Gender Queer

 

Gender Queer : a memoir  by Maia Kobabe

Lion Forge, 9781549304002

In 5th grade, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, had the feeling that everybody else had access to information that e lacked — not an uncommon feeling for 5th graders. This feeling persisted through high school and college, and always seemed to center around gender identity. Maia doesn’t identify as female, but e doesn’t feel like a guy, either. What is e?

There is a lot of controversy over this book, including attacks by politicians, school boards, and parents upset about certain sexual situations and images. Significantly, many of these would-be censors say that they have not read the entire book, and are reacting only to a few select pages and images. Maia’s story is 239 pages long, and taking a few pages out of context destroys the entire purpose of the book: to tell about eir entire journey.  

bullying, cussing (mild), diversity, friendship, gay friends, gender diversity, graphic novel, high school, homophobia, kissing, mental health, non-fiction, on-page sex,  parents, rainbow+

We Need to Talk About Vaginas

We Need to Talk About Vaginas : an important book about vulvas, periods, puberty, and sex!  by Dr. Allison K. Rogers

St. Martin’s Press  9781684492848

A gynecologist explains, examines, and answers questions about female bodies and the changes experienced in the transition from childhood to adulthood.  Topics (in addition to those called out in the title) include: public hair, ovaries, cramps, hymens, masturbation, sexually transmitted diseases, gender identity, and the history of flying vaginas!  The narration is honest and straightforward, using correct medical vocabulary. The illustrations show a variety of differently colored and shaped bodies.  Recommended for age 8 and up.

Birth control, diversity, gender diversity, graphic novel, masturbation, mental health, non-fiction, on-page sex,  parents, pregnancy, rainbow+, sexual assault, teachers