Histories and Ideas Books

“I know I’m not a man . . . and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m probably not a woman, either. . . . . The trouble is, we’re living in a world that insists we be one or the other.” With these words, Kate Bornstein ushers readers on a funny, fearless, and wonderfully scenic journey across the terrains of gender and identity. On one level, Gender Outlaw details Bornstein’s transformation from heterosexual male to lesbian woman, from a one-time IBM salesperson to a playwright and performance artist. But this particular coming-of-age story is also a provocative investigation into our notions of male and female, from a self-described nonbinary transfeminine diesel femme dyke who never stops questioning our cultural assumptions.

Gender Outlaw was decades ahead of its time when it was first published in 1994. Now, some twenty-odd years later, this book stands as both a classic and a still-revolutionary work—one that continues to push us gently but profoundly to the furthest borders of the gender frontier.

In the 15 years since the release of Gender Outlaw, Kate Bornstein's groundbreaking challenge to gender ideology, transgender narratives have made their way from the margins to the mainstream and back again. Today's transgenders and other sex/gender radicals are writing a drastically new world into being. In Gender Outlaws, Bornstein, together with writer, raconteur, and theater artist S. Bear Bergman, collects and contextualizes the work of this generation's trans and genderqueer forward thinkers -- new voices from the stage, on the streets, in the workplace, in the bedroom, and on the pages and websites of the world's most respected mainstream news sources. Gender Outlaws includes essays, commentary, comic art, and conversations from a diverse group of trans-spectrum people who live and believe in barrier-breaking lives.

Deciding to transition gender is likely to be the biggest decision you will ever make in your life. It will change your life irrevocably – and based on research, it will most likely change it for the better. Nevertheless, it is not an easy choice to make. When the author, Thomas Underwood, began to become outwardly the man he always was inside, he found it a very difficult and challenging journey, emotionally and physically. He sought advice from friends, counselors, support groups, websites, and books. Thomas spent fourteen years going through his transition from female to male, and learned a great deal from this experience. Having lived now as both a woman and a man, Thomas wants to share his journey, in the hope that it will help others on the same journey. When transitioning it is usual to need lots of help and advice – it’s a normal and healthy part of your transition. This book will provide some of the guidance that the author wishes he had had on his journey. He shares how he experienced his transition, and also provides a wealth of information and resources.

Independently published from 2009 to 2019, Original Plumbing grew from a Bay Area zine to a nationally acclaimed print quarterly dedicated to trans men. For nearly ten years, the magazine was the premier resource focused on their experiences, celebrations, and imaginations, featuring writing on both playful and political topics like selfies, bathrooms, and safer sex; interviews with queer icons such as Janet Mock, Silas Howard, and Ian Harvie; and visual art, photography, and short fiction.

In celebration of the magazine’s ten-year run, this essential collection compiles the best of all twenty issues. Selections are reprinted in full color, with an introduction by activist Tiq Milan and a new preface by the founding editors.

If you've ever questioned the logic of basing an entire identity around what you have between your legs, it's time to embark on a daring escape outside of the binary box...

Open your eyes to what it means to be a boy or a girl ― and above and beyond! Within these pages, you get to choose which path to forge. Explore over one hundred different scenarios that embrace nearly every definition across the world, over history, and in the ever-widening realms of our imagination! What if your journey leads you into a world with several genders, or simply one? Do you live in a matriarchal society, or as a sworn virgin in the Balkans? How does gender (or the lack thereof) change the way we approach sex and love, life or death? 

Jump headfirst into this refreshingly creative exploration of the ways gender colors every shade and shape of our world. Above all, it's more important than ever for us to celebrate the fact that there are infinite gender paths ― and each of them is beautiful.

Chosen as one of The List's Hot 100 in 2019.

In this insightful and long-overdue book, Eris Young explores what it's like to live outside of the gender binary and how it can impact on one's relationships, sense of identity, use of language and more.

Drawing on the author's own experiences as a nonbinary person, as well as interviews and research, it shares common experiences and challenges faced by those who are nonbinary, and what friends, family and other cisgender people can do to support them. Breaking down misconceptions and providing definitions, the history of nonbinary identities and gender-neutral language, and information on healthcare, this much-needed guide is for anyone wanting to fully understand nonbinary and genderqueer identities.

Selected as a 2019 LGBT Book of the Year by Dazed and Ms. Magazine

A ground-breaking anthology of writing on the topic of love, written by trans and non-binary people who share their thoughts, feelings and experiences of love in all its guises. The collection spans familial, romantic, spiritual and self-love as well as friendships and ally love, to provide a broad and honest understanding of how trans people navigate love and relationships, and what love means to them.

Reclaiming what love means to trans people, this book provokes conversations that are not reflected in what is presently written, moving the narrative around trans identities away from sensationalism. At once intimate and radical, and both humorous and poignant, this book is for anyone who has loved, who is in love, and who is looking for love.

A compelling collection of the many voices and experiences of trans, genderqueer, and nonbinary Buddhists

Transcending brings together more than thirty contributors from both the Mahayana and Theravada traditions to present a vision for a truly inclusive trans Buddhist sangha in the twenty-first century. Shining a light on a new generation of Buddhist role models, this book gives voice to those who have long been marginalized within the Buddhist world and society at large. While trans, genderqueer, and nonbinary practitioners have experienced empowerment and healing through their commitment to the Buddha, dharma, and sangha, they also share their experiences of isolation, transphobia, and aggression. In this diverse collection we hear the firsthand accounts, thoughts, and reflections of trans Buddhists from a variety of different lineages in an open invitation for all Buddhists to bring the issue of gender identity into the sangha, into the discourse, and onto the cushion. Only by doing so can we develop insight into our circumstances and grasp our true, essential nature.

Covering American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, Transgender Historytakes a chronological approach to the subject of transgender history, with each chapter covering major movements, writings, and events. Chapters cover the transsexual and transvestite communities in the years following World War II; trans radicalism and social change, which spanned from 1966 with the publication of The Transsexual Phenomenon, and lasted through the early 1970s; the mid-'70s to 1990-the era of identity politics and the changes witnessed in trans circles through these years; and the gender issues witnessed through the '90s and '00s.

Transgender History includes informative sidebars highlighting quotes from major texts and speeches in transgender history and brief biographies of key players, plus excerpts from transgender memoirs and discussion of treatments of transgenderism in popular culture.

This is the life changing book that one reads after their main life changing event has already happened, coming out as transgender. This book helps to guide newly made men in the world. It's full of tips that show you how to pass socially, physically, and just in general. It is a must read for those fresh out of the closet.

#1 New Release in Inclusive Education and LGBT Studies ─ A Celebration of the LGBT Community

Readers of The ABCs of LGBT by Ashley Mardell and Queer: A Graphic History by Dr. Meg-John Barker will love We Make It Better, a quintessential LGBT book.

LGBT history is as old as history itself. In that time, LGBT people have positively impacted their communities, made advancements for society, and changed the world! We Make It Better profiles all the people, places, and events that show just how awesome and inspiring the LGBT community is.

A stirring look at LGBT history: LGBT people have always played important roles in society. They have served their country, served in office, pushed for the protection of human rights, and have impacted all fields of study, sport, art and industry. We Make It Better offers biographies of some of the most famous thinkers and changers in history from Bayard Rustin, Alan Turing, Dr. Sally Ride, and Oscar Wilde to present day innovators and world changers such as Billie Jean King, Jason Collins, Ellen DeGeneres, Tim Cook, the Wachowski sisters, Sir Ian McKellen and more.

Positivity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and adults: But, more than a “who’s who” of LGBT history, We Make It Better is also a vibrant chronicle of the events in history where the LGBT community came together to fight for equality and to save lives. Learn how the community came together during the HIV/AIDs crisis, fought for marriage equality, protested discrimination, and pushed for progressive change throughout the years. Places and cultures important to the LGBT community are also proudly profiled. Learn about the events, places, people, and beliefs that are all causes for pride and celebration.

Readers will:

• Discover important LGBT people that have changed the world

• Be moved by the accomplishments of the LGBT community

• Be inspired by a mix of biographies, history and quotes

An inspiring record of LGBT history for everyone!

In this updated second edition, biologist and trans woman Julia Serano reveals a unique perspective on femininity, masculinity, and gender identity. 

In the updated second edition of Whipping Girl, Julia Serano, a transsexual woman whose supremely intelligent writing reflects her background as a lesbian transgender activist and professional biologist, shares her powerful experiences and observation - both pre- and post-transition - to reveal the ways in which fear, suspicion, and dismissiveness toward femininity shape our societal attitudes toward trans women, as well as gender and sexuality as a whole. 

Serano's well-honed arguments and reputation as a thought-leader stem from her ability to bridge the gap between the often-disparate biological and social perspectives on gender. In this provocative manifesto, she exposes how deep-rooted the cultural belief is that femininity is frivolous, weak, and passive and how this "feminine" weakness exists only to attract and appease male desire. 

In addition to debunking popular misconceptions about transsexuality, Serano makes the case that today's feminists and transgender activists must work to embrace and empower femininity - in all of its wondrous forms. 

Are you wrestling with questions surrounding your gender that just don’t seem to go away? Do you want answers to questions about your gender identity, but aren’t sure how to get started?

In this groundbreaking guide, Dara Hoffman-Fox, LPC—accomplished gender therapist and thought leader whose articles, blogs, and videos have empowered thousands worldwide—helps you navigate your journey of self-discovery in three approachable stages: preparation, reflection, and exploration.

In You and Your Gender Identity, you will learn:

• Why understanding your gender identity is core to embracing your full being

• How to sustain the highs and lows of your journey with resources, connection, and self-care

• How to uncover and move through your feelings of fear, loneliness, and doubt

• Why it’s important to examine your past through the lens of gender exploration

• How to discover and begin living as your authentic self

• What options you have after making your discoveries about your gender identity

This unique, interactive guide can help you answer the questions you’ve been asking yourself