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Sexuality: A Graphic Guide
From the dream team creators of Queer: A Graphic History and Gender: A Graphic Guide
Sex can seem like a house of horrors – full of monsters and potential pitfalls. We often live with fear, shame and frustration when it comes to our own sexuality, and with judgement when it comes to others’. Sex advice manuals, debates over sex work and stories of sexual ‘dysfunction’ add to our anxiety.
With compassion, humour, erudition and a touch of the erotic, Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele shine a light through the darkness and unmask the monsters in this illustrated guide. From sexual identities to having sex, to desire, consent and relationships, we’ll explore the invention of sex as we know it and imagine sex as it could be. Along the way, we’ll move past thinking of sex as meaning just one thing, defined by the genders of those doing it, instead making space for lots of different types of attraction, desire, relationship and act.
Sex can seem like a house of horrors – full of monsters and potential pitfalls. We often live with fear, shame and frustration when it comes to our own sexuality, and with judgement when it comes to others’. Sex advice manuals, debates over sex work and stories of sexual ‘dysfunction’ add to our anxiety.
With compassion, humour, erudition and a touch of the erotic, Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele shine a light through the darkness and unmask the monsters in this illustrated guide. From sexual identities to having sex, to desire, consent and relationships, we’ll explore the invention of sex as we know it and imagine sex as it could be. Along the way, we’ll move past thinking of sex as meaning just one thing, defined by the genders of those doing it, instead making space for lots of different types of attraction, desire, relationship and act.
176 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2021
59 people are currently reading
1581 people want to read
About the author
Meg-John Barker
36 books336 followersDr. Meg-John Barker is a writer, therapist, and activist-academic specialising in sex, gender and relationships. Their popular books include the (anti-)self-help relationship book Rewriting the Rules, The Secrets of Enduring Love (with Jacqui Gabb), Queer: A Graphic History (with Julia Scheele), and Enjoy Sex, How, When and If You Want To (with Justin Hancock). Meg-John is a senior lecturer in psychology at the Open University and has published many academic books and papers on topics including non-monogamous relationships, sadomasochism, counselling, and mindfulness, as well as co-founding the journal Psychology & Sexuality and the activist-research organisation BiUK. They were the lead author of The Bisexuality Report – which has informed UK policy and practice around bisexuality – and are currently co-editing a book on non-binary gender with similar aims in that area. They are involved in running many public events on sexuality and relationships, including Sense about Sex and Critical Sexology. Meg-John is a UKCP accredited psychotherapist working with gender, sexually, and relationship diverse (GSRD) clients.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
April 18, 2022
I won’t attempt to summarize this book, and simply say that everyone who picks it up will learn something, or think about things a slightly different way. This book is an accessible guide to the idea that sexuality is not something that happens in a vacuum, it is part of a much larger cultural and social picture. It is very progressive, left-leaning and obviously sex positive. It is also not a sex-ed guide in the sense that it doesn’t discuss the biology or mechanics of sex, but rather seeks to expand understanding of sex’s significance and the mutual influence between sexuality and culture and society.
I freely admit that politically speaking, this book preaches to the choir with me, and that the philosophy of fluid sexual identity and removing the moral weight from the concept of “normal” are things I strongly agree with. I did find a few points very idealistic, and it is more broad than deep about some concepts, meaning that readers interested in some specific subjects will have to dig through the book’s recommendations towards more specialized resources. But it is nevertheless eye-opening, and sparks the conversation about many topics in a non-judgmental, non-threatening way – which is how all talks about sexuality should be approached, really.
For absolutely everyone.
I freely admit that politically speaking, this book preaches to the choir with me, and that the philosophy of fluid sexual identity and removing the moral weight from the concept of “normal” are things I strongly agree with. I did find a few points very idealistic, and it is more broad than deep about some concepts, meaning that readers interested in some specific subjects will have to dig through the book’s recommendations towards more specialized resources. But it is nevertheless eye-opening, and sparks the conversation about many topics in a non-judgmental, non-threatening way – which is how all talks about sexuality should be approached, really.
For absolutely everyone.
June 22, 2021
Not what I expected from the cover. This is less a guidebook and more a philosophical questioning into sex, sexuality and relationships. Thought-provoking.
January 25, 2021
We don't talk about sex enough. But we should.
Challenging what "normal" means, this is an eye opening guide that opens a door to further conversation and speaking your truth. It tackles consent, the Me Too movement and nonconsensual attitudes that start in childhood. It has a powerful message about resisting cultural norms through actions and influence.
It's a powerful deep-dive into sexuality. It attempts to remove stigma around sexual desires and is packed with information and sources. And, as night be expected from a graphic novel about sexuality, filled with graphic illustrations.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley!
Challenging what "normal" means, this is an eye opening guide that opens a door to further conversation and speaking your truth. It tackles consent, the Me Too movement and nonconsensual attitudes that start in childhood. It has a powerful message about resisting cultural norms through actions and influence.
It's a powerful deep-dive into sexuality. It attempts to remove stigma around sexual desires and is packed with information and sources. And, as night be expected from a graphic novel about sexuality, filled with graphic illustrations.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley!
April 5, 2021
Video Review
Honestly, I liked this more than I thought I would. It's very well researched, and explains formal academic concepts of gender studies in quite an accessible way. I think it's a great concise update for contemporary views of sexuality and gender.
I think some people will be surprised that this isn't so much a novel and isn't really narrated, it's more of a textbook on the history of gender and sexuality norms. I think it'd have been better marketed as a zine, much like the riot grrl movement, this book argues for and explains progressive social norms. To its credit, this book is one of few which I think has at least mentions that men can be sexually abused and have issues with their sexuality, and I like that it has that balance which many books or information sources on this subject don't seem to have. It's the most neutral view I've read, which is nice, although that said, the early chapter has a slightly contentious view on what and how heteronormative views emerged which some might dispute. I think it's the way these issues were raised with a scooby doo masked villain which made my 'is this propaganda?' suspicion emerge. That said, it explains itself clearly, I just think the comic didn't match the tone of the text at that point. To be clear, I'm saying the scooby doo part at the beginning did seem to have a slightly more hostile tone to the rest of it which was more accepting and exploratory.
It's a very comprehensive and well-written update on the history of this subject, but I suspect it might be too formal for comics readers, and too casual for formal readers, making it a bit of a middle road. It might have done better as more of a comic or as more of an essay.
This is my 6th advanced reader copy (ARC) review. This means I received this ebook for free, in exchange for this review by Netgalley. I'm not financially motivated, as I read library books, so I only read ARCs I actually think will be good enough for me to rate and review honestly.
Honestly, I liked this more than I thought I would. It's very well researched, and explains formal academic concepts of gender studies in quite an accessible way. I think it's a great concise update for contemporary views of sexuality and gender.
I think some people will be surprised that this isn't so much a novel and isn't really narrated, it's more of a textbook on the history of gender and sexuality norms. I think it'd have been better marketed as a zine, much like the riot grrl movement, this book argues for and explains progressive social norms. To its credit, this book is one of few which I think has at least mentions that men can be sexually abused and have issues with their sexuality, and I like that it has that balance which many books or information sources on this subject don't seem to have. It's the most neutral view I've read, which is nice, although that said, the early chapter has a slightly contentious view on what and how heteronormative views emerged which some might dispute. I think it's the way these issues were raised with a scooby doo masked villain which made my 'is this propaganda?' suspicion emerge. That said, it explains itself clearly, I just think the comic didn't match the tone of the text at that point. To be clear, I'm saying the scooby doo part at the beginning did seem to have a slightly more hostile tone to the rest of it which was more accepting and exploratory.
It's a very comprehensive and well-written update on the history of this subject, but I suspect it might be too formal for comics readers, and too casual for formal readers, making it a bit of a middle road. It might have done better as more of a comic or as more of an essay.
February 28, 2021
Sex, sex, sex, that's all we think about! And yet, we don't really tend to know much about it.
So we have this book, which gives a graphic guide on what sex actually entails. Let's be clear - "graphic" here doesn't mean what some will think it means.. there's nothing explicit here. The text is interspaced with illustrations of a group of characters dealing with their sexual identities, and with portraits of the various experts who are quoted.
The book is quite political, showing how our ideas of sexuality aren't based on pure human biology, but are guided by societal morals.
There are sections on heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality, asexuality, and many, many more.
It confronted me with how little I actually know about sexuality, or how it is formed. It has made me think about my sexual identity.
I'm quite sure some will be annoyed by its left-leaning politics - it constantly questions the merits of our capitalist society. There are also sections on discussing sex and consent with your partner, which is a good idea, but these tend to use a robotic therapist-speak, regularly not practised by human beings.
All that said, it's an eye-opener of a book.
(Thanks to Ingram Publisher Services for providing an ARC through Edelweiss)
So we have this book, which gives a graphic guide on what sex actually entails. Let's be clear - "graphic" here doesn't mean what some will think it means.. there's nothing explicit here. The text is interspaced with illustrations of a group of characters dealing with their sexual identities, and with portraits of the various experts who are quoted.
The book is quite political, showing how our ideas of sexuality aren't based on pure human biology, but are guided by societal morals.
There are sections on heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality, asexuality, and many, many more.
It confronted me with how little I actually know about sexuality, or how it is formed. It has made me think about my sexual identity.
I'm quite sure some will be annoyed by its left-leaning politics - it constantly questions the merits of our capitalist society. There are also sections on discussing sex and consent with your partner, which is a good idea, but these tend to use a robotic therapist-speak, regularly not practised by human beings.
All that said, it's an eye-opener of a book.
(Thanks to Ingram Publisher Services for providing an ARC through Edelweiss)
February 2, 2021
3.5/5 stars
This is such an important book! It really is exactly what the title suggests: a deep-drive in to all things sex and sexuality. In this graphic novel, the authors explore sexuality through an intersectional and progressive lens. Despite a great effort in recent years, talking about sexuality, kinks and all things sex is still largely taboo and undervalued. This book helps tackle this taboo in a very accessible way, helping to dissect the ways we view sex as a society and normalise discussions on consent, desires and much more.
Although I appreciate this book for what it attempts to do, I also feel like it is limited in certain ways. For one, I don’t think it succeeds in the format of a graphic novel. For me, the pictures and general aesthetic if a graphic novel should be fundamental to the storytelling and intersect with the written substance of the book. In this book, I don’t feel like the images (at least in the arc I was presented with, which may change in the final copy) add anything meaningful to the reading experience. I enjoyed the quotations from experts and the diversity in the graphics, but overall I found myself skimming over the pictures altogether. For a graphic novel, I feel like this is an issue.
I also wish that this is the kind of book I read at a different time in my life. At this point, I feel much more open to sex and sexuality, so some chapters of the book didn’t add anything to current discourse on the topic that I engage in. In saying that, there are also some chapters (such as those that explore intersectionality, sex used as marginalisation and polyamory) that I found very enlightening. I think this is very subjective as it depends on how much a reader engages in or is aware of debates on sex, sexuality and gender. Nonetheless, overall I think this is a very comprehensive, progressive and accessible piece of work on sexuality and sex.
This is such an important book! It really is exactly what the title suggests: a deep-drive in to all things sex and sexuality. In this graphic novel, the authors explore sexuality through an intersectional and progressive lens. Despite a great effort in recent years, talking about sexuality, kinks and all things sex is still largely taboo and undervalued. This book helps tackle this taboo in a very accessible way, helping to dissect the ways we view sex as a society and normalise discussions on consent, desires and much more.
Although I appreciate this book for what it attempts to do, I also feel like it is limited in certain ways. For one, I don’t think it succeeds in the format of a graphic novel. For me, the pictures and general aesthetic if a graphic novel should be fundamental to the storytelling and intersect with the written substance of the book. In this book, I don’t feel like the images (at least in the arc I was presented with, which may change in the final copy) add anything meaningful to the reading experience. I enjoyed the quotations from experts and the diversity in the graphics, but overall I found myself skimming over the pictures altogether. For a graphic novel, I feel like this is an issue.
I also wish that this is the kind of book I read at a different time in my life. At this point, I feel much more open to sex and sexuality, so some chapters of the book didn’t add anything to current discourse on the topic that I engage in. In saying that, there are also some chapters (such as those that explore intersectionality, sex used as marginalisation and polyamory) that I found very enlightening. I think this is very subjective as it depends on how much a reader engages in or is aware of debates on sex, sexuality and gender. Nonetheless, overall I think this is a very comprehensive, progressive and accessible piece of work on sexuality and sex.
May 19, 2021
HUGE Thanks to lovely folks over @jonathanballpublishers @jbchildrens for sending me this beautifully illustrated, super educational and extremely useful Graphic Novel #gifted
This Graphic Novel was amazing! Through adorable and relatable illustrations, this book takes us way back to the History of Sex, where it all started and how our understanding of Sex through the years has been shaped by society, gender roles, religion, culture, music, rebellion and so many other factors! It also delves into stereotypes, shame and fear and gives an easy to understand description of what sex and sexuality is and how diverse thr sex and sexuality spectrum is. It uses real world stories, cases and influential figures to substantiate the conversation. I really appreciated the chapters that described how there are different types of sex outside what we are taught and the mention of asexuality (an often forgotten topic). I loved that we had a lot of coverage on the topics of Rape Culture and Consent! To mention a few other topics it covers, Pornography, Cyber Sex, Kinks, Identity Politics, I can't think of a single topic this book did not cover, and I absolutely loved it. The irreverent illustrations really made me super happy and it definitely added to the charm of the book!
This book is perfect for anyone who is maybe unfamiliar with the topic of Sex and Sexuality, and wants to learn more. I personally think this book is a BRILLIANT book for older teenagers (16+) as it covers so many relevant topics and beyond, but it appeals to various audiences depending on your personal comfort zone with the topic.
I really enjoyed this, and it encouraged me to talk more about Sex. I always try and be Sex Positive, but still find it difficult to talk about the topic sometimes mostly due to shame, but this book really helped me feel less ashamed and encouraged me to talk about this topic more!
This Graphic Novel was amazing! Through adorable and relatable illustrations, this book takes us way back to the History of Sex, where it all started and how our understanding of Sex through the years has been shaped by society, gender roles, religion, culture, music, rebellion and so many other factors! It also delves into stereotypes, shame and fear and gives an easy to understand description of what sex and sexuality is and how diverse thr sex and sexuality spectrum is. It uses real world stories, cases and influential figures to substantiate the conversation. I really appreciated the chapters that described how there are different types of sex outside what we are taught and the mention of asexuality (an often forgotten topic). I loved that we had a lot of coverage on the topics of Rape Culture and Consent! To mention a few other topics it covers, Pornography, Cyber Sex, Kinks, Identity Politics, I can't think of a single topic this book did not cover, and I absolutely loved it. The irreverent illustrations really made me super happy and it definitely added to the charm of the book!
This book is perfect for anyone who is maybe unfamiliar with the topic of Sex and Sexuality, and wants to learn more. I personally think this book is a BRILLIANT book for older teenagers (16+) as it covers so many relevant topics and beyond, but it appeals to various audiences depending on your personal comfort zone with the topic.
I really enjoyed this, and it encouraged me to talk more about Sex. I always try and be Sex Positive, but still find it difficult to talk about the topic sometimes mostly due to shame, but this book really helped me feel less ashamed and encouraged me to talk about this topic more!
August 10, 2021
WOW!
Author Meg-John Barker and Illustrator Jules Scheele pull out all of the stops in this less-than-200 page Graphic Novel to talk about Sexuality.
Treating the topic like navigating a haunted house, 4 people (each resembling a character from the Mystery Inc. team of Scooby Doo) face off against various monsters to answer any and all questions, thoughts, and learn about the incredible history, news now and future of this topic.
The illustrations are both humorous and honest.
I would honestly say, that I would have had SO MANY QUESTIONS answered a long time ago if I had had this guide.
Everything about this topic is touched upon (capitalism, gender identity, sexual preferences, kinks, shaming, mental health, physical topics, porn, the internet, dating, orgasms, safety, psychology, scientific research, propaganda, sex in general, diversity, crime, sex work).
Whether you're ACE, Bi, Curious, or any choice mentioned in the book or not, this book is crammed with information, but it doesn't sugar coat it, nor does it make light of it. It just talks about the topic in a very straight-forward and honest way. It is thought provoking to say the least, no matter whether you're 17 or 66, there is always something to be gleaned from it. Adults who enjoy pop culture will appreciate the various fandom nods, including the four characters dressed as popular film and sex icons of bygone eras, including Rocky Horror Picture Show, among many others.
This should be on the shelves in every High School Library, Guidance Counselor's office, and LGBT+ Center. I'd give them out to every GSA if I had the means.
Author Meg-John Barker and Illustrator Jules Scheele pull out all of the stops in this less-than-200 page Graphic Novel to talk about Sexuality.
Treating the topic like navigating a haunted house, 4 people (each resembling a character from the Mystery Inc. team of Scooby Doo) face off against various monsters to answer any and all questions, thoughts, and learn about the incredible history, news now and future of this topic.
The illustrations are both humorous and honest.
I would honestly say, that I would have had SO MANY QUESTIONS answered a long time ago if I had had this guide.
Everything about this topic is touched upon (capitalism, gender identity, sexual preferences, kinks, shaming, mental health, physical topics, porn, the internet, dating, orgasms, safety, psychology, scientific research, propaganda, sex in general, diversity, crime, sex work).
Whether you're ACE, Bi, Curious, or any choice mentioned in the book or not, this book is crammed with information, but it doesn't sugar coat it, nor does it make light of it. It just talks about the topic in a very straight-forward and honest way. It is thought provoking to say the least, no matter whether you're 17 or 66, there is always something to be gleaned from it. Adults who enjoy pop culture will appreciate the various fandom nods, including the four characters dressed as popular film and sex icons of bygone eras, including Rocky Horror Picture Show, among many others.
This should be on the shelves in every High School Library, Guidance Counselor's office, and LGBT+ Center. I'd give them out to every GSA if I had the means.
July 13, 2021
Blending narrative (four young characters who meet in a vintage haunted house) with theory, the book considers how society’s understandings of sexuality have evolved over time. Compared to many graphic novels, the work is information-heavy; the monochrome design and preponderance of talking heads mean it is most likely to appeal to gender studies students. Still, Sexuality is an erudite, eye-opening primer on our “fluid and ever unfolding” identities.
See my full review at Foreword.
See my full review at Foreword.
January 29, 2022
I received an ARC for this from Netgalley a year ago and didn't get around to reading it until now. This book has since been published and is available from your favourite bookstore.
This book is incredible. As I started reading, my main reaction was 'if I'd had this in my school library in my early teens, my life would've been very different' - it read like a text aimed, if not at children, then very widely (but without talking down). Informative at first, laying out the history of sexuality (and being very western/eurocentric/straight about it) and the background needed before getting into the grittier stuff later in the book. Then as I continued reading, I kept nodding going yes, yes, of course, I know this, this checks out, this is also what I found - not in a 'duh' way, but more like...I have read some of the literature myself that informed the book (Gloria Anzaldúa comes to mind), I have done some of the thinking myself, I have attempted to articulate some of that thinking in the fiction I write. Towards the end I had a facepalm moment of "this is a queer book". I had been so sucked into this book being an addition to my personal canon, if you can put it that way, that I didn't realise that nothing about this book is written from a heteronormative perspective.
I do think this is a book that everybody should read, queer or straight. The language is clear, concise, the graphic elements enhance the text and help clarify points, and though I felt at times that some topics were skimmed over a little too quickly (one page, where they could've have two), overall I am very happy with the breadth of content and the level of detail. This reads like a primer, yes, and I think it would be a very useful book in schools (not just for sex-ed purposes - I would like to think that certain of my former teachers would've found ways to use excerpts of this book in several classes) as there are loads of questions asked that could serve as jump-off points for in-class discussions. At the same time I feel like it's doing this book a disservice to call it "just" a primer, because of how thorough it is in covering as many bases as possible.
I think if you are somebody who is only starting to look into writings about sexuality this is a good place to start as each topic covered is introduced, discussed, and contextualised - and if you want to read more about a given topic, there are further sources for you to look up and delve into. I also think that even if you are somebody who spends a lot of time reading and thinking and discussing sexuality, there will be new concepts in this book to grapple with. New to me topics included chrononormativity and cruel optimism, and ecosexuality.
On a final note, I liked a lot that this book didn't only describe the history of sexuality and the status quo, but also went ahead and not only questioned all of it, but asked questions about what the future of sex and sexuality looks like. I personally didn't find the book thought-provoking as such as I was already grappling with some of the topics in the book, but I won't hesitate to describe it that way. I think it's an important, incredible book, and everybody should read it.
This book is incredible. As I started reading, my main reaction was 'if I'd had this in my school library in my early teens, my life would've been very different' - it read like a text aimed, if not at children, then very widely (but without talking down). Informative at first, laying out the history of sexuality (and being very western/eurocentric/straight about it) and the background needed before getting into the grittier stuff later in the book. Then as I continued reading, I kept nodding going yes, yes, of course, I know this, this checks out, this is also what I found - not in a 'duh' way, but more like...I have read some of the literature myself that informed the book (Gloria Anzaldúa comes to mind), I have done some of the thinking myself, I have attempted to articulate some of that thinking in the fiction I write. Towards the end I had a facepalm moment of "this is a queer book". I had been so sucked into this book being an addition to my personal canon, if you can put it that way, that I didn't realise that nothing about this book is written from a heteronormative perspective.
I do think this is a book that everybody should read, queer or straight. The language is clear, concise, the graphic elements enhance the text and help clarify points, and though I felt at times that some topics were skimmed over a little too quickly (one page, where they could've have two), overall I am very happy with the breadth of content and the level of detail. This reads like a primer, yes, and I think it would be a very useful book in schools (not just for sex-ed purposes - I would like to think that certain of my former teachers would've found ways to use excerpts of this book in several classes) as there are loads of questions asked that could serve as jump-off points for in-class discussions. At the same time I feel like it's doing this book a disservice to call it "just" a primer, because of how thorough it is in covering as many bases as possible.
I think if you are somebody who is only starting to look into writings about sexuality this is a good place to start as each topic covered is introduced, discussed, and contextualised - and if you want to read more about a given topic, there are further sources for you to look up and delve into. I also think that even if you are somebody who spends a lot of time reading and thinking and discussing sexuality, there will be new concepts in this book to grapple with. New to me topics included chrononormativity and cruel optimism, and ecosexuality.
On a final note, I liked a lot that this book didn't only describe the history of sexuality and the status quo, but also went ahead and not only questioned all of it, but asked questions about what the future of sex and sexuality looks like. I personally didn't find the book thought-provoking as such as I was already grappling with some of the topics in the book, but I won't hesitate to describe it that way. I think it's an important, incredible book, and everybody should read it.
January 5, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Icon Books for the eARC!
As with Queer: A Graphic Guide and Gender: A Graphic Guide, Sexuality: A Graphic Guide is a very good, comprehensive overview of sexuality: the history of how we view and have viewed sex, how we define sexual identity, how we define sex, desires, erotic relationships, how sex works, consent, the future of sex, and thinking sex, or how sex connects to everything around us and how by thinking more widely and openly about it we can transform other aspects of our lives too.
This book really made me understand how much we still have inherently problematic ideas around sex as a society that extend beyond problems with consent, and how we've developed those - in a similar vein to how we've developed bad and restrictive concepts around gender. I learnt a lot in this book and I think it's invaluable to anyone. I also appreciate how clearly a wide variety of authors, theorists and academics are quoted and cited in this book, providing a great jumping off point for future reading.
A few interesting things I learnt:
- The way disabled people are desexualised is inherently tied to a history of eugenicists not wanting them to reproduce.
- The French revolution informed the victorian attitude to sex (because sexual liberation == revolution).
- Some very interesting considerations around the pathologising of “different” sexual behaviours, and encroachment of psychiatry into the realm of justice. I particularly enjoyed the perspective that the only valid questioning of sexual transgressions is whether they are consensual or not, which is a question of justice over sexuality or desire.
- The notions of mediated intimacy (how we "should" experience intimacy according to society etc.).
- How societal expectations around sex and sexuality feed into lack of proper consent.
- The difference between wanting sex and consenting to sex (e.g. sex workers, asexual people may consent to sex but not "want" it in the expected way, but that doesn't invalidate their consent).
- And I loved the couple of pages about restorative and transformative justice (yay!).
Also I didn't mention this in my prior reviews of Queer: A Graphic Guide and Gender: A Graphic Guide but the illustrations are wonderful, especially of the different theorists/authors/academics. Putting a face to the quotes is nice and I love the little ghost illustrations in this book as well.
As with Queer: A Graphic Guide and Gender: A Graphic Guide, Sexuality: A Graphic Guide is a very good, comprehensive overview of sexuality: the history of how we view and have viewed sex, how we define sexual identity, how we define sex, desires, erotic relationships, how sex works, consent, the future of sex, and thinking sex, or how sex connects to everything around us and how by thinking more widely and openly about it we can transform other aspects of our lives too.
This book really made me understand how much we still have inherently problematic ideas around sex as a society that extend beyond problems with consent, and how we've developed those - in a similar vein to how we've developed bad and restrictive concepts around gender. I learnt a lot in this book and I think it's invaluable to anyone. I also appreciate how clearly a wide variety of authors, theorists and academics are quoted and cited in this book, providing a great jumping off point for future reading.
A few interesting things I learnt:
- The way disabled people are desexualised is inherently tied to a history of eugenicists not wanting them to reproduce.
- The French revolution informed the victorian attitude to sex (because sexual liberation == revolution).
- Some very interesting considerations around the pathologising of “different” sexual behaviours, and encroachment of psychiatry into the realm of justice. I particularly enjoyed the perspective that the only valid questioning of sexual transgressions is whether they are consensual or not, which is a question of justice over sexuality or desire.
- The notions of mediated intimacy (how we "should" experience intimacy according to society etc.).
- How societal expectations around sex and sexuality feed into lack of proper consent.
- The difference between wanting sex and consenting to sex (e.g. sex workers, asexual people may consent to sex but not "want" it in the expected way, but that doesn't invalidate their consent).
- And I loved the couple of pages about restorative and transformative justice (yay!).
Also I didn't mention this in my prior reviews of Queer: A Graphic Guide and Gender: A Graphic Guide but the illustrations are wonderful, especially of the different theorists/authors/academics. Putting a face to the quotes is nice and I love the little ghost illustrations in this book as well.
January 1, 2021
This graphic novel tackles a really important topic - sex. Society still deems sex as a taboo subject, and because of this, people hold a great deal of anxiety, embarrassment and shame about their erotic desires, their sexuality, attractions, their bodies, and the ways that we do/ don’t engage in sex.
Several therapist, scientists, doctors, and expects have come together for this novel to provide people with a greater understanding of all things related to sex. I wish I had this book during high school, even during university.
I think that this book will be beneficial to both kids - because let’s face it, teenagers are having sex nowadays- and adults. The information is clear and concise, yet it doesn’t come across as being patronising or demoralising, and the graphics help the reader feel included. This books helps cut through the confusion and reassures the reader that there isn’t a single definition of what is and isn’t normal when it comes to all things sex, and so we should be more open minded and accommodating to those who are different to us.
I learnt so much from reading this novel. I would recommend this to any person, sexually active or not as a guide to the scary world of sex.
I was given this graphic novels thanks to the authors, Meg- John Barker and Jules Scheele, Icon Books, and NetGalley in exchanged for my honest review.
Several therapist, scientists, doctors, and expects have come together for this novel to provide people with a greater understanding of all things related to sex. I wish I had this book during high school, even during university.
I think that this book will be beneficial to both kids - because let’s face it, teenagers are having sex nowadays- and adults. The information is clear and concise, yet it doesn’t come across as being patronising or demoralising, and the graphics help the reader feel included. This books helps cut through the confusion and reassures the reader that there isn’t a single definition of what is and isn’t normal when it comes to all things sex, and so we should be more open minded and accommodating to those who are different to us.
I learnt so much from reading this novel. I would recommend this to any person, sexually active or not as a guide to the scary world of sex.
I was given this graphic novels thanks to the authors, Meg- John Barker and Jules Scheele, Icon Books, and NetGalley in exchanged for my honest review.
July 6, 2021
I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a graphic novel - it is mostly text with illustrations to put emphasis on the points made. I found this a useful primer to human sexuality and its many intersections and it featured a large amount of information/quotes coming from experts in their particular fields. This book has inspired me to do further reading into this subject for my own understanding.
March 6, 2021
This is an excellent graphic guide to various topics regarding sexuality that is not only informative, it also gives you a plethora of resources to look into if there is a particular topic you want to explore further. Each page is full of information, artist depictions of and quotes from scholars/sexologists/philosophers, and there's a smattering of pop culture references throughout the art to enjoy while you process the information on the page. The volume has an even tone that doesn't judge anyone - it doesn't go out of it's way to yuck anyone's yum - and is an incredible resource if you have questions about sex and sexuality.
February 7, 2021
Interesting and informative book about topics that really need to be discussed more, without stigma.
Very matter of fact and clear information. But with the Scooby Doo thing and the graphic format, I expected it to be a bit more lighthearted or humourous when it wasn't. I also think it got lost a bit in the middle. But overall it was decent and I think a lot of people should look into it.
Very matter of fact and clear information. But with the Scooby Doo thing and the graphic format, I expected it to be a bit more lighthearted or humourous when it wasn't. I also think it got lost a bit in the middle. But overall it was decent and I think a lot of people should look into it.
May 27, 2021
A really good read - a great reminder for me to challenge what I perceive as "normal", even though my "normal" is still different from the majority.
I wish sexuality wasn't still a taboo subject.
I wish sexuality wasn't still a taboo subject.
January 24, 2021
Hmm, a solid okay. Maybe a lockdown wasn't the right time to read this, I found my concentration wandered and I had to go back and reread paragraphs, though I don't know if that's the writing either. A bit dry and sometimes the language slipped into academic rather than accessible, might make it hard as an introductory guide to a teen or parent if they're not already aware of some of the key terms. Otherwise, very interesting and provides much food for thought, not just on the matter of LGBT+ identities, but sexuality in broader social and non-sexual terms.
(A note on the illustrations/graphic theme - Fun to see the Scooby-Doo gang reinvented here, nice way to tie the subject together)
*I received an advanced copy for NetGalley in exchange for a review, all opinions my own etc etc.
(A note on the illustrations/graphic theme - Fun to see the Scooby-Doo gang reinvented here, nice way to tie the subject together)
*I received an advanced copy for NetGalley in exchange for a review, all opinions my own etc etc.
January 2, 2025
This is part of the Graphic Guide series, which evolved out of the Introducing... series. Each book in both series gives a basic breakdown of a major subject in the arts, sciences, social sciences, etc. If the university course were Sexuality 101, the graphic guide would kind of be like Sexuality 91: an introduction to definitions as they've changed, key figures in the field and what they've contributed, ongoing challenges or controversies, and where things seem to be heading.
In Sexuality: A Graphic Guide, the majority of the book charts a definition of sexuality as it moves from "a fixed, essential identity around a certain kind of attraction, desire, activity, or relationship, which can be categorized as normal/abnormal and explained with a universal nature/nurture theory" to a definition like this: "sexuality is a multidimensional, biopsychosocial, intersectional, fluid, ever-changing set of reinforcing/resisting stories which enable and/or block the flow of embodied feelings like desire and shame."
The book doesn't end with simple redefinition, however; it dives into the question of consent—not only as it pertains to inter- or intra-personal sexual desires and behaviors but as it undergirds our (capitalist) society's expectations of us and, thereby, shapes our expectations of ourselves and others. In the end, the book argues that by learning to live in "being" mode, we can challenge the corruptive values of capitalism, which is entirely concerned with "having" (and, of course, "not having").
I've always found these books decent places to start, a little like going to Wikipedia to begin learning about virtually any new thing, but with topics that are especially contested and complex throughout history and in our present lives.
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If you're looking for a glossary of "new" sexual identity terms or something like that ("what's 'Ace' mean?"), you won't really find it here, but I think you will find a discussion that will help explain how the proliferation of naming can be part of a person's movement out of simplistic cultural scripts and into telling their own story—together with others across a wide scope of differences.
In Sexuality: A Graphic Guide, the majority of the book charts a definition of sexuality as it moves from "a fixed, essential identity around a certain kind of attraction, desire, activity, or relationship, which can be categorized as normal/abnormal and explained with a universal nature/nurture theory" to a definition like this: "sexuality is a multidimensional, biopsychosocial, intersectional, fluid, ever-changing set of reinforcing/resisting stories which enable and/or block the flow of embodied feelings like desire and shame."
The book doesn't end with simple redefinition, however; it dives into the question of consent—not only as it pertains to inter- or intra-personal sexual desires and behaviors but as it undergirds our (capitalist) society's expectations of us and, thereby, shapes our expectations of ourselves and others. In the end, the book argues that by learning to live in "being" mode, we can challenge the corruptive values of capitalism, which is entirely concerned with "having" (and, of course, "not having").
I've always found these books decent places to start, a little like going to Wikipedia to begin learning about virtually any new thing, but with topics that are especially contested and complex throughout history and in our present lives.
-----
If you're looking for a glossary of "new" sexual identity terms or something like that ("what's 'Ace' mean?"), you won't really find it here, but I think you will find a discussion that will help explain how the proliferation of naming can be part of a person's movement out of simplistic cultural scripts and into telling their own story—together with others across a wide scope of differences.
Read
January 12, 2021This guide is a perfect brain de-scrambler. It helps us to recognise and acknowledge what society gaslights us into feeling and encourages us instead to ask ourselves: how do I actually feel? Like, really though.
In general, the book was punchy and concise, assigning one or two pages to a topic of conversation, but if a specific topic needed more space, it got it. We had a whole chapter on consent, many pages on sex work and also a balanced focus on asexuality and aromanticism throughout. These topics were also weaved into the guide as a whole, along with ongoing discussions on intersectionality, systemic racism and feminism.
This guide is open about being critical of capitalism and consumerism as it pertains to our cultural understanding of 'normal sex'. Our author makes it clear that rigidity and ignorance have no place in the discussion around sexuality, wherever that may originate.
The discussions of inherent 'normality' and privilege in sex were particularly fascinating, as well as the conversations around the morality and ethics of sex which quite frankly blew. my. mind. I loved the sheer amount of experts and activists referenced for every topic explored, and that so many marginalised voices were included in the research and result of this guide.
I believe this to be a safe and positive guide to the modern idea of sexuality, with a specific focus on inclusivity and an empowering message of awareness and acceptance. Also, fuck you Freud.
In general, the book was punchy and concise, assigning one or two pages to a topic of conversation, but if a specific topic needed more space, it got it. We had a whole chapter on consent, many pages on sex work and also a balanced focus on asexuality and aromanticism throughout. These topics were also weaved into the guide as a whole, along with ongoing discussions on intersectionality, systemic racism and feminism.
This guide is open about being critical of capitalism and consumerism as it pertains to our cultural understanding of 'normal sex'. Our author makes it clear that rigidity and ignorance have no place in the discussion around sexuality, wherever that may originate.
The discussions of inherent 'normality' and privilege in sex were particularly fascinating, as well as the conversations around the morality and ethics of sex which quite frankly blew. my. mind. I loved the sheer amount of experts and activists referenced for every topic explored, and that so many marginalised voices were included in the research and result of this guide.
I believe this to be a safe and positive guide to the modern idea of sexuality, with a specific focus on inclusivity and an empowering message of awareness and acceptance. Also, fuck you Freud.
September 14, 2021
This book did a really good job of being intersectional in its discussion of sexuality and relationships. The graphics were well done and made the content feel a bit easier to digest. I agree with an earlier review I saw, which said that the book reads as more of a textbook, but it is called a "graphic guide," not a graphic novel or story, so that's not entirely surprising. I think this book would be great in classrooms since it does a good job of providing examples and also covering a lot of material while still being pretty engaging. I do think it could have been a bit more engaging throughout, but if you're interested in the topic of sexuality, this book does a good job of covering a number of areas where sexuality is important and present! One note I did have is that the book had an odd number of typos for something published. It wasn't enough to be a real problem throughout, but it was a bit distracting when they occasionally showed up. Overall, I think this book did a good job of covering a lot of content in an effective way, and I'd recommend it to anyone who knows either a little about the topic or those that know a lot!
September 28, 2021
Sexuality- a Graphic Guide is a super well-researched overview of all things sexuality. At times the language is dense (since it is summarizing research) so it is definitely for adults. The graphic novel format is a great way to further explain some concepts. It covers topics from sexuality in relation to gender to consent to alternatives to monogamy. It might be worth while for me to read through it again in a couple months because I doubt that I have been able to internalize all the information but it did clarify many points for me. A favorite quote from the book “the focus in sex therapy and sex advice is usually on what people do sexually, not how they engage with sex. This facilitates the selling of endless products, drugs, treatments and apps to enable a particular kind of sex and the reaching of a particular goal. The alternative is to focus on the how of being present during sex, tuning into desires, communicating these, eliciting certain feeling and connecting with ourselves and others.”
February 22, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
This book is about a really important subject that isn’t spoken about enough: sex. There is a lot to learn from this book, but I did find a lot of the information clunky.
When presented with a graphic novel, I was expecting more of a natural flow between the text and the images, but I felt like they didn’t marry well together, and I found myself skimming over the images in places.
The information given important, informative and educational, but it is written almost like a list of facts- there is no lightness or voice behind the writing to make it feel enjoyable and I did feel like reading this graphic novel like studying, which then made it feel like a chore despite me being interested in the subject.
I do think the content of the book is all important, but I would have had a more pleasurable time reading if it were less like a text book and more like a graphic novel.
This book is about a really important subject that isn’t spoken about enough: sex. There is a lot to learn from this book, but I did find a lot of the information clunky.
When presented with a graphic novel, I was expecting more of a natural flow between the text and the images, but I felt like they didn’t marry well together, and I found myself skimming over the images in places.
The information given important, informative and educational, but it is written almost like a list of facts- there is no lightness or voice behind the writing to make it feel enjoyable and I did feel like reading this graphic novel like studying, which then made it feel like a chore despite me being interested in the subject.
I do think the content of the book is all important, but I would have had a more pleasurable time reading if it were less like a text book and more like a graphic novel.
January 30, 2021
*kindly got an e-copy from netgally in exchange for a honest review*
I thought this would be easier to read to be honest but despite the graphic format, the information was quite hard to digest.
I felt like there was a lot of information presented but I couldn’t always see the links easily and I don’t think they were summed up very well. A lot of the time I found myself thinking ‘ok so what?’ The information was great but they didn’t really reach a satisfying conclusions on a lot of it.
The scooby doo set up was so smart & a cute little quirk but I feel like it could have been milked more - it got a bit lost in the middle. Also, as a result of the scooby doo plot, I was expecting it to be more entertaining, even funny, than it was.
I liked the concept & the illustrations are incredible but I feel like this was ‘too smart’ for me. I understand thinking for yourself & drawing your own conclusions but I wanted a little more from this book.
I thought this would be easier to read to be honest but despite the graphic format, the information was quite hard to digest.
I felt like there was a lot of information presented but I couldn’t always see the links easily and I don’t think they were summed up very well. A lot of the time I found myself thinking ‘ok so what?’ The information was great but they didn’t really reach a satisfying conclusions on a lot of it.
The scooby doo set up was so smart & a cute little quirk but I feel like it could have been milked more - it got a bit lost in the middle. Also, as a result of the scooby doo plot, I was expecting it to be more entertaining, even funny, than it was.
I liked the concept & the illustrations are incredible but I feel like this was ‘too smart’ for me. I understand thinking for yourself & drawing your own conclusions but I wanted a little more from this book.
June 2, 2023
I appreciate I'm probably not the target audience for this book and its aimed at a younger audience BUT. I found it incredibly preachy and twisting itself around to maintain an "all sexualities are valid" perspective, which results in quite a few contradictions across the text. The haunted house visual metaphor is barely used because beyond a general "we're haunted by historical constructions of sexuality that serve to oppress us" vibe. I also think it doesn't make good use of what a graphic text can do because the format is just... sentences with pictures dotted around...
I also didn't like how the mouths were drawn.
I also didn't like how the mouths were drawn.
April 23, 2023
This book is really eye-opening. There were so many concepts i never knew existed, and now I have the basic tools to examine them in my own life!
When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be more about "this is what being gay is" type of information than about sex itself. However, the two are intrinsically linked, so I should've realized sooner.
I absolutely love the section on solo relationships. It made me think a lot about my own personal life and wants.
There is so much information to chew on, I definitely think I need some time to digest it and will need to come back for seconds (and thirds) in the future.
When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be more about "this is what being gay is" type of information than about sex itself. However, the two are intrinsically linked, so I should've realized sooner.
I absolutely love the section on solo relationships. It made me think a lot about my own personal life and wants.
There is so much information to chew on, I definitely think I need some time to digest it and will need to come back for seconds (and thirds) in the future.
January 11, 2023
A sharp insight on how we perceive sexuality from within ourselves and wider community. It opens the idea of fluidity in sexuality, and how some normativities could be harmful towards certain groups. It tackles lots of philosophical questions in terms of basic understanding about sexuality, desires, sexual act, consents, how to talk about sexuality with children, technology and erotica. It also gave a solid summarisation at the end.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE TO DIE FOR. It makes the understanding much much more easier. The points were straightforward and easy to digest. Super page turning.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE TO DIE FOR. It makes the understanding much much more easier. The points were straightforward and easy to digest. Super page turning.
February 2, 2021
Thank you for the free copy Netgalley.
A very informative book with illustrations. Opened my mind to a lot of new things.
A very informative book with illustrations. Opened my mind to a lot of new things.
December 24, 2022
review to come
May 30, 2023
Disappointingly white, and so wordy I wondered why a graphic novel format was chosen
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