the gender we're assigned at birth. For instance, higher levels of testosterone present completely different side effects in AMAB people than AFAB people. Equally, the shift in meaning behind being able to 'pass' from a racial to a gendered context.

So often LGBTQ+ people are approached with the expectation that it is their responsibility to educate others on "all these terms and identities" because "it's impossible to keep up". I am happy to explain, and I do actually enjoy being able to educate others, but I can't speak on behalf of everyone in the community. A boundless reliance on singular individuals is counterproductive and shows that you do not care enough to educate yourself. Gender is Really Strange is the perfect concise resource for this, and while it is of course validating for LGBTQ+ people to read, it is equally a vital read for cishet people. It's really not that hard to wrap your head around, if you make the effort to learn.

"Remember, decisions about gender identity do not need to be permanent to be valid, and there is no such thing as "not trans enough.""

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Gender Is Really Strange by Teddy G. Goetz and Sophie Standing

I think this should be mandatory reading.

The illustrations truly drew me in. The text was factual, informative, and extremely comprehensive.

My friend group is all over the place, I volunteer with kids, and I try my best to stay informed. That being said I still learned a lot from this book!

One of the things I did have a hard time with, even as a lifelong comic reader, was the pattern of information. Some of the pages did not give a clear path as to what the writer wanted me to read next.

5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Kingsley Pub, and of course the talented minds Teddy G. Goetz and Sophie Standing for the temporary eARC. All opinions are my own.

Very short graphic novel exploring and explaining scientifically all things gender related. I read this on my kindle and wasn't the best exowrience. I found it quite interesting and full of information for such a short book.

This was a really interesting read and I (as an out of touch old person) learned a lot. My grandchildren enjoyed the book also and this set off a lot of interesting discussions about their lives and friends. I will know to be more aware and sensitive on the topic of gender in future. Well written sensitively designed book.

I read this short graphic novel in one sitting, it was very readable (that is, the digital ARC wasn't, it was all fragmented and I almost gave up before even starting, but hopefully finished copies will look better) with a good picture-to-text ratio.

Whether you're cis and queer or cishet or questioning or already confident in your trans identity, I think the concept of gender (and gender expression and gender identity) is one that can be fascinating to learn about, especially when you learn how the way we think and talk about it has its roots in a white supremacist society. I really enjoyed how the book made specific examples of cultures where the concept of gender, if it existed, was completely different than our own.

The more scientific part was necessarily kept short, but it also tried to give as many details as possible, which I personally think resulted in things not being super clear (I would love to check out the sources at the end of the book if I had more time, but alas the font is also too small... again, I wish graphic novel ARCs weren't almost always such a pain).

Overall, I think this book is great if you're already somewhat knowledgeable about some aspect of gender and are curious to know more or want a refresher, but I don't think this would make TERFs etc change their minds and point of views (which I don't think was the intention in the first place).

I feel like this was such a smart way to approach gender, so approachable but also incredible. I can’t wait to get this in print honestly!

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgallery in exchange of an honest review.

Gender Is Really Strange by Teddy G. Goetz is an entertaining and informative book that helps readers understand gender in a new and inspiring way. Goetz uses simple language and engaging writing and illustrations to explain the complex concepts of gender, sexuality and gender identity. The book is full of humorous examples and stories of real people who defied gender norms.

One of the best aspects of the book is that Goetz does more than just provide theoretical definitions and explanations. The book is also full of practical advice on how to deal with gender-related challenges in daily life. Goetz offers tips on how to talk about gender with your children, how to deal with gender discrimination, and how to live an authentic and joyful life.

Gender Is Really Strange is an important book for anyone interested in understanding gender in a new and challenging way. The book is a must-read for people of all ages, genders, and gender identities.
It is well written and easy to understand, full of interesting and useful information, fun and engaging.

If you're looking for a book to help you understand gender in a new and challenging way, I highly recommend reading Gender Is Really Strange.

I loved this graphic book. It was such a great way to get the topic out into the world. I even read it twice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a short and very informative piece on gender versus sexuality. It is honest about what we know for certain, based on scientific studies and is clear about where the holes in the research are. As a cisgender woman who is closely connected with a number of people who are questioning their gender identity (or have in the past), this is a great resource for those who aren't sure if what they are going through is normal or how to start. There are guides for both!

One criticism is that there are some pages that are laid out strangely. It was hard to know what order to read captions sometimes. But overall, this short read is a gift.

I received an E-Arc of Gender Is Really Strange by Teddy G. Goetz through NetGalley. This is a graphic novel style book that goes through the science of gender and how to help yourself with understanding it. The book starts off by describing a lot of the terminology behind gender and how it came to be before it transitions into talking about the anthropology and chemistry behind gender. It then goes into talking about how you can try to look at gender for yourself or others you are close to.
This was overall a helpful book that presented a lot of science behind gender while also describing what you can do to answer any of your personal gender questions. The science was easy to understand and was backed up by sources so if you wanted to look into it more you could always go to the back of the book to look up the source. A lot of the more personal based pages were empathetic and helpful for those who are genuinely questioning or wanting to learn more about someone in their life. The art style of the book was also well done and the visuals matched with what the author was talking about. I wonder if the book could have been a little longer as to encompass more of the personal side of things because there was mostly just the science behind it.

This book is wonderful.

I read it in about 20 minutes, and have already recommended it to several people, and I really feel like it should be on the reading list for... well, I was going to say all adolescent people, but honestly I think everyone would benefit from reading this.

The simple, cute illustration style suits the subject perfectly, and the subject (which could be pretty heavy-going) is tackled with an intelligent, informative simplicity that is very accessible.

Informative, shocking, eye-opening, empowering, appropriately funny and always inclusive, this book should be on the shelves of every library and classroom everywhere.

I shall be buying at least 3 copies for people!

Short yet profound, this book is a great introduction to people unsure about gender and looking to understand things better.

As someone who has been exploring their own gender identity over the past couple of years I thought I knew a lot about it but this book taught me so much! I really enjoyed the section around how other cultures define sexuality. It was yet another reminder that though the Western world thinks it's so progressive, it is so far behind and the idea of gender norms and fixed gender is an outdated, harmful way to make people feel like there's something wrong with them.

I really enjoyed the last section where you were encouraged to explore and consider your own idea of gender identity and why you have that specific idea of certain genders. The book provides sources for everything and also suggests other books to continue your education.

I'll leave you with the last line: 'Trans or cis, we are all on gender journeys, and all gender journeys are valid'.

extremely informative and necessary. short but also gets important info across that all queer and non queer people should read to help educate themselves. also the illustrations were great!

Absolutely loved this book. As someone with a complex sexuality who's part of the LGBTQ+ community, I've always been interested in gender too but since I've started to date my non-binary partner 2 years ago, I've been learning a lot more. However, I've learnt even more spending the last hour reading this 40 page graphic novel ☺️ I love this graphic novels factual, clearly written and extremely informative approach to gender, biological sex, sexuality, culture, and neurodiversity and how these all intersect in a variety of possibilities. With a no nonsense attitude, and inclusion in every way, I loved this book and found it was accessible as a general reader wanting to learn more, while still being socially, culturally and medically informative for medical professionals and academics. I'm already looking forward to suggesting this to people, and to using what I've learnt as a spring-board to learning even more!