Gender Identity: Beyond Pronouns and Bathrooms. . .is a gentle but thorough resource for younger readers looking to define their own identities or understand others, and for adults who want an easy-to-follow guide to transgender history. . . .
Gender Identity hits all the important points of transgender history―the life of Christine Jorgensen, the first American to medically transition, as well as the Stonewall Riots, initiated by trans women of color Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson―and supplements with information that isn't as widely known. There's a sober reminder of the demise of Brandon Teena, a young transgender man in Nebraska who was the subject of the Oscar-winning 2000 film "Boys Don'tCry", and more uplifting passages about the rise of social media in helping young trans people feel seen and understood.
Cook's writing is both informative and engaging, favoring short declarative sentences and vivid descriptions. Illustrator Alexis Cornell, a graduate of the prestigious Center for Cartoon Studies, enhances the narrative with a snappy and fun comic strip at the beginning of every chapter. Most significantly, Gender Identity: Beyond Pronouns and Bathrooms encourages communication, respect and acceptance at every turn―and that is perhaps its greatest lesson of all."
