The Best of Assigned Male

by Sophie Labelle

Includes New and Never Before Seen Stories!

Follow young trans girl, Stephie, and her group of queer friends as they navigate school, family and relationships, and experiences of being trans.

Humorous and acerbic, this ground-breaking graphic narrative brilliantly explores the journey of discovering and embracing your evolving gender identity, and promotes a sense of community and empowerment through artfully illustrated stories.

Based on the hugely successful and influential webcomic Assigned Male, and in print for the first time, this expanded collection contains exclusive content as well as familiar, well-loved characters.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, LGBT, Queer, Comics, Young Adult, Transgender

352 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2021

About the author

The unique transgender cartoonist, the author of Assigned Male. She is from Montreal, Quebec. She is active in the transgender rights movement and speaks on the subjects of trans history and transfeminism.

Reviews

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Sophie Labelle's comics are a joy and a delight to read. Assigned Male has been running for a number of years now, and features a number of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming characters. The emphasis is on viewpoints not normally represented in mainstream media, but the tone is light. The comics are funny and sweet. Labelle will occasionally go into teacher mode, but she knows how to keep it interesting. As I've said of some of her other books, the effect is a lot like sitting down for conversation with a group of witty and charming friends.

I'm also impressed with the quality of the book itself. The paper stock is heavy and shows off the art to full advantage. Yes, it weighs a ton, but it will probably survive a direct hit from a nuclear warhead. It looks very handsome on the shelf or coffee table.

I was fortunate enough to get a chance to meet Sophie on a recent speaking tour. She's every bit as delightful in person as you'd imagine, and was gracious enough to sign this book and the comics and poster that my wife and I bought. If she's ever speaking in your area, go! You won't regret it.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A time capsule of trans politics and culture of the 2000s. At times brought me to tears, just with longing for a trans community and for trans futures. But other times made me cringe bcs it's very dated haha.

[tinaathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great! Smart, funny, lays it out with no nonsense. Would recommend for all audiences 11+

[Kelsey Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible art that should be assigned reading for the human race. A phenomenal guide to everyone curious about the trans experience/ how to be better/ wanting more information.

[Jack Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so wonderful!! It was such a validating and beautiful story with deep and meaningful relationships and characters!

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustration are fab but reading comic after comic of it gets tiresome.

[Eli Barnet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good for teens. I definitely had a moment of feeling too old for it but when I got past that I loved it. Great to teach about sex education and consent. Many say it isn't age appropriate but I think that comes from transphobia because many other teen books have way worse.

[Katri · Rating 3 out of 5]

En ollut aiemmin kuullut Assigned Male -sarjakuvasta, vaan tutustuin näihin näköjään lukemalla heti kättelyssä vähän isomman albumin! Sarjakuvat käsittelevät elämää translasten ja -nuorten näkökulmasta. Sarjakuva on tehty huumorilla ja lämmöllä, se viihdyttää, mutta on myös hyvin informatiivinen. Se oikaisee kaikenlaisia käsityksiä, joita transihmisiin liitetään, mutta myös ihan yleisesti ottaa kantaa näkemykseen, jossa cissukupuolisuutta ja heteroutta pidetään normaalina, ja kaikkea muuta poikkeavana.

Sarjakuva kommentoi sitä, miten transaiheita lähestytään yleensä dokumentaarisesti tai opettavaisesti. Transihmistä pidetään aina ensisijaisesti transihmisenä, eikä vaikka ammattinsa edustajana, joka sattuu olemaan myös trans. Samaan aikaan sarjakuva itse kuitenkin on hyvin informatiivinen ja opettavainen, mikä kävi loppua kohden hieman raskaaksi. Vaikka huumoria riitti, niin itse jäin kaipaamaan nimenomaan kevyempiä sarjakuvia, joissa nyt vain sattuu olemaan transhahmoja. Mutta ehkä se ei ollut tämän albumin tarkoitus.

Kokonaisuus on kuitenkin tosi hyvä ja yleinen fiilis humoristinen. Sopivaa luettavaa esimerkiksi transnuorille, nuorille, jotka pohtivat identiteettiään, ylipäänsä nuorille ja myös vanhemmille ihmisille, joille aihe voi olla vieras.

[Ime Corkery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best of Assigned Male by Sophie Labelle

funny hopeful informative fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0

I absolutely loved this collection. Assigned Male at birth was educational, called out transphobic behaviour and holds society accountable. I really like that the collection addresses so real struggles trans and gender Non-conforming people face. I loved the authentic queerness as a fellow rainbow member myself. “ I’ve gone three days without speaking to a straight person.”
Other highlights was the gender helpline- it was such an affirming comic. I read this as part of the transrights readathon 2024 and I’m so glad I did. This book is a safe space for young people and some older ones.
#itdelivered

[Topy.Loving.Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

An important book that shows that trans kids are like any other kids. They just want to live their life on their own terms and being given the chance to be their true selves. And they shouldn't have to explain themselves to cis people over and over again. If we should let kids be kids, then it works both ways, and hetero-normativity shouldn't be thrown into the kids mouth either. Also it's so nice to see supportive parents, for a change.

But I struggled a bit with the writing as it felt like those 13 years old kids talked way more like adults. It worked probably better as its original format, a webcomic, few pages at the time. To process the information and enjoy it better. But I loved that's it's from an own-voice author, from Montreal.

[Simon Bostock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd seen a few of the Assigned Male strips, so I picked this up as I enjoyed those. This book brings together the web comic in a large print format. I enjoyed seeing the characters in a range of positive situations.

There are extra little bits where the characters respond to other characters, being ignorant or plain transphobic. The text at the start of each chapter details Sophie's thoughts and life at that point, including how the strip is created.

The text starting chapter seven detailing the doxxing, leading to selling out of the book, gave me a way smile that the intended harassment had the opposite effect of what the fascists wanted.

Overall, a great book, especially the gender helpline chapter, well worth your time.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like you can tell the author is a really nice person, because these comics are heartfelt and very endearing. The characters are very well developed despite being short pieces. It's got utopian vibes, but doesn't shy away from challenges, pain, and reality of trans and nonbinary experiences. The characters make a lot of great arguments and everyone is really loving and accepting and supportive of each other which is VERY SWEET and feel-good to read. It's also funny!

[Naomi Forster · Rating 5 out of 5]

trans kids being kids

a comic strip voyage into gender and sexuality and letting kids be kids. o.k. these kids talk more like little adults at times, but thats fine, there is nothing inappropriate here. full of sassy comebacks and simple explanations that discuss gender and sexuality in ways that do not sexualise the characters.
a great palate cleanser from the transphobia and sexualisation of kids in the media.

[Maura Keimig · Rating 1 out of 5]

To me even without the authors controversy elements, the text was quite dry, and the messaging didn’t necessarily come across as well as some other books discussing the struggles of being trans. It just was hard to read and didn’t contain the humor or storytelling aspects that make graphic novels so fascinating

[Peyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything: humour, knowledge, and wit. It’s a great read and has a lot of important information and thoughts that should be shared. This is definitely one I’m going to be recommending a lot.

[Joko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and educational! Found some of the new perspectives quite enlightening, and definitely learnt some useful things.

The art style was okay. It was very cool that the characters constantly changed clothes and hairstyles, but also quite confusing. I found it hard to track who was who.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - it's sweet and funny and shows trans kids just living their lives. My only nitpick is that the kids often talk more like adults than like actual teenagers - a lot of it is pretty obviously the cartoonist's viewpoints coming out of the mouths of preteens/teens.

[Echo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly amusing with good art, but with subject matter more mature than would generally be discussed by 10- to 13-year-olds. While Labelle tried to be funny in every comic, it was mainly quite serious, again particularly in the context of young tweens and teenagers.

[Casey Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this book and Sophie Labelle! What a fantastic book to give to a young kid.

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

More in depth collection for the fan of the series.

[PurplePups · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book about many things with transitioning and it was about multiple other LGBTQ+ stuff but mostly about gay and trans facts.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. And educational too! Excellent sarcasm 👌

[Isabella McDaniel · Rating 1 out of 5]

From what I have read of this webcomic, it's preachy SJW garbage and just more proof that the left can't meme.

[Mattia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too didactic for me. I would like more stories about trans people just doing things and having lives, instead of always explaining theory or correctness.

[Felix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I cry? Maybe.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable and sweet and wholesome, while also unflinchingly portraying the exhaustion of transphobic microaggressions.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of the assigned male Web comics

[Brandon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this has value as a collection of the work, for fans, but oh damn I was bored. I'll save myself the longer rant but yeah I found nothing entertaining or worthwhile here.

[Leonids · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a dash of lovely queer joy :) the concepts of the comics in this book are very simple, and none of it is especially 'deep'. It's politics and life that I've been living for a very long time, but that was part of what made it so wonderful to read - there was a distinct sense of being seen and understood through the pages of these comics, and I really adored that. This was really, really nice to read.