This is a cute and informative graphic novel that not only talks about gender and sexuality but also toxic relationships. It does this in a respectful manner and in way that is easy to follow and understand. This is a book I feel that everyone should read in order for us all to be more empathetic and understanding of others and their identities.

I gave this 4 out of 5 stars.

A wonderful introduction into the topic of queer identities. A must have for any inclusive collection.

A beautifully illustrated book with lots of fantastic information about a whole range of identities. I did find the use of snails and sproutlings a little strange although they were cute I think the parts with humans made it seem easier to identify with. As a pansexual cis female I found so much of this informative, learning more about other sexualities and gender identities different from my own. Not only is this book a great tool for those struggling with their own sense of self but it's full of great tools to help others understand as well.

True to the title, it is quick and easy. People of all ages could read this book and gain a better understanding of the LGBTQ+ Community.

In a world where I feel that every other day I see and hear news about LGBTQIA youth being misunderstood, mistreated. discriminated against and assaulted I felt a certain type of way reading the first few pages and getting to the foreword. Written by author, cartoonist and mother Roz Chast, they open with how much of that they know was learned from their son when he was figuring out who he was and transitioning. An expression of mother's love is one of the first words we read in this title and it is affirming as the reality is that most trans, queer,etc persons often find themselves cut or broken away from family and support systems when attempting to put words to who they and living as their best versions of themselves.

I am a big fan of the structure of this title; we start off with the basics, with the definitions of gender vs sex which, today’s society has a better nuanced grasp on. Another reviewer on here has pointed out that " a constant use of LGBT+ or LGBTQ+ (such as used in the outro) would have been better" which I totally whole heartily agree with as there is such a broad length of detail and info here.

The art has a coloring that almost reminds me of risograph illustrations and art and the funky little insects, animals and other creatures are cute and expressive as they act as guide and commenters along our journey. There are humans in this book, people and little life stories like someone being closeted and uncomfortable by the opposite sex to the happy yearnings of seeing other, happy trans women online.

As for audience, I’d be sure to give this one to older kids, like teens and adults. Not because the content covered is controversial but because there are layers of understanding and I’d suggest starting small for the much younger ages groups. While, A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities is a pretty straigtforwd book having some basic knowledge of terms and identities will come in handy which is why again, I'd recommend for the older readers. Yet the pages of illustrated notebook paper for note taking and doodling and the fun activities detailed like zine making and making patches to adorn your favorite jacket should hopefully make it so every reader (teen, young adult or older) can find themselves in this book and finds ways to express themselves.

Not quite an introduction yet a informative book that cover so much ground and sprinkles in many grains of truth that should be lovingly told to those who need to hear it. Such as when the author elaborates on how coming out is a privilege--there are environments where one may very well not be welcomed in like in the workplace yet still a very much important time in the life of an LGBTQIA' person's life. . Having healthy forms of communications is key and taking time to enter such important convos means you need to be in a good headspace, you don't want to win against your partner if you have one, you want to aim at solving a problem together. Another great lessons is knowing that there us life and relationships after highschool--not everyone ends up with their high school crush or sweetheart. Not detracting but a firm statement on how we live and grow as persons and find who and what is for us.

(A Important Note About this ARC: I really do wish the alignment of the pages was easier to read. How the pages were broken up made for a choppy read and really made the experience one that could have been more immersive. This is is a book that you can read in one sitting yet it took me more than a handful of time to get through and finish)

Queer and trans culture can often feel elusive in a hetero-normative world. The feeling that you are different, but not knowing exactly what that means can be overwhelming. This graphic novel is fantastic for young people learning about their queerness and people who just want to know more about the queer and trans community.

Feeling fairly well educated on queer and trans identities myself, but often feeling intimidated that I will do or say something wrong as a cis gender ally, this graphic novel helps breaks everything down in an easy to understand guide that recognizes the many facets that contribute to people's identities.

The art is absolutely delicious too! Every page is frosted with pink tinted story lines and expertise on how to accept ones identity and be part of a positive community of people. I especially loved that section on positive relationships, as that is something that needs to be talked about with all young people, especially those as vulnerable as our queer and trans youth.

While I received a free ebook copy of this novel for an honest review, I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy so that I can keep it around as a reference for students who need to feel that they belong in a larger community.

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this in exchange for an open and honest review. This guide is accessible, simple and openminded. It provides definitions and explanations while staying open and inclusive. I like how the comic format allows for really hard and confusing concepts to be illustrated through words as well as pictures. The pink and purple tones of the art make everything feel less intimidating than a traditional prose text that might feel clinical or complicated. I can imagine many situations in which I would recommend this book.

Language in terms of self expression is constantly evolving and sometimes that makes it difficult to explain.
This is where the book comes in.
And while you it to nobody to do so explaining the complexities of gender/sexual identity is made easier in this form, making it accessible for those with little to no understanding on the topic.

This graphic novel really lives up to its name. It definitely is a quick and easy guide. It uses this very very pink bubblegum style with snails to appear more friendly I guess? Those snails guide you through a couple of questions, varying from ‘what is queer’ and ‘what does it mean to come out’ to ‘what does dysphoria mean’. While some of the subjects are things that are easily found online, it is really great that you can have this guide lying around if people are too scared to ask questions or don’t know how to look for certain answers.
This guide focuses on transgender and non-binary people. A part of the LGBTQ+ community that isn’t discussed nearly enough. I always thought I was informed. I have a lot of friends that teach me things everyday, or clear up any misconceptions I might have. But I never heard of social dysphoria (only physical dysphoria). It was nice to see that things were so easily explained.

One of the most important messages, which is repeated throughout the book is that we should be more inclusive. This guide was exactly that. Inclusive. It states that not every trans person experience dysphoria, that one persons situation differs from other people. That nonbinary and binary people are different, and that they might experience transness differently. Asexuality is a huge part of this guide, which is something I talked about before, what I felt missing from Proud. We can all say we are part of the LGBTQ+ community, but that means that everyone is. There is not standard bisexual, or asexual. Everyone should be included.

It was also really easy to read. That might have also annoyed me a bit. I felt like it wasn’t supposed to target me, especially since the illustrations seem a bit childish I guess. While I liked it at first, I can understand people not really taking it serious, or not wanting to read it because of the illustrationstyle. This is my personal opinion ofcourse, but maybe use a bit less pink.. I’m not the biggest fan of pink and it might have thrown me off a bit.
While this guide focuses on inclusivity, there are some things that bothered me, aside from the illustrationstyle. I’m really happy that it focused so much on asexuality, but it basically skipped aromanticism. Which is just as important.. aromanticism is only mentioned once if I recall correctly and it’s almost like it’s being insinuated that a person can only be aromantic when they’re asexual..

I would also have loved it if the book didn’t just focus on the basic things. I know it’s a quick and easy guide, but it can also be a quick and easy guide with a little more depth.

This all being said, I do think that this is something that should be in every library and school. Somewhere with young people that are learning things about themselves, trying to figure themselves out and this could really help with that.

This is one of those books that, almost by definition, is going to attract both praise and reasonable criticism. On the whole I think this book serves a purpose, namely, to help people, however they or others want to identify them, better understand the dynamic and ever-changing world. People are largely what we have always been, but we are starting to be more open and coming to understand ourselves, and hopefully others, better. The ever-changing has to do with terminology and definitions. I started in queer theory in the late 80s and many of the terms I used, and some I still prefer, are outdated. Some for good reason and some because part of taking control of ourselves when society isn't always helpful is to tweak terminology and then, occasionally, stand aghast that people not in the know couldn't magically guess what word of the week is preferred now. It is empowering, I agree, but also slows down actual progress. And I acknowledge I stand in the minority within my own community about this.

Having said all of that, I think a work that makes an honest effort to engage more people who are open-minded but not sure where to look for information is a good thing. Is this the book I would have written in the same situation? Probably not. Nor would anyone else probably. Those are personal differences based largely on what our personal histories would have us emphasize or deemphasize.

This is well worth reading, take from it what you can, look for better options where you think the book fell short. But if this book helps any people to begin to try to better understand those around them then I think it is well worth it, warts and all.

Reviewed from the publisher via NetGalley.

Very informative and easy to understand. Seems to be geared towards older kids to adults. As an adult, it certainly helped me to understand more what people are going through in how to identify who they are and convey that to the people in their lives. I didn't realize there was such a broad spectrum of how people identified. I always enjoy learning something new, especially when it can help someone.

Everyone, no matter their age, should read this little guide. The way everything is explained is very clear and colorful. It covers everything from sexuality to gender identity and what it means to come out and advice on how to do it safely; self-care, self-love, and relationships.
I definitely appreciated how they discussed the red flags in a relationship, how you should try to remove yourself from that situation and to take responsibility if you are the one promoting those toxic actions. It also discusses how sometimes it's important to remove yourself from a harmful situation or end a toxic relationship and to try to do what's best for your physical, mental and emotional health.
Overall, I highly recommend everyone to pick this up. I am definitely getting my own copy.

This seems like it will be a helpful book, but the format that is shared in this eARC is atrocious. The images are sideways and seem to be out of order, which does not make for easy reviewing. Honestly, I expect better, especially when good reviews are necessary for niche books.

The art work and colours are adorable! I recommend this to anyone who likes reading comics and is interested in learning about sexual and gender identities. I really enjoyed the "relationship basics" part, I wasn't expecting that in this book but I think it is amazing information that anyone regarding their sexual orientation or gender needs. And the "extra" pages at the end for the readers to design their own sproutling and to create a zine are wonderful ideas.

To revise for the printed and official edition: There is text missing in one of the drawings in page 61 and there are typos in some of the text of page 91.

"The world is home to such a vibrant rainbow of people, so why not genders."

This is filled with wonderful, informative and easy to digest information.
I did think it was geared more to teens/adults and younger people may need help reading and understanding all the details discussed. That's not necessarily a bad thing since it would hopefully spark conversation/questions.
They really touched on a bit of everything, including signs of toxic relationships. This is something I think all people should be made more aware of in order to spot and escape these kinds of harmful dependencies. This is especially true for anyone still coming to terms with their own identity who may not feel brave enough to speak up and/or draw attention to themselves.

This was a very helpful and approachable book for LGBTQ terms - a fun, eye-catching format that will be great for teens.

[WERBUNG]*

TITEL: A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities
AUTOR: Mady G. & J.R. Zuckerberg
VERLAG: Limerence Press
ERSCHIENEN am 23. April 2019
EINZELBAND
GENRE: Graphic Novel, Sachbuch
96 SEITEN
PREIS: 9, 50 € [D]
ISBN: 978-1-620-10586-3

Klappentext:
A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!

In this quick and easy guide to queer and trans identities, cartoonists Mady G and JR Zuckerberg guide you through the basics of the LGBT+ world! Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples. A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!


Kaufgrund:
Ich habe dieses Buch als E-Book von NetGalley.com zur Verfügung gestellt bekommen. Das Cover hat mich sofort angesprochen und da es um mein Lieblingsthema - Queerness - geht, musste ich das Buch natürlich sofort haben.

Cover/Ausstattung:
Dieses Cover ist sooooo süß! ♥ Und nicht nur das Cover ist so bezaubernd gestaltet, sondern das ganze Buch. Alles wird mithilfe von Schnecken und anderen Waldbewohnern erklärt, und jede Seite ist liebevoll illustriert und bunt.

Titel:
Der Titel gibt genau wieder, worum es im Buch geht: queere und trans Identitäten werden einfach und anschaulich erklärt.

Schreibstil:
Das Buch ist ein Graphic Novel mit kurzen, einfachen Texten und wunderschönen Zeichnungen. Außerdem enthält es viele leicht verständliche Definitionen und Tipps.

Inhalt:
Ich liebe es! ♥ Es ist so unglaublich süß und noch dazu extrem lehrreich. Eigentlich habe ich gar nicht so besonders viel von diesem Buch erwartet. Nur eine kurze Einführung in die queere Welt, ein paar Grundbegriffe, so etwas eben. Aber mit so einem komplexen, unglaublich liebevoll gestalteten Buch hatte ich nicht gerechnet. Von Dingen wie "Wie finde ich heraus, ob ich queer bin?" bis zu spezifischen Labels ist wirklich alles dabei, und das auf nur 96 Seiten! Besonders gefreut habe ich mich, dass es ein ganzes Kapitel über Asexualität gab! Leider kam dabei das Thema Aromantismus ein wenig zu kurz, aber immerhin wurde der Unterschied zwischen sexueller und romantischer Anziehung erklärt. Auch das Thema Geschlechtsidentitäten wurde ausführlich dargestellt, inklusive Tipps zu Dysphorie und wie man mit seinem Geschlechtsausdruck experimentiert. Außerdem gibt es viele hilfreiche Hinweise zu Beziehungen, Trennungen, Selbstliebe und Coming Out. Besonders gut fand ich es auch, dass erwähnt, dass es okay ist, wenn Labels sich ändern, denn das ist es! Und das süßeste sind die DIY-Tipps am Ende des Buchs ♥ Insgesamt würde ich jedem, der sich für Queerness interessiert, empfehlen das Buch zu lesen. Vielleicht eignet es sich sogar als "Aufklärungsbuch" für Kinder?

Stimmung beim Lesen:
Beim Lesen des Buchs war ich einfach nur glücklich! Wie schon erwähnt hatte ich gar nicht damit gerechnet, dass in einem so kurzen Buch so viele (oft noch relativ unbekannte) Begriffe erklärt werden und das komplexe Thema Queerness so anschaulich dargestellt wird.

Fazit:
"A Quick & Easy Guide To Queer & Trans Identities" ist ein Must-Read für alle queeren Menschen, aber besonders auch für alle, die mehr über das Thema lernen wollen, um z.B. ihre queeren Freunde zu unterstützen.
5 von 5 Sternen!

Danke an Limerence Press, Oni Press und NetGalley für das Vorabexemplar, das ich im Austausch gegen eine ehrliche Rezension erhalten habe.

Text-, Cover- und Zitatrechte: Limerence Press

*Bei diesem Buch handelt es sich um ein Rezensionsexemplar. Aus diesem Grund kennzeichne ich diesen Beitrag mit [Werbung]. Für meine Beiträge werde ich grundsätzlich nicht bezahlt.

Really liked the art. Informative and to the point. This can’t stand on it’s own though. You need information from other sources to fully comprehend this.

This is exactly what it claims to be: a short, readable comic about queer identities. It's a great, approachable introduction to some fairly complex and heavily debated topics, even within the LGBTQ community. I would definitely buy this for any teen or young adult questioning their identity or coming out. It has great advice on coming out and healthy relationships as well. The style is cute, although sometimes the different storylines feel a little forced, and some of the topics end up a little glossed over. But I think it definitely accomplishes what the authors set out to do.

In one sentence: This book should be in every library, school, and Human Resources office. If you care about creating an inclusive space for your students, employees, and/or customers but don't know where to start with understanding all of the terms and definitions used by the queer community, this is the book for you. It is exactly what it says on the cover.

As with the last title in this series, A Quick and Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns, this graphic novel is approachable, funny, and educational. I like to consider myself fairly well versed in queer terminology, but this book has given me a few easy ways to explain things to my peers. I've referred a few romance novelists to it (even though it's not out yet!) as a reference as they work to make their books more inclusive and welcoming.

While nothing can compare to actually being queer and/or having a queer community around you, this is a primer for anyone who feels confused and/or needs to explain their community to an outsider. In this way, I think it's a helpful (and fun) resource for people both in the queer community and outside of it.

Chapters include:

What is Queer?
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
What Does Dysphoria Mean?
So, What is Asexuality?
Here are Some Relationship Basics (This chapter seems aimed at teen readers and covers things like self-esteem, recognizing abuse, and more)
What Does it Mean to Come Out?
The last couple of chapters of the book are aimed at the queer or questioning reader, but they're helpful for anyone to read. If you have a child, friend, or coworker who hasn't yet come out or is in the process, it can be invaluable to read a bit about how intimidating the process can be.

As with any educational text, the contents of this book will likely be out of date within a decade, but the book acknowledges that everything is fluid and changing. It also stresses the point that each person is an individual, so we shouldn't set expectations or make judgments of a person's queer identity and/or performance thereof.
Overall, the tone is optimistic, hopeful, and encouraging. It's a lighthearted book but contains the depth and nuance we need.

And it's full of adorable "sproutlings" and queer snails! The art is super cute and makes the density of information much more palatable.

Suzanne received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.