Gender Queer

Maia's story is an excellent exploration of gender exploration, the lengthy self-discovery process, and the challenges (and satisfaction!) that comes from trying to be accepted for your authentic self. The book contains many references to other great reading materials, and I've already pulled out tons of quotes when discussing these topics.

Highly recommend this book, whether you feel it relates to you, people you know and love, or just the world around you.

It is clear that Maia is vulnerable and open with the reader throughout. Maia provides great insight into the experience of gender nonconformity as a child, and this book is a quick important read for anyone with others in their life who may have gone, or be going through, something similar.

This graphic novel is among the greatest hits of the book banners who in the past few years have been berating librarians and threatening the freedom of others to simply read. As an autobiography, I can see how Gender Queer—with its absolute unveiled description of Maia Kobabe’s journey to eir realization of self—might be discomforting to some, but this work could be absolutely life-saving for young people in crisis or just struggling with putting into words who they are.

An impressive "graphic memoir." One of the few comic-book-style memoirs I've ever read, and one that I couldn't put down. I'm a slow reader and it only took me an hour or two to get through it. The illustrations are top-notch and the writing is engaging, as well. An important work that everyone should read and learn from.

Personal note on the research mentioned: Touching a Nerve, by Patricia S. Churchland.

An impressive "graphic memoir." One of the few comic-book-style memoirs I've ever read, and one that I couldn't put down. I'm a slow reader and it only took me an hour or two to get through it. The illustrations are top-notch and the writing is engaging, as well. An important work that everyone should read and learn from.

Personal note on the research mentioned: Touching a Nerve, by Patricia S. Churchland.

I read this book over the course of one day and have been recommending it to anyone and everyone while struggling to distill my thoughts into a review.  I have loved and appreciated Maia's work for several years now, and am so excited eir graphic memoir is out in the world!  This book is written and drawn in a way that is accessible to everyone, even folks who aren't accustomed to reading graphic novels.  Eir style is at once beautiful, charming, sophisticated and effective.  Aside from being an extremely compelling and needed testimony, Maia has written something deeply personal and relatable, and I felt honored to be invited to read eir story.  I recommend this book to anyone (over the age of 15 or so) no matter where you fall on the gender spectrum.