Queer: A Graphic History

Description

Activist-academic Meg-John Barker and cartoonist Julia Scheele illuminate the histories of queer thought and LGBTI 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.

Dr Meg-John Barker is a writer, therapist, and activist-academic specialising in sex, gender and relationships. Meg-John is a senior lecturer in psychology at the Open University and a UKCP accredited psychotherapist, and has over a decade of experience researching and publishing on these topics including the popular book Rewriting the Rules. @megjohnbarker Julia Scheele is an illustrator, graphic facilitator and comic book artist. She runs One Beat Zines, a feminist zine collective and distributor. @juliascheele

Could totally change the way you think about sex and gender ... an utterly un-dusty tome that questions everything from the way we categorise our sexual desire to the foundations of happiness. -- VICE This hopeful and welcoming attitude should encourage readers to queer their own lives in whatever ways feel right. -- Publishers Weekly Yanks the jargon of Foucault, Butler and a who's who of philosophers down from the clouds and into simple, clear messages -- Sydney Morning Herald A concise, precise and beautifully illustrated introduction. -- Kieron Gillen A playful, graphic analysis of the paradox that is queer theory - opens our hearts as much as it engages our minds. -- Kate Bornstein With their inspired synthesis of words and imagery, MJ Barker and Jules Scheele take us beyond binaries to show us the richness of queer as a critique, as a verb and as an approach to life itself. -- Jane Czyzselska, DIVA Exceptionally informative ... an invaluable and illuminating resource -- The Beat Succeeds in opening its rarefied subject matter to non-academic audiences and disrupting assumptions and preconceptions about gender and sexuality, not to mention race, class, and the idea of "normal." -- Library Journal Unexpected, extraordinary wit and erudition ... Aha moments come one right after another. One small step for queer theory, this project will leap the layman far down the path of tolerance and understanding. -- Foreword Review One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is the charm of Jules Scheele's understated, accessible illustrations ... The book holds a great amount of respect for this pantheon of theorists, even when problematizing some of their views, and the art communicates that respect effectively. -- Rain Taxi Fresh interpretations and clever illustrations help bring new life to academic constructs and an understanding of the intersection of biology, psychology, and modern culture. -- Washington Blade Students everywhere rejoice! For we have an explanation of queer theory that is simple, comprehensive, critical and inclusive ... as well as having popular culture references to make the ideas stick. -- Katherine Hubbard, University of Surrey