A memoir to read! As someone who does not had body dysmorphia due to gender dysmorphia, this memoir really open my mind to another experience. I like the choice of it being a graphic novel, as it really illustrates the struggles Maia experienced. I also like the drafts at the end of the book. I enjoy seeing the process and how the art came to be. 

4 stars

Inpiring, touching and informative book although i don't relate that much

I fell in love with the work. It made me feel like I got a deeper understanding of things my partner talks about, being nonbinary and asexual, using words that I feel like she struggles to find at times. It helped me find some words for my own feelings and experiences too. I am so grateful to this work and it's author.

I thought this was a really cool look into the thoughts of someone who is genderqueer. I am cisgender, and have limited experience reading about/in the perspective of nonbinary/trans identities. I can only recount one other book where I’ve seen someone use e/em/eir (which, I also didn’t know they were under Spivak pronouns. Neat!).

I felt like Kobabe was very thoughtful about how eir experiences and upbringing affected how e approached eir gender. I found it funny that fanfiction and queer artists remain avenues through which LGBTQIA+ people have sought self discovery. E touches on a lot of other aspects of being queer, such as grappling with how one experiences sexual and romantic attraction, the different ways loved ones can react, and how one’s identity can affect existing relationships. 

The illustrations served the story well. The one about the first Pap smear e had was especially striking. There are some very pretty page long spreads, and some good uses of space to place text in a thematically relevant way. The ending was a little puzzling, but I like to imagine it is hopeful in its implications. 

 I think this could be a good intro for someone who is questioning if they are transgender, or even just queer in general. It does not shy away from the bodily discomfort one can experience as a non-binary person. There are discussions of first periods, Pap smears, masturbation, and intimacy with other people. Sexual drive (and the deficit thereof, in Kobabe’s case) is also visited. 

People who are cisgender could also benefit from listening to this perspective; now more than ever, I think, it’s critical to be aware of the existence of non binary/transgender individuals, and the struggles they may be experiencing.  

Thank you for reading!