Queer: A Graphic History - (Graphic Guides) by Meg-John Barker (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

'Queer: A Graphic History Could Totally Change the Way You Think About Sex and Gender' Vice

Activist-academic Meg-John Barker and cartoonist Jules Scheele illuminate the histories of queer thought and LGBTQ+ action in this groundbreaking non-fiction graphic novel.

From identity politics and gender roles to privilege and exclusion, Queer explores how we came to view sex, gender and sexuality in the ways that we do; how these ideas get tangled up with our culture and our understanding of biology, psychology and sexology; and how these views have been disputed and challenged.

Along the way we look at key landmarks which shift our perspective of what's 'normal' - Alfred Kinsey's view of sexuality as a spectrum, Judith Butler's view of gendered behaviour as a performance, the play Wicked, or moments in Casino Royale when we're invited to view James Bond with the kind of desiring gaze usually directed at female bodies in mainstream media.

Presented in a brilliantly engaging and witty style, this is a unique portrait of the universe of queer thinking.

Review Quotes

"Fresh interpretations and clever illustrations help bring new life to academic constructs and an understanding of the intersection of biology, psychology, and modern culture." -- The Washington Blade

"[Queer] succeeds in opening its rarified subject matter to nonacademic audiences and disrupting assumptions and preconceptions about gender and sexuality, not to mention race, class, and the idea of 'normal.'. . . .Former undergrads will wish they had such resources when they were hacking through this difficult material." -- Library Journal

"[Queer has] unexpected, extraordinary wit and erudition...the graphic-novel format proves exceptional at exploring identity politics, gender, biology, privilege, exclusion, and sexology through a queer lens...one small step for queer theory." -- Foreword Magazine

"Queer is a great primer that will open ideas and start a great search for even more details. Perfect for when you find yourself stuck in conversations outside of your small talk repertoire. This book will make a great addition to your library of queer essentials." -- Lambda Literary

["Queer] is for the funky free thinker." -- OUT Magazine

"a self-contained and utterly riveting seminar in gender theory, queer thought and LGBTQ+ action... this should be required reading for every student." -- Largehearted Boy

"This invaluable book by Dr. Barker and illustrated by Scheele is a friendly introduction to the vast, deep, chaotic sea of (almost) everything 'Queer'." -- Erika Moen, Oh Joy Sex Toy

About the Author

Meg-John Barker is the author of a number of popular books on sex, gender, and relationships, including Queer: A Graphic History, Gender: A Graphic Guide, How To Understand Your Gender, Life Isn't Binary, Enjoy Sex (How, When, and IF You Want To), Rewriting the Rules, The Psychology of Sex, and The Secrets of Enduring Love. They have also written a number of books for scholars and counsellors on these topics, drawing on their own research and therapeutic practice. Websites: rewriting-the-rules.com, megjohnandjustin.com. Twitter: @megjohnbarker, Instagram: @meg_john_barker.

Jules Scheele is an illustrator, graphic facilitator and comic book artist. Jules runs One Beat Zines, a feminist zine collective and distributor. @julesscheele