Books Discussing Gender

Understanding ones gender isn't always as simple as it may sound. While many feel they can slot into a very defined category, others feel a more fluid approach better describes how they feel about their own gender.

As our understanding evolves and peoples willingness to see more than two sides of one coin begins to expand, more and more people are opening up about their own experiences and their journey of discovery.

Below you'll find a wonderful collection of books all about understanding Gender - Yours & Theirs.

Is Gender Fluid? by Sally Hines

The Big Idea shortlisted for series design in the British Design and Production Awards. When we are born, we are each assigned a gender based on our physical anatomy. But why is it that some people experience such dissonance between their biological sex and their inner identity? Is gender something we are or something we do? Is our expression of gender inborn or does it develop as we grow? Are the traditional binary male and female gender roles relevant in an increasingly fluid and flexible world? This intelligent, stimulating volume assesses the connections between gender, psychology, culture and sexuality, and reveals how individual and social attitudes have evolved over the centuries.

Gender Explorers by Juno Roche

'I believe that children who are questioning and exploring their gender are the gender bosses that we all so desperately need. I believe that they are our future.'

In this life-affirming, heartening and refreshing collection of interviews, young trans people offer valuable insight and advice into what has helped them to flourish and feel happy in their experience of growing up trans. Speaking openly and candidly about their gender, their experiences of coming out, their aspirations, and their fears - accompanied by interviews and support from their parents and carers - this book is beautiful proof of the potential for trans children to live rich and fulfilling lives when given the support and love they need.

With their trademark candour and empathy, Juno Roche gives voice to a generation of gender explorers who are making gender work for them, and in the process, reveals a kinder, more accepting world, that we should all be fighting for.

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker

'Queer: A Graphic History Could Totally Change the Way You Think About Sex and Gender' Vice Activist-academic Meg-John Barker and cartoonist Jules Scheele illuminate the histories of queer thought and LGBTQ+ action in this groundbreaking non-fiction graphic novel. From identity politics and gender roles to privilege and exclusion, Queer explores how we came to view sex, gender and sexuality in the ways that we do; how these ideas get tangled up with our culture and our understanding of biology, psychology and sexology; and how these views have been disputed and challenged. Along the way we look at key landmarks which shift our perspective of what's 'normal' - Alfred Kinsey's view of sexuality as a spectrum, Judith Butler's view of gendered behaviour as a performance, the play Wicked, or moments in Casino Royale when we're invited to view James Bond with the kind of desiring gaze usually directed at female bodies in mainstream media.

Presented in a brilliantly engaging and witty style, this is a unique portrait of the universe of queer thinking.

Gender: Your Guide by Lee Airton

A Gender-Friendly Primer on What to Know, What to Say, and What to Do in the New Gender Culture

"An invaluable resource for both new and veteran allies...obvious and necessary" (Library Journal, starred review) information for everyone who wants to learn more about how to navigate gender diversity in today's families, communities, and workplaces. The days of two genders-male, female; boy, girl; blue, pink-are over, if they ever existed at all. Gender is now a global conversation, and one that is constantly evolving.

More people than ever before are openly living their lives as transgender men or women, and many transgender people are coming out as neither men nor women, instead living outside of the binary. Gender is changing, and this change is gaining momentum. We all want to do and say the right things in relation to gender diversity-whether at a job interview, at parent/teacher night, and around the table at family dinners.

But where do we begin? From the differences among gender identity, gender expression, and sex, to the use of gender-neutral pronouns like singular they/them, to thinking about your own participation in gender, Gender: Your Guide serves as "a warm, inviting guide to a complicated area" (The Globe and Mail, Toronto). Professor and gender diversity advocate Lee Airton, PhD, explains how gender works in everyday life; how to use accurate terminology to refer to transgender, non-binary, and/or gender non-conforming individuals; and how to ask when you aren't sure what to do or say. It provides the information you need to talk confidently and compassionately about gender diversity, whether simply having a conversation or going to bat as an advocate.

Just like gender itself, being gender-friendly is a process for all of us. As revolutionary a resource as Our Bodies, Ourselves, Gender: Your Guide is "greatly needed...an impactful tool for creating a world more supportive of people of all genders" (INTO! Magazine).

How to Understand Your Gender by Meg-John Barker & Alex Iantaffi

A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You are

'For anyone who's ever wished they had a smart, kind, friend with whom they could calmly and safely discuss gender issues: this most excellent book is that kind of friend'. - Kate Bornstein, author of Gender Outlaw. Have you ever questioned your own gender identity? Do you know somebody who is transgender or who identifies as non-binary? Do you ever feel confused when people talk about gender diversity? This down-to-earth guide is for anybody who wants to know more about gender, from its biology, history and sociology, to how it plays a role in our relationships and interactions with family, friends, partners and strangers. It looks at practical ways people can express their own gender, and will help you to understand people whose gender might be different from your own.

With activities and points for reflection throughout, this book will help people of all genders engage with gender diversity and explore the ideas in the book in relation to their own lived experiences.

Celebrating Difference by Shaun Dellenty

A whole-school approach to LGBT+ inclusion.

RECOMMENDED BY LORD MICHAEL CASHMAN IN UK PARLIAMENT, APRIL 2019 'Essential and valuable reading for every teacher and school leader.' Peter Tatchell' A huge stride towards genuine organisational change.' Dr Joseph Hall. 'An outstanding book.' Professor Jonathan Glazzard Celebrating Difference is an inspiring handbook for LGBT+ inclusion, aimed at all primary and secondary teachers and leaders.

Written by Shaun Dellenty, internationally celebrated lead in LGBT+ inclusion in education, it is filled with practical advice to enable schools to bring about organisational change to ensure the safety, success, mental health and well being of all pupils and staff. This ground-breaking book examines the roots and impact of identity-based prejudice in schools, drawing on Shaun's own experiences of homophobic bullying and his subsequent career as a teacher and school leader.

The core of the book is based on Shaun's award-winning training programme Inclusion For All, endorsed by the Department for Education, presenting an effective approach to LGBT+ inclusion at a whole-school level.

This includes practical strategies to eradicate prejudice, prevent bullying, embrace diversity and improve whole-school outcomes such as attendance and attainment, as well as mindfulness techniques and ideas for INSET training sessions and school assemblies.

Case studies and interviews with pupils and teachers who have experienced the Inclusion For All process and unique research insights from Dr Joseph Hall, University of Leeds, demonstrate how the strategies work in practice.

Clear guidance will also enable schools to comply with Ofsted and statutory equality legislation, and help them to teach children about British values, basic human rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Written with warmth, humour and compassion, this is a must-read guide for all teachers and school leaders who wish to promote inclusion, celebrate difference and ensure safer futures for all young people.

Rewriting the Rules by Meg-John Barker

An Anti Self-Help Guide to Love, Sex and Relationships

We live in a time of uncertainty about relationships. We search for The One but find ourselves staying single because nobody measures up. We long for a happily-ever-after but break-up after break-up leave us bruised and confused.

Rewriting the Rules: An Anti Self-Help Guide to Love, Sex and Relationships is a friendly guide through the complicated - and often contradictory - advice that's given about sex and gender, monogamy and conflict, break-up and commitment. It asks questions about the rules of love, such as which to choose from all the rules on offer? Do we stick to the old rules we learnt growing up, or do we try something new and risk being out on our own? And what about the times when the rules we love by seem to make things worse, rather than better? This new edition, updated throughout, considers how the rules are being 'rewritten' in various ways - for example in monogamish and polyamorous relationships, different ways of understanding sex and gender, and new ideas for managing commitment and break-up where economics, communities, or child-care make complete separation impossible. This book considers how the rules are being 'rewritten' in various ways, giving you the power to find an approach that best fits your situation.

The Gender Games by Juno Dawson

The Problem With Men and Women, From Someone Who Has Been Both

*WINNER OF THE UK BLACK PRIDE LITERARY PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION DIVA AWARDS 2017* *AS SEEN ON TRANSFORMATION STREET* 'Opens minds, breaks down myths and vaporises prejudice - I loved it!' Rebecca Root, star of Boy Meets Girl 'Funny, thoughtful and honest' Stylist' It's a boy!' or 'It's a girl!' are the first words almost all of us hear when we enter the world. Before our names, before we have likes and dislikes - before we, or anyone else, has any idea who we are. And two years ago, as Juno Dawson went to tell her mother she was (and actually, always had been) a woman, she started to realise just how wrong we've been getting it.

Gender isn't just screwing over trans people, it's messing with everyone. From little girls who think they can't be doctors to teenagers who come to expect street harassment. From exclusionist feminists to 'alt-right' young men.

From men who can't cry to the women who think they shouldn't. As her body gets in line with her mind, Juno tells not only her own story, but the story of everyone who is shaped by society's expectations of gender - and what we can do about it. Featuring insights from well-known gender, feminist and trans activists including Rebecca Root, Laura Bates, Gemma Cairney, Anthony Anaxagorou, Hannah Witton, Alaska Thunderfuck and many more, The Gender Games is a frank, witty and powerful manifesto for a world in which everyone can truly be themselves.

The Gender Games has been optioned by SunnyMarch Productions to be turned into an original television series, written by Rose Lewenstein.

The A-Z of Gender and Sexuality by Morgan Lev Edward Holleb

There can be confusion around the appropriate terminology for trans and queer identities, even within the trans community itself. As language is constantly evolving, it can be especially difficult to know what to say. As a thorough A-Z glossary of trans and queer words from 'ace' to 'xe', this dictionary guide will help to dispel the anxiety around using the "wrong" words, while explaining the weight of using certain labels and providing individuals with a vocabulary for personal identification.

Having correct and accurate terminology to describe oneself can be empowering, especially with words and phrases that describe gender identity, sexuality, sexual orientation, as well as slang relevant to LGBTQ+ rights and anti-discrimination, queer activism, gender-affirming healthcare and psychology. Written in a traditional A-Z glossary style, this guide will serve as a quick reference for looking up individual words, as well as an in-depth look at trans history and culture.

What is Gender? by Juno Dawson

How Does It Define Us? And Other Big Questions for Kids

What's the difference between sex and gender? What does it mean to be defined by your gender? Are there only two genders? This informative book helps kids to explore these questions and many more. It explains how your gender can have an impact on your life, what it means to choose your own gender identity and the importance of gender equality. Topics covered include gender stereotypes, why there are different toys for boys and girls, being intersex and transgender, cross-dressing and gender around the world.

You will also hear from a range of people who share their personal gender philosophies. Poet Anthony Anaxagorou discusses his masculinity, author Holly Bourne writes about the importance of feminism, Krishna Is tha explains what it means to be genderqueer and Juno shares her experiences of being transgender. Other contributors and celebrities featured include Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Jack Monroe, Caitlyn Jenner, RuPaul, Laura Dockrill, Conchita Wurst, Andrew McMillan and Emma Watson.

Aimed at young people aged 10 and upwards. Part of the ground breaking and important 'And Other Big Questions' series, which offers balanced and considered views on the big issues we face in the world we live in today. Other titles in the series include: What is Humanism? How do you live without a god? What is Feminism? Why do we need it? Who are Refugees and Migrants? What makes people leave their homes? What is Consent? Why is it important? What is Masculinity? Why does it matter? What is Mental Health? Where does it come from?

Gender & Sexuality for Beginners by Jaimee Garbacik

We should not need to prove our experiences, defend our realities, or negotiate basic human rights. But we do. What does sexual orientation mean if the very categories of gender are in question? How do we measure equality when our society's definitions of "male" and "female" leave out much of the population? There is no consensus on what a "real" man or woman is, where one's sex begins and ends, or what purpose the categories of masculine and feminine traits serve. While significant strides have been made in recent years on behalf of women's, gay and lesbian rights, there is still a large division between the law and day-to-day reality for LGBTQIA and female-identified individuals in American society. The practices, media outlets and institutions that privilege heterosexuality and traditional gender roles as "natural" need a closer examination.

Gender and Sexuality For Beginners considers the uses and limitations of biology in defining gender. Questioning gender and sex as both categories and forms of compulsory identification, it critically examines the issues in the historical and contemporary construction, meaning and perpetuation of gender roles. Gender and Sexuality For Beginners interweaves neurobiology, psychology, feminist, queer and trans theory, as well as historical gay and lesbian activism to offer new perspectives on gender inequality, ultimately pointing to the clear inadequacy of gender categories and the ways in which the sex-gender system oppresses us all.

Gender and Sexuality For Beginners examines the evolution of gender roles and definitions of sexual orientation in American society, illuminating how neither is as objective or "natural" as we are often led to believe.

In Their Shoes by Jamie Windust

There is no one way to be non-binary, and that's truthfully one of the best things about it. It's an identity that is yours to shape. Combining light-hearted anecdotes with their own hard-won wisdom, Jamie Windust explores everything from fashion, dating, relationships and family, through to mental health, work and future key debates.

From trying on clothes in secret to iconic looks, first dates to polyamorous liaisons, passports to pronouns, Jamie shows you how to navigate the world and your evolving identity in every type of situation. Frank, funny, and brilliantly feisty, this must-read book is a call to arms for non-binary self-acceptance, self-appreciation and self-celebration.