Iris Gottlieb - Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression

To all of us who are figuring it out (and Bunny the dog).

Copyright 2019 by Iris Gottlieb.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Names: Gottlieb, Iris, author.
Title: Seeing gender : an illustrated guide to identity and expression / by Iris Gottlieb ; foreword by Meredith Talusan.
Description: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, [2019] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018058585 (print) | LCCN 2018060488 (epub, mobi) | ISBN 9781452176666 (epub, mobi) | ISBN 9781452176611 (hc)
Subjects: LCSH: Gender identity. | Identity (Psychology) | Sex.
Classification: LCC HQ23 (ebook) | LCC HQ23 .G68 2019 (print) | DDC 305.3--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018058585

Design by Kelly Abeln and Michael Morris.

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

By Meredith Talusan

We see gender all the timeor at least our made up perception of gender. Its often something we forget we created, even though it exerts a great deal of influence over our lives. The recent interest in trans and non-binary identities has not only increased respect for a group that has endured centuries of discrimination, but it has paved the way for everyone, including cisgender people, to think about what it means to have a gender. Seeing Gender reveals this pervasive force for what it truly isconventions that we have the power to control, instead of letting them control us.

Had it existed back then, Seeing Gender is the book I would have given my parents and friends when I transitioned. Dad complaining about pronouns? I would have handed him Seeing Gender with the pro-noun section bookmarked. Mom telling me I wouldnt look pretty as a girl? I would have dog-eared the section on gender roles for her. And when a good friend expressed concern about me having surgery, I would have shown her the section on what surgeries mean to trans people. I would have saved so much trouble and tears had this book existed, which is why Im so thrilled that its here for us now.

However, I consider it ill advised to read this book with the mindset of merely being a good friend or ally. This is not just for trans and non-binary people, but for anyone who has a relationship with gender, which means everyone you know, including you. While the construction of gender in Western society has historically served to benefit men of European descent, its current manifestation oppresses all of us. Outdated notions of gender constantly keep us from behaving how we want and being the people we want to be.

A wonderful thing about Seeing Gender is that Iris Gottliebs smart, delightful illustrations remind folks that were talking about human lives here, not just gender as an abstract phenomenon. She makes the process of learning about gender more fun, proving that these concepts dont always have to feel so academic.

Seeing Gender also has many fascinating discoveries in store, even for folks whove been steeped in gender studies, whether through books, life, or a combination of both. Did you know that both heels and the color pink used to be associated with men? Do you need a handy tool for visualizing the increasingly diverse array of genders and sexualities on the planet? Do you need a reminder of David Bowies fabulousness? This book provides all this knowledge and more in easily digestible chunks, so keep it on your coffee table and pick it up as needed.

Seeing Gender has the power to break down our illusions about gender by helping us understand its deeper implications. It lets us see gender for what it is, while reminding us that we can challenge its influence over our lives. Every time one of us sees genderreally sees itits another step towards a future where anyone of any gender is free to be themselves.

Gender is complex, as are all facets of humanity. Humans invented gender, so we should do our best to understand it.

I am not a scholar of gender studies, but I have a gender and a body, as do you. Every person who might look at this page has the experience of inhabiting a body in a gendered world. I felt compelled to write this book during my own experience of shifting from being completely apathetic about my own gender to being knee-deep in wading through its ongoing transformation. Drawing helped me to process my bodily experiences and connect with people around the world through social media about this intensely personal and sensitive topic. Because so much of gender is visually oriented, it seems fitting to convey these abstract and amorphous concepts through the universal language of illustration.

This book is many things:

• An accessible entry point to understanding the vast complexities and histories of gender expression.
• A self-education tool that will allow for nonjudgmental exploration of your own gender, increased empathy and understanding of others experiences, and an invitation to consider the intricacies of intersectionality.
• A look into how coexisting identities (race, class, gender, sexuality, mental health) relate to gender within larger social systems.
• The story of my gender and how it changed over time, as well as stories from a wide range of people about their gender identities, difficulties, thoughts, and experiencespunctuated by some really good outfits.
• A hand of reassurance in the big, dark, scary abyss of finding oneself in the world. It cannot be underestimated, the power of seeing yourself in other people and feeling less alone in alienating experiences. For the queer, transgender, asexual, uncertain, self-conscious people looking at this, you are not alone!

In writing this book, I want to help build empathy and understanding among those who are not familiar with people who fall outside the lines of binary genders by telling personal stories, giving facts and history, and praising revolutionaries. Ill also be revealing the difficulties of embodying these genders, because we cannot only feel the joy of something in its most positive moments unless we also feel the sadness and hardship in its darkest.

The purpose of this book is to synthesize information about a huge and complex topic into an accessible and beautiful format that is explained from a non-academic, intersectional perspective. Some of the information is personal and is meant to be interpreted as such. All experiences of living in ones body are unique and personal. This book makes every effort to include as many perspectives as possible, with the knowledge that some voices will be missed or inaccurately portrayed. To anyone who reads this and does not feel represented, I am very sorry and hope to learn more from this experience.