Role models, trailblazers, and leaders are sometimes felt to be in short supply in the queer community -- and in the genderqueer community in particular, it can feel like there are almost no non-cis leaders in day-to-day life. This week, El and Josie talk about their experiences (or lack thereof) with genderqueer leaders, and how to find that leadership in your own life.
In lieu of leaders in your day-to-day life, here are some nonfiction books by non-binary authors that you can look up to!
Those that El has read:
What's Your Pronoun, by Dennis Baron - This is very academic and much more about the grammar of pronouns than gender expansive identities, but it is a great resource to throw at people who are still upset about the singular use of they/them
Raising Them, by Kyl Myers - A memoir about gender creative parenting that follows an incredible family as they raise their child without an assigned gender. The author, Kyl, identifies as gender expansive and uses she/them, and has a PhD in gender studies - and I'm obsessed with them.
Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity, by Micah Rajunov - A memoir series written exclusively by older nonbinary folx aimed primarily at showing how long various nonbinary gender identities have existed.
Gender Queer, by Maia Kobabe - A beautiful graphic memoir written by a non-binary author as e discover eir gender identity. TW for pap smears
Some El hasn't read, but found from reputable sources and plans to read eventually. . .
The Queer Art of Failure, by Jack J. Halberstam - This one is heavily academic, and focuses on willingness to fail and to lose one’s way, to pursue difficult questions about complicity, and to find counterintuitive forms of resistance
Beyond the Gender Binary, by Alok Vaid-Menon - ANOTHER graphic memoir!
Transcending: Trans Buddhist Voices, by Kevin Manders - A series of memoirs of nonbinary Buddhists.
Music for Gender Journeys Composed by Sonia Bourdaghs
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Twitter: @Gender_Journeys
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Website: JosieWrites.com/GenderJourneys
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Need some advice? Reach out to us at josiewrites.qtn@gmail.com!
