bibliothecarivs reviewed Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
Review of 'Gender Queer' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
fREADom #UniteAgainstBookBans
library binding, 240 pages
Published May 28, 2019 by Turtleback.
5 stars
(2 reviews)
In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears.
Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity―what it means and how to think about it―for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.
Elska Bee reviewed Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
Review of 'Gender Queer' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
4.5 // note: author uses e/em/eir (spivak) pronouns so I'm using them to refer to em in my review
I think this is a really important addition to media about genderqueer/nonbinary people. Being genderqueer myself, I think not only can gq/nb (especially if they're AFAB) people find a lot to resonate with and feel seen by, but also cis and binary trans people can hopefully gain some insight into what it's like to be genderqueer. Also, while gender remains the main focus, there was also some exploration asexuality and its interplay with gender, which again, as an a-spec genderqueer person, I really appreciated.
Of course, autobiographies are deeply personal to the author and no one's experiences are universal. I still really enjoyed it and respected when my opinions or experiences differ, but still gained a lot from eir perspective.
I seriously can't stress enough how important books like these are. …
4.5 // note: author uses e/em/eir (spivak) pronouns so I'm using them to refer to em in my review
I think this is a really important addition to media about genderqueer/nonbinary people. Being genderqueer myself, I think not only can gq/nb (especially if they're AFAB) people find a lot to resonate with and feel seen by, but also cis and binary trans people can hopefully gain some insight into what it's like to be genderqueer. Also, while gender remains the main focus, there was also some exploration asexuality and its interplay with gender, which again, as an a-spec genderqueer person, I really appreciated.
Of course, autobiographies are deeply personal to the author and no one's experiences are universal. I still really enjoyed it and respected when my opinions or experiences differ, but still gained a lot from eir perspective.
I seriously can't stress enough how important books like these are.
It's a 4.5 from me because I felt the ending was very abrupt and didn't really wrap up nicely, though I guess life doesn't either. I was just surprised when I turned the page and that was it. I also felt that e could have explained what asexuality is a little bit (seriously just a quick little panel or something, it wouldn't have looked out of place I promise), because some readers might not really get it/might not have even heard the term before. I'm not discounting that people can do their own research, but it's just not explored as much as the genderqueer aspect so a quick little sentence or two explaining it could have done a lot.
CW/TW: blood (period blood), moderate sexual content (not graphic, but there is discussion), mild nudity, pap smear test, some mild transphobia