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I'm a Wild Seed: My Graphic Memoir on Queerness and Decolonizing the World
In this delightfully compelling full-color graphic memoir, the author shares her process of undoing the effects of a patriarchal, colonial society on her self-image, her sexuality, and her concept of freedom. Reflecting on the ways in which oppression was the cause for her late bloom into queerness, we are invited to discover people and things in the author's life that helped shape and inform her LGBTQ identity. And we come to an understanding of her holistic definition of queerness.
96 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2021
3 people are currently reading
941 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
May 4, 2022
Thank you so much to @pridebooktours and @streetnoisebooks for giving me the chance to read this awesome graphic novel. De La Cruz provides readers with a thought provoking and insightful look at the intersection between queerness and race and how these things interact in a patriarchal society. While all aspects of the commentary in this book were not new, I enjoyed seeing them illustrated and discussed in a new way. Reading this book made me realize how great non-fiction graphic memoirs are for those who may be newer to non-fiction. They present the information in a new and exciting way. And I’m a Wild Seed proved to be no different! If you haven’t checked this book out, definitely give it a read!
March 13, 2021
Because this is so short, it often reminded me more of an in-depth essay than a graphic memoir–that’s not a complaint! It’s packed full of memes, diagrams, and other visuals that I’m familiar with on the internet than I am in books.
This is a quick read, but it’s insightful and thought-provoking. My only complaint is that I would have gladly read a version of this book twice or three times as long!
Full review is at the Lesbrary.
This is a quick read, but it’s insightful and thought-provoking. My only complaint is that I would have gladly read a version of this book twice or three times as long!
Full review is at the Lesbrary.
May 31, 2021
A short and quick, but energetic and powerful declaration of identity and beliefs. I love having access to perspectives like this and hope to see more work by De La Cruz in the future that expands or dives more deeply into the topics introduced here.
December 1, 2020
Interesting memoir about how to be queer, or multiple ways to realize ones queerness.
The author brings up how trans-women were the people behind the Stonewall riots that is considered the start of the LGBTQ rights movement.
It is a bit of a coming out story, but also a story of how BIPOC is so many parts, so many things that are going on. Racism, sexism, classism.
As another reviewer, said, this is far too short. The author touches on things that it would have been nice to hear more on, but perhaps that is the point.
Good slice of life.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
The author brings up how trans-women were the people behind the Stonewall riots that is considered the start of the LGBTQ rights movement.
It is a bit of a coming out story, but also a story of how BIPOC is so many parts, so many things that are going on. Racism, sexism, classism.
As another reviewer, said, this is far too short. The author touches on things that it would have been nice to hear more on, but perhaps that is the point.
Good slice of life.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
April 20, 2022
Thank you to Pride Book Tours for a physical copy in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this graphic memoir! Ive been finding more books with older queer characters or characters who realized their queerness later in life and it’s been so validating. The author discusses it in this book, but the way queer people are taught to repress their true selves is heavy and tiring. It can be so hard to break out of that mindset and live freely.
A lot of reading this memoir spoke to me on a soul level. There are several experiences that resonated and reminded me of events or thoughts from my childhood. I loved that this memoir not only focused on identity but all the facets of it and the intersectionality of identity, especially how that impacts Black trans women. We’re not all free until our most vulnerable are safe and free.
I would highly recommend this graphic memoir! I found it easy to relate to and I really enjoyed the way the author linked the chapters together. Each one had an individual message but together they painted a strong picture of identity and how it’s informed by society. So glad I read this!
CWs: Racism, queerphobia/queermisia, transphobia/transmisia, xenophobia.
I really enjoyed this graphic memoir! Ive been finding more books with older queer characters or characters who realized their queerness later in life and it’s been so validating. The author discusses it in this book, but the way queer people are taught to repress their true selves is heavy and tiring. It can be so hard to break out of that mindset and live freely.
A lot of reading this memoir spoke to me on a soul level. There are several experiences that resonated and reminded me of events or thoughts from my childhood. I loved that this memoir not only focused on identity but all the facets of it and the intersectionality of identity, especially how that impacts Black trans women. We’re not all free until our most vulnerable are safe and free.
I would highly recommend this graphic memoir! I found it easy to relate to and I really enjoyed the way the author linked the chapters together. Each one had an individual message but together they painted a strong picture of identity and how it’s informed by society. So glad I read this!
CWs: Racism, queerphobia/queermisia, transphobia/transmisia, xenophobia.
July 22, 2021
This is a great primer about modern sociological issues regarding intersectionality, highlighting the experience of author Sharon Lee de la Cruz as a Black queer woman. The journey she recounts is inspiring, and her inclusion of historical events and well-explained academic jargon makes it even more real while also making sense of the current zeitgeist.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for encouragement living in modern America while not fitting neatly into one of the socially determined privileged groups.
I would also recommend this book to anyone who has heard about queerness, intersectionality, transgender issues, and racism without fully understanding what these terms mean or their significance. This book is incredibly informative without being even an ounce of preachy.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for encouragement living in modern America while not fitting neatly into one of the socially determined privileged groups.
I would also recommend this book to anyone who has heard about queerness, intersectionality, transgender issues, and racism without fully understanding what these terms mean or their significance. This book is incredibly informative without being even an ounce of preachy.
February 21, 2025
You know a book is going to be good when the title references Octavia E. Butler 📚💗
Quote from I’M A WILD SEED:
“What does freedom look like to you as a queer BIPOC?”
“When black trans women are safe”
Thank you to Street Noise Books for my copy!
Quote from I’M A WILD SEED:
“What does freedom look like to you as a queer BIPOC?”
“When black trans women are safe”
Thank you to Street Noise Books for my copy!
June 7, 2024
Fabulous little graphic novel (as extended zine). Not preachy but really informative, hit the right tone for me. I didn’t know about Dr Melissa Harris-Perry “her research suggests that racial shame is a direct cause of the statistics disproportionately affecting black women”. Graphics are fun and I’ll be using the resources page at the end to further my reading. Excellent
August 29, 2021
I love the art, I just feel the story is a bit disjointed. I was hoping from more about the author personally. It was fantastic to learn more about intersectionality, but I wasn't expecting this title to be so educational. I think some of the educational aspects pulled away from the intimacy of this being an autobiography.
March 26, 2021
Did I write this? I feel like I’m I wrote this.
July 7, 2021
The size and length of this made it feel more like an extra-long zine to me than a "book," which is cool! I like zines! I think it makes it an approachable read, maybe especially for ~reluctant readers.~ BUT I could also see some readers less likely to pick it up because it looks a bit physically insubstantial--like a seed, if you will. But the art is fun and it's engaging, and I think it would be especially appreciated by readers questioning their sexuality, especially later in life--countering the idea that everyone "just always knows" because there's a lot of cultural programming trying to convince some people otherwise.
December 22, 2021
This graphic memoir is very short, and yet covers much - coming out, racism, classism, sexism. I liked the art, and while nothing is covered in great depth, I can see how this could be quite an impactful read for someone figuring out their sexuality.
Read
April 5, 2022A really exceptional read. This is a graphic memoir but it's super short and has loads of little diagrams inside. I really loved it and wish we had more books that really delved into the intersectionality of queerness and other marginalized identities.
September 1, 2021
This was humorous, raw, and a gift. This small little book packs a punch and leaves the reader feeling empowered to fight their own battles against the patriarchy and colonization!
October 12, 2021
This felt like a twenty-second highlights reel for a four-hour movie and while it opened my eyes to otherness and deep wells of conversation, ultimately it wasn't very satisfying for me.
March 29, 2023
3.5-- it makes sense that this started as a zine, but I wish it was fleshed out even more. It feels like we only just start thinking about one thing before it's on to the next thing
August 22, 2022
Not rated, but shelved with the adult graphic novel section by my library? Content notes for discussion of racism, sexism, transphobia and homophobia.
Clicking over to De La Cruz's website, she describes herself as "a storyteller, educator, and activist from NYC. Her research and practice are rooted at the intersection of STEM pedagogy, art, and social justice. Thanks to comic storytelling, she landed in the Tin House Summer Workshop and created her first graphic novel memoir, “I’m a Wild Seed”...De La Cruz received her master’s from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, Processing Foundation Fellowship, a TED Residency, and is a 2021-22 Red Burns Teaching Fellow at ITP-NYU. She currently serves as Director of Sustainability at THE POINT CDC, a non-profit dedicated to youth development and the cultural and economic revitalization of the Hunts Point section of the Bronx."
Keywords: Coming of age, intertwined struggles, solidarity, xena, and history of medicine.
Flipping over to the back of the book, it is synopsized as follows "From her childhood crush on Xena the Warrior Princess to her first foray into a lesbian bar, from the harm of racist and patriarchal systems to the solace found in the orisha dance class, Sharon Lee De La Cruz gives us a thought-provoking reflection on the ways in which oppression caused her late bloom into queerness. And she invites us to discover the things that have informed one woman's conception of freedom."
A very short book, it felt both oversized and undersized at the same time. Which, considering the small width and height of the book, makes a lot of sense. Since you would not want to leave people squinting at the page. So everything seems a bit oversized.
A very short book, there is the temptation to want more. But overextending things is not helpful either. It felt like De La Cruz came in, said what she had to say, and got out. Leaving us with a further reading list to follow through on all the interesting threads she touches on in the text itself. Highly reflective of De La Cruz's own life, this isn't an exhaustive treatise and that's ok. With a diversity of queer comics on the market, this will scratch a lot of people's itch for highly personal introductions to stuff like intersectionality and self/community actualization.
As I tend to say with these highly focused nonfiction comics, we are a bit limited by the identities that the author personally embodies but since intersectionality and solidarity is clearly at the front of her mind I'm A Wild Seed is less one note then other memoirs I have read.
The safety of Black trans women is really important to Sharon, who talks about her romantic relationships with men, women and nonbinary people.
Race and culture; where she lives and where her family is from are all important things that De La Cruz touches on in I'm A Wild Seed.
The way racism impacts health outcomes is also explore here and there.
Focusing so closely on marginalized people a lot of working class and poor people are highlighted.
Clicking over to De La Cruz's website, she describes herself as "a storyteller, educator, and activist from NYC. Her research and practice are rooted at the intersection of STEM pedagogy, art, and social justice. Thanks to comic storytelling, she landed in the Tin House Summer Workshop and created her first graphic novel memoir, “I’m a Wild Seed”...De La Cruz received her master’s from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, Processing Foundation Fellowship, a TED Residency, and is a 2021-22 Red Burns Teaching Fellow at ITP-NYU. She currently serves as Director of Sustainability at THE POINT CDC, a non-profit dedicated to youth development and the cultural and economic revitalization of the Hunts Point section of the Bronx."
Keywords: Coming of age, intertwined struggles, solidarity, xena, and history of medicine.
Flipping over to the back of the book, it is synopsized as follows "From her childhood crush on Xena the Warrior Princess to her first foray into a lesbian bar, from the harm of racist and patriarchal systems to the solace found in the orisha dance class, Sharon Lee De La Cruz gives us a thought-provoking reflection on the ways in which oppression caused her late bloom into queerness. And she invites us to discover the things that have informed one woman's conception of freedom."
A very short book, it felt both oversized and undersized at the same time. Which, considering the small width and height of the book, makes a lot of sense. Since you would not want to leave people squinting at the page. So everything seems a bit oversized.
A very short book, there is the temptation to want more. But overextending things is not helpful either. It felt like De La Cruz came in, said what she had to say, and got out. Leaving us with a further reading list to follow through on all the interesting threads she touches on in the text itself. Highly reflective of De La Cruz's own life, this isn't an exhaustive treatise and that's ok. With a diversity of queer comics on the market, this will scratch a lot of people's itch for highly personal introductions to stuff like intersectionality and self/community actualization.
As I tend to say with these highly focused nonfiction comics, we are a bit limited by the identities that the author personally embodies but since intersectionality and solidarity is clearly at the front of her mind I'm A Wild Seed is less one note then other memoirs I have read.
The safety of Black trans women is really important to Sharon, who talks about her romantic relationships with men, women and nonbinary people.
Race and culture; where she lives and where her family is from are all important things that De La Cruz touches on in I'm A Wild Seed.
The way racism impacts health outcomes is also explore here and there.
Focusing so closely on marginalized people a lot of working class and poor people are highlighted.
April 23, 2022
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: I’m A Wild Seed
Author: Sharon Lee De La Cruz
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black Puerto Rican Dominican Queen female MC
Recommended For...: graphic novel, memoir, LGBT
Publication Date: February 23, 2021
Genre: Nonfiction Graphic Novel Memoir
Age Relevance: 16+ (death, violence, toxic masculinity, sexual content, alcohol consumption, language, sexual harassment)
Explanation of Above: There is death and violence mentioned in the book. There are examples and mentions of toxic masculinity and how it can be solved. There are some mentions of sexual content and actions. There is alcohol consumption shown and some cursing. There is also sexual harassment mentioned and shown.
Publisher: Street Noise Books
Pages: 85
Synopsis: In this delightfully compelling full-color graphic memoir, the author shares her process of undoing the effects of a patriarchal, colonial society on her self-image, her sexuality, and her concept of freedom. Reflecting on the ways in which oppression was the cause for her late bloom into queerness, we are invited to discover people and things in the author's life that helped shape and inform her LGBTQ identity. And we come to an understanding of her holistic definition of queerness.
Review: I really liked this book! It’s a graphic novel about queerness and finding your identity. The book discusses a lot of things in its short form, including toxic masculinity and intersectionality. I thought the book did well to touch on the topics and the illustrations were all well done. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is searching who they are or even those who are solid in their identity.
The only issue I had with the book is that it was very short and abrupt. I wanted more and I wanted more of the lessons to be fleshed out a bit.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: I’m A Wild Seed
Author: Sharon Lee De La Cruz
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black Puerto Rican Dominican Queen female MC
Recommended For...: graphic novel, memoir, LGBT
Publication Date: February 23, 2021
Genre: Nonfiction Graphic Novel Memoir
Age Relevance: 16+ (death, violence, toxic masculinity, sexual content, alcohol consumption, language, sexual harassment)
Explanation of Above: There is death and violence mentioned in the book. There are examples and mentions of toxic masculinity and how it can be solved. There are some mentions of sexual content and actions. There is alcohol consumption shown and some cursing. There is also sexual harassment mentioned and shown.
Publisher: Street Noise Books
Pages: 85
Synopsis: In this delightfully compelling full-color graphic memoir, the author shares her process of undoing the effects of a patriarchal, colonial society on her self-image, her sexuality, and her concept of freedom. Reflecting on the ways in which oppression was the cause for her late bloom into queerness, we are invited to discover people and things in the author's life that helped shape and inform her LGBTQ identity. And we come to an understanding of her holistic definition of queerness.
Review: I really liked this book! It’s a graphic novel about queerness and finding your identity. The book discusses a lot of things in its short form, including toxic masculinity and intersectionality. I thought the book did well to touch on the topics and the illustrations were all well done. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is searching who they are or even those who are solid in their identity.
The only issue I had with the book is that it was very short and abrupt. I wanted more and I wanted more of the lessons to be fleshed out a bit.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
April 27, 2022
Thank you to Pride Book Tours and Street Noise Books for the free copy!
I loved this graphic novel and how it used vignettes from the author's life to show how she learned about her own queerness, race, and gender and how it has shaped her view of the world. It shows how queerness doesn't come in just one form and that coming out isn't always this one time thing. Despite its small size, it is thought provoking with its interesting stories and full color illustrations.
I loved this graphic novel and how it used vignettes from the author's life to show how she learned about her own queerness, race, and gender and how it has shaped her view of the world. It shows how queerness doesn't come in just one form and that coming out isn't always this one time thing. Despite its small size, it is thought provoking with its interesting stories and full color illustrations.
July 13, 2021
Vital opening text for kids and adults about intersectionality, white supremacy, POC queer trans liberation, inherited trauma, and more. An absolute wellspring with great further reading recommendations at the end. Short, sweet, to the point(s)! Read more here: https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/202...
February 28, 2022
RATING based on the memoir perspective of giving insight to a bigger idea.
Amazing illustrations. Feelings were seeping off the page and allowed me to further engage with the author's story. I found myself being brought alongside this shared part of her journey and learning, again, how history impacts our present.
Amazing illustrations. Feelings were seeping off the page and allowed me to further engage with the author's story. I found myself being brought alongside this shared part of her journey and learning, again, how history impacts our present.
December 14, 2024
5 stars
a fantastic, short memoir on the author's experience growing up queer, black and latinx. the illustrations in this book are gorgeous, as is the colouring. the way that the author's personal experience is interspersed within historical recounts and terminology explainers was really effective, and the use of spanish and english vocabulary was very clear and easy to follow.
a fantastic, short memoir on the author's experience growing up queer, black and latinx. the illustrations in this book are gorgeous, as is the colouring. the way that the author's personal experience is interspersed within historical recounts and terminology explainers was really effective, and the use of spanish and english vocabulary was very clear and easy to follow.
August 5, 2021
lovely, had a zine feel and great introduction for someone first exploring their queerness + intersectionality
October 29, 2021
This was super short but very hard-hitting and informative.
January 30, 2022
I loved this memoir of how De La Cruz came to recognize, understand, and then celebrate their queerness. Lots of discussion of intertsecionality among race, ethnicity, gender, trans, etc., but the author's informative charts that make cause/ effect, history, and stake holders clear. I really enjoyed this, but it is definitely for older (ie high school) students. I could never include this as part of my Common Ground LGBTQIA+ unit with 8th graders. Parents would be up in arms; kids'd be cool.
Read
May 3, 2022Lovely personal story of a queer late bloomer. Had to pick it up because of the octavia inspired title!
Read
October 24, 2022Muy cuqui me lo he leído para el cole estadounidense
October 9, 2021
I really enjoyed this short graphic essay/memoir about Sharon’s journey to decolonize gender and sexuality to come late into queerness. A visual delight and something that gives me much more to think about and research!
January 27, 2022
A graphic memoir/essay following Sharon Lee De La Cruz's journey of self-acceptance that starts with learning your old people's history and re-evaluating even your internal voice. "Where did I learn that?" seems to be De La Cruz's main question she looks at.
Loved the art, it lifted what was otherwise an interesting essay into something very personal with expressive characters and handlettering.
Recommended for: teens and LGBTQIA+ allies interested in a quick read in their journey of reading BIPOC and/or Queer authors. Will hopefully lead to more research!
Loved the art, it lifted what was otherwise an interesting essay into something very personal with expressive characters and handlettering.
Recommended for: teens and LGBTQIA+ allies interested in a quick read in their journey of reading BIPOC and/or Queer authors. Will hopefully lead to more research!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews