omg yall it’s the last page of the GENDER book, colored!
… at least, unless I go through with this secret plan to add another last minute page… then it’d be the second-to-last.
I cannot wait to see it in print. We included some random fun facts and miscellaneous info there on the inside back cover you might recognize from the GENDER booklet, as well as a little concept map to help you find your way through the book quickly.
Recently-colored footnotes and further resources pages from the GENDER book.
Ideas for resources to add? What are your favorite gender- or trans- related books, videos, articles, websites, and groups? I’d love to hear your ideas. I’m still collecting them myself. You can email me directly at mel@thegenderbook.com. Alternately, you can try leaving comments here, I check those sometimes.
PS- Don’t mind the footnotes; they will be updated and edited, heavily. I just put some rough text there to play with fonts and such. :)
Today I sat at Maxfield’s coffeeshop in the Castro and colored this page. Just imagine the words in there. Those wil come later. Kthanks.
Meanwhile, we could play a game where you comment with the words you’d most like to see included in gender definitions
The inside front cover and title page of the GENDER book have been released for your perusal and feedback. Yes, that is my handwriting on the titles. I also used somewhat brighter, more acidic colors than usual. Fun stuff. **Note to self- put in actual publisher’s info and ISBN there… Just as soon as we find one…
-mel
(Edited to include the new colors. I like them moar!)
Gender Across Communities page from the GENDER book
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(cc) the GENDER book project. in progress snapshot presented for community editing and feedback. Please direct all notes to mel@thegenderbook.com or comment using disqus on the original post to ensure your voice gets heard. Thanks!
Hi friends! Just wanted to let everyone know how the book-making process is going. Fun facts follow!
We are super excited about how near to completion this book is and also entirely aware of how without big beautiful community support this project would go nowhere. Thank you, everyone who’s contributed so far, again, and if you see anywhere in the above where you could help, please get in touch and let’s collaborate together!
In community,
Mel
![Transgender & Genderqueer identities page from the GENDER book
Hey Boston, how’s the research going? Remember, as you’re learning about all of these identities, that they are only the tip of the iceberg. It’s okay to identify simply as transgender, as a mix of those identities, none at all, genderqueer like me, or make up something that fits you better!
Bigender describes those who alternate between two distinct gender roles. May be crossdressers or drag performers.
Intergender describes those who identify between the traditional masculine and feminine genders.
Ambigender describes those who identify to some degree with both the masculine and feminine genders
Genderfluid describes those whose gender behavior and presentation changes depending on the situation or their mood.
Pangender describes those who identify with all the genders.
Polygender describes someone who identifies with many (though not all) of the genders.
Agender describes those who identify with having no gender or a neutral gender. They may present androgynously or seek to make their bodies more gender-neutral to match their identity. Sometimes also called neutrois.
Third gender describes those who identify with a (often non-Western) gender that is neither masculine nor feminine. See “gender across cultures” on page 6 for more!
Genderqueer describes those whose identities fall outside of the widely accepted gender binaries. Many of the identities [above] could also be described as genderqueer.
They have a great diversity of expression and presentation. An individual who identifies as genderqueer could display few gendered cues to many (potentially conflicting) ones. It’s not really about how they look, though. What genderqueer individuals all share is a nonconforming gender identity and an opposition to gender systems that they perceive as strict or limiting.
ed note: We affirm that labels are starting points for further conversation. A single word can never encapsulate a whole person. You probably have lots of intersecting identities that only scratch the surface of who you are. Gender is one part - what are some others?
We humbly acknowledge the limited scope of these pages. If you don’t see your identity words here, we empower you to tell us so we may include it in the final version!
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(cc) the GENDER book project. in progress snapshot presented for community editing and feedback. Please direct all notes to mel@thegenderbook.com or comment using disqus on the original post to ensure your voice gets heard. Thanks!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/7690771013dc0238c56c68dbd5e4dda9/tumblr_mjddh98tWn1qizfh0o1_500.jpg)
Transgender & Genderqueer identities page from the GENDER book
Hey Boston, how’s the research going? Remember, as you’re learning about all of these identities, that they are only the tip of the iceberg. It’s okay to identify simply as transgender, as a mix of those identities, none at all, genderqueer like me, or make up something that fits you better!
Bigender describes those who alternate between two distinct gender roles. May be crossdressers or drag performers.
Intergender describes those who identify between the traditional masculine and feminine genders.
Ambigender describes those who identify to some degree with both the masculine and feminine genders
Genderfluid describes those whose gender behavior and presentation changes depending on the situation or their mood.
Pangender describes those who identify with all the genders.
Polygender describes someone who identifies with many (though not all) of the genders.
Agender describes those who identify with having no gender or a neutral gender. They may present androgynously or seek to make their bodies more gender-neutral to match their identity. Sometimes also called neutrois.
Third gender describes those who identify with a (often non-Western) gender that is neither masculine nor feminine. See “gender across cultures” on page 6 for more!
Genderqueer describes those whose identities fall outside of the widely accepted gender binaries. Many of the identities [above] could also be described as genderqueer.
They have a great diversity of expression and presentation. An individual who identifies as genderqueer could display few gendered cues to many (potentially conflicting) ones. It’s not really about how they look, though. What genderqueer individuals all share is a nonconforming gender identity and an opposition to gender systems that they perceive as strict or limiting.
ed note: We affirm that labels are starting points for further conversation. A single word can never encapsulate a whole person. You probably have lots of intersecting identities that only scratch the surface of who you are. Gender is one part - what are some others?
We humbly acknowledge the limited scope of these pages. If you don’t see your identity words here, we empower you to tell us so we may include it in the final version!
_______________________________________________
(cc) the GENDER book project. in progress snapshot presented for community editing and feedback. Please direct all notes to mel@thegenderbook.com or comment using disqus on the original post to ensure your voice gets heard. Thanks!
Trans Man page from the GENDER book
Transmen are people whose experience is usually that of being assigned female at birth and socialized as such, to determine at some later point that their gender identity is masculine to the extent that they desire to live full-time in those roles.
Though there is a wide variety of people who identify as somewhat trans-masculine, most who embrace the “transsexual” identifyer usually prefer masculine pronouns, take masculine or androgynous names, and may want to alter their bodies to match their gender identities.
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(cc) the GENDER book project. in progress snapshot presented for community editing and feedback. Please direct all notes to mel@thegenderbook.com or comment using disqus on the original post to ensure your voice gets heard. Thanks!
Robin Mack shares a little about the project and asks you to give what you can to help educational outreach and book printing costs for the GENDER book. More information on how you can get involved here: http://www.thegenderbook.com/community.
or, if you feel so inspired: donate.
Crossdressing page from the GENDER book!
Posting this page for constructive feedback and community responses- please email me directly your thoughts (I’m mel@thegenderbook.com) or comment on the original post using disqus if you want me to read it! Full text follows…
There are several reasons why someone might like to wear the clothing of another gender from time to time (or all the time).
Some folks do it for fun. Others use it to step into otherwise forbidden social roles, to explore new or different identities, or just to shake things up.
My friend Jane explained to me that for her, crossdressing is an essential way to express a part of her self. Some people feel expressed just at home privately, while others dare to go out dressed in the world. No matter what works for you, remember how you look doesn’t need to define who you are.
“As a crossdresser, I have a true gender gift, the ability to live and relate comfortably in both the masculine and feminine worlds.That is how I chose my femme name, which means ‘gift from God.’” -Jane
FYI- the term “transvestite” literally means one whose clothing crosses boundaries in Latin. The term was originally coined by Dr. Hirschberg in Germany at his revolutionary sex institute. That facility was later raided by Nazi forces, and while it’s still commonly used in other romantic languages to describe crossdressers, I’d hesitate before using it with my friends. Always best to ask!
Boston says: Hmm.. How is this different from the drag stars from the previous page? Could I be both?
Drag Queen / Drag King page from the GENDER book
Drag is conscious, self-referential, often sexy performance of gender for an audience. Traditionally, drag queens represent a caricature of femininity, while drag kings similarly represent masculine archetypes.
Cross-gender performances have been used in theater for centuries, and is still a huge part of queer culture today. Drag shows can have several purposes: to raise money for a troupemate’s top surgery, to help fund the local queer youth groups, to show audiences a great time, or to make a living.
The Birds and the Bees (page from the GENDER book)
If a trans woman likes other women, does that make her a lesbian? How does it work to make love to a trans man? Do gender-variant folks have gender-variant lovers? We talk about the intersection of sex and sexuality and gender identity (no worries, it’s work and kid-safe). Includes survey responses, and hand-drawn illustrations by me. Enjoy! -mel
