This is a quick little book that is pretty much what it says on the tin. For those of you who have never heard of they/them pronouns, this is a quick and easy way to learn about it. For those of you who know about the use of these pronouns, and have used them the right way, you are free to skip this lesson. But for those of you know who not only don't know, but don't know why they should know, this is a great book to start with.

The book is co-written by a Cis man, and a transgender gender fluid person. Between the two of them, they explain why it is important to use the proper pronouns around people who request that. There are plenty of examples of how to ask and how to find out what pronoun to use, and the wrong way to ask.

And while you may think this would never apply to you, you might be surprised. I currently know two transgender, gender fluid individuals, and I have to constantly make sure I am using their pronouns of choice. Once you get used to it, it gets easier.

Below is an example of the style of the cartoons, as well as the writing.


<img class="alignnone wp-image-319 size-full" src="http://www.reyes-sinclair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Screen-Shot-2018-03-23-at-3.12.09-PM.png" alt="They them genders" />

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This comic guide with a goofy, gently sarcastic sense of humor is all about gender neutral pronouns - how being misgendered feels, why pronouns matter, grammar, and examples of how to use these pronouns in real life.

I was so glad the authors encouraged people to try to make their everyday language more inclusive by dropping words like ma'am, sir, guys, ladies, etc. and defaulting to "person" instead of assuming "man" or "woman" when speaking about someone you don't know.

I wish the authors had addressed grammar pedants who get in a tizzy about singular they/them. They kind of allude to it when someone says "that just doesn't sound right to me", but this is such a common occurrence. I think people who balk at singular they/them really need it pointed out more directly, right next to the section that talks about respecting people and how it makes them feel to be misgendered.

Surprisingly - and only because it's so short - this guide really gets into the nuances that come with existing in this world as a nonbinary person. Whether gender neutral pronouns are completely new to you or you already consider yourself a well-informed ally, you'll learn from this fun, engaging book.

I will absolutely be passing this title along to our teen librarian to purchase for the YA nonfiction collection! As a cisgendered ally, I try to follow all the suggestions made in this book, but I know I mess up and feel awful for those I misgender. As much as I find myself making mistakes, I've encountered coworkers who are even worse about it, and I really do think this would be a great addition to our professional collection as well, especially with the number of nonbinary and genderqueer patrons we have.

Book – A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns
Author – Archie Bongiovanni & Tristan Jimerson
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 64
Cover – Bright, Fun, Cute
Genre – LGBT, Non-Fiction, Informative, YA friendly


** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **



This is a really cute, fun book that explains and explores the various uses of They/Them and gender neutral pronouns. It's told in comic form, and tells you from the outset that it's made for all ages, for all abilities, and to be an informative assistance guide for anyone who isn't quite sure how to use gender neutral pronouns properly.

I really love that it deals with the use of pronouns from both perspectives – that of a non-binary person and that of a cisgender. Not only does it explain why, in the book, but it's a handy tip for all those reading to remember that educating others on what is right and acceptable doesn't have to be complicated or aggressive. It can be about informing rather than correcting.

There are some beautiful, heartbreaking moments where Archie explores how it feels to be misgendered and just why it's so important to respect a person's right to be known by the correct pronouns. This was perfectly illustrated with the 'arrow of good intent'.

This is a perfect educational tool, that should be in all school libraries, available to teach kids as they're growing up, so that they don't grow up with the expected use of language (discussed in the book) that allows a person to deliberately or accidentally misgender a person all because it's how they were taught. It's the teaching and education of having an open mind and an open heart – and an open vocabulary – that is most important.

Overall, this is educational, eye-opening, and a much needed informative resource for every school, teenager, kid, and adult, who wants to know how to be a more inclusive and respectful person in everyday life. The tools provided are clear, easy to read, and well illustrated with examples and images that will make it easier to remember. There are also extra links at the end, for anyone who wants to do more reading.

A perfect tool to inform and educate.

~

Favourite Quote

“Fellow non-binary hunks and babes and hunkbabes:
We are not asking too much.
We are not demanding the impossible.
We are worth respect and understanding.”

This is such a short but important book. I think everybody should read it, it explains simply what we need to know about gender-neutral pronouns and how to use them. The art was simple, just what it needed to tell us everything without doing too much and it was really enjoyable.

I've been waiting for this since Limerence announced it, and I'm super pleased with the result!
The first 25 pages is set-up: what are pronouns and why is it important to use the correct pronouns when referring to or talking to a person.
The middle section is the how-to portion of the book. How to use gender neutral pronouns in a professional setting, when you don't know a person's pronouns, etc. How to correct yourself if you accidentally misgender someone (hint: don't make it a huge thing all about YOU). How to stand up for a non-binary friend OR let them stand up for themselves, and how to know the difference.
There are a few pages aimed toward non-binary folks, directly from Archie (the non-binary half of the creative team) about navigating the process of coming out, figuring out when to pick your battles, etc. It's written for non-binary folks, but that portion is also useful for cisgender (your pronouns match what you were assigned at birth, usually your sex) people as it gives you a source of understanding and empathy.
The book wraps up with a few handy pages that are sort of like cheat-sheets. You could even photocopy them to hang in your work cubicle! (We do not condone copying pages and distributing them without written consent from Limerence because that's illegal and not cool.)

In all - this is a great book and, at 70 pages, a handy reference to leave in the breakroom, your local library, etc. I really appreciate that the creative team put it together specifically to be readable and affordable, and that they made it clear that this is the start of a conversation and the start of the work we all need to do to make our society more inclusive and welcoming.

This was a quick read that helps introduce individuals to the idea of pronouns other than she/her and he/him along with how to use them properly.

A lot of the information that is in here is what I have stumbled upon in my research, but that didn't take awhile from this. It is always helpful to reread about how to use gender-neutral pronouns and gender-neutral terms. Living in a more conservative part of the country, this is something that I would like to keep reading about so I can help those who aren't cis and make them feel more comfortable.

This fun read helps do that and could be very useful for those who don't quite understand the gender-neutral pronouns.

This is very simple beginner's guide to they/them pronouns. I've already known pretty much all of those information but the thing is it took me a lot of TIME to learn that and while I do not think that time was wasted I wish I had a guide like this one back when I first learned that there are more than two genders. Coming from a conservative family, those concepts were completely new to me and I didn't know where to start - this book is a good start. It covers all the basic aspects in an approachable funny way and encourages to look up more information.

This book not only gives practical information but also explains the emotions caused by being misgendered and Why You Should Care.

The second part contains some advice to non-binary people on coming out, cuting people out, and reaching out for support.

This is a great introduction to using they/them pronouns, why it's important, and how to talk about it with others. I think that this book makes a difficult subject easy to understand. Good writing, fun characters, and nice art.

A cute book about using they/them pronouns and gender identity.

An excellent introduction to gender neutral pronouns--how to use them, how to correct a mistake in using the wrong ones, and how to adapt your language to be more inclusive. By changing a few simple words to a few other simple words, you can not only make your language more inclusive, but also make sure you don't offend anyone by misgendering them. Jimerson introduced neutral language into his business and much of the advice could definitely be used in a training session at a business or any other situation where a large group of people are working together. Much of the advice was stuff I had picked up from a variety of sources over the years, but it was nice to see all of that validated and compiled into a short comic like this!

Definitely recommended for anyone who wants to be a better ally!

Pronouns are a difficult topic. Some of us feel like the rules for using them are engraved in our brains, some people feel like the rules are engraved in stone, and some feel like they're being stabbed every time the wrong pronouns are used for them. No matter what pronouns you use, you probably have questions. Archie and Tristan have answers, advice, and info. Archie uses they/them and Tristan uses he/him so we get different perspectives. Archie lets us know why pronouns are so important and Tristan is a good example of an ally.

This short book is a conversation between them and the reader. It's fun and well-drawn. The art style looks loose but the expressions are spot-on when they need to be. There's plenty of humor and the relationship between Archie and Tristan is comfortable and relatable.

The focus here is why pronouns are important, what to say in some common (and sometimes uncomfortable) situations, and that really this is all about creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone. I look forward to the other guides in this series.