Stuart Getty

This was a quick read but absolutely packed with valuable information. I loved it! The tone is super-friendly, and the author and illustrator are coming from a place of love and generosity, not judgment. There are etiquette tips (including how to apologize when you get the lingo wrong). There are suggestions for how we should all go forward and make the world safe and hospitable for humans of any gender identity. There is a fascinating section about non-binary identities throughout history, show more all over the world. I, too, want to live in a world where the TSA is not punching a pink button or blue button that tells the machine which part of our anatomies it should scan. How creepy.

NetGalley provided my ARC in exchange for my honest review. show less

Stuart Getty has created a wonderful book about They/Them pronouns and all of the bits and pieces that may go with pronouns. Just for transparency, I'm a cisgender woman and don't really have a pronoun preference. I do, however, always respect the pronouns of others. I work in a Library and we have policies about gender-neutral language so it falls within my wheelhouse.

The author, Stuart Getty is a genderqueer writer and filmmaker. If you're interested in short docs, they have a great one show more entitled "they/THEM" and it is available to watch here. The writing is accompanied by illustrations by graphic artist, Brook Thyng. The illustrations are fun and help to keep the topic open and inviting. From conversations I've had in my own life, I realize that discussing pronouns can bring out a lot of defensiveness in people... what I love about this book is that it is straight-forward without being at all self-righteous.

"How To They/Them" is a book about pronouns...but it's also a lot more than that. Stuart shares their personal journey through life in an endearing and authentic way. This is a journey to using they/them pronouns that begins with a label of "tomboy" feeling comfortable.

Stuart's story is told with humor, facts, history, and fantastic artwork. The text in the book is often short and straightforward, sometimes amusing, and packs a "clarity" punch. I learned a lot and I thoroughly enjoyed that. All kinds of topics are covered in simple and direct ways in this book: sex, gender, gender binary, gender identity, nature vs. nurture, socialization, genetics (to name a few). I hadn't even thought about some of the issues in this book. For instance, the author points out how early some people begin down the gender path with "gender reveal" parties. I have never liked the idea of them, but I hadn't thought about how that was the beginning of a new and open soul being put into a box!

As an ally, I learned some useful tips for having conversations about pronouns and other related subjects. My favorite? "Cis" is just the opposite of "trans"! how great is that for a response! And some other great advice, "Weird means growth is happening." Maybe that's why it can feel weird for some people to use the pronouns "they/them"... it's certainly another handy thing for me to have in my toolbox.

This is a wonderful book. It would make a great gift. I think that most people could benefit from reading something like this. It's joyful and positive and still manages to inform. show less

This guide is incredibly informative without the author taking themselves too seriously or the text getting overly academic. I love the diy/zine-like quality of the illustrations and charts woven throughout the book, making it more fun and visually appealing. Overall, I'd say it's a non-judgemental, accessible, well-written introduction to non-binary identities (and gender in general really) and the use of they/them.

I would recommend this for people who are fuzzy on the subject and would show more like a good primer. show less

The more I read, the more I learn. Another handy and illuminating guide on gender fluidity and non-binary pronouns. If you're struggling to understand, this can provide scaffolding knowledge. If you are in need of validation, this will bring comfort and inspiration. Newest takeaway for me: Be careful asking youths about pronouns; they may still be in the closet or figuring out their gender identities or not ready to share.