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Here and Queer
Here and Queer is a helpful, friendly guide full of support and advice about living your best queer life, written for girls.
This vibrant, inclusive guide, designed for all kinds of girls, is designed to help you be the strongest, proudest, happiest version of yourself! A celebration of the gift of queerness, it's packed full of heartfelt advice, comforting stories, and stylish illustrations, and will give you the tools you need to explore your own identity, on your own terms.
Author and YouTuber Rowan Ellis uses her personal experience to take you through queer life, from coming out and dealing with tough stuff, right through to finding friendships and celebrating Pride. There are also brilliant guest essays from contributors across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
The book opens with guidance on understanding how you feel as a queer girl. From choosing your pronouns to navigating different labels and identities, Ellis helps girls understand that they are in control of their own identity, and that it's ok to not be sure straight away.
Moving onto a glossary of queer terms, Here and Queer helps introduce girls to the rainbow of definitions and terms which help queer people understand who they are and how they feel. The book then moves onto advice on coming out, for many one of the hardest steps to take on their journey to truly living their best lives.
Following are chapters on sex and romance, including helpful advice about your first time, as well as guides on consent and knowing how to make sure you build a healthy and supportive relationship with your partner.
There are also sections on dealing with bullies and stigma, finding your community, and looking after your mental health, including advice on how to help you find extra support if you need it. The book also has more information on queer ladies in history, and on the fight for equality undertaken by brave activists throughout history and today.
Stylishly designed with cool illustrations, this helpful, friendly guide will help all queer girls navigate the challenges of discovering and embracing their identities and flourishing in their own skins!
This vibrant, inclusive guide, designed for all kinds of girls, is designed to help you be the strongest, proudest, happiest version of yourself! A celebration of the gift of queerness, it's packed full of heartfelt advice, comforting stories, and stylish illustrations, and will give you the tools you need to explore your own identity, on your own terms.
Author and YouTuber Rowan Ellis uses her personal experience to take you through queer life, from coming out and dealing with tough stuff, right through to finding friendships and celebrating Pride. There are also brilliant guest essays from contributors across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
The book opens with guidance on understanding how you feel as a queer girl. From choosing your pronouns to navigating different labels and identities, Ellis helps girls understand that they are in control of their own identity, and that it's ok to not be sure straight away.
Moving onto a glossary of queer terms, Here and Queer helps introduce girls to the rainbow of definitions and terms which help queer people understand who they are and how they feel. The book then moves onto advice on coming out, for many one of the hardest steps to take on their journey to truly living their best lives.
Following are chapters on sex and romance, including helpful advice about your first time, as well as guides on consent and knowing how to make sure you build a healthy and supportive relationship with your partner.
There are also sections on dealing with bullies and stigma, finding your community, and looking after your mental health, including advice on how to help you find extra support if you need it. The book also has more information on queer ladies in history, and on the fight for equality undertaken by brave activists throughout history and today.
Stylishly designed with cool illustrations, this helpful, friendly guide will help all queer girls navigate the challenges of discovering and embracing their identities and flourishing in their own skins!
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2022
25 people are currently reading
1677 people want to read
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January 26, 2022A joyous, comprehensive, and inclusive exploration of queerness, with gorgeous illustrations too. Thoughtful and celebratory, and featuring a range of perspectives, this book will help so many people of all ages who are questioning their sexuality.
January 28, 2022
Here and Queer is a comforting, comprehensive, inclusive and most importantly,
intersectional
guide to aid queer girls in the discovery, exploration and affirmation of their identities — combined with stunning illustrations by Jacky Sheridan. Rowan put it best on one of her IG stories, this book's audience is focused and not exclusionary and whilst I, myself, am not a queer girl, I found myself learning a lot more than I realised. I cannot wait to see this book out in the world!
May 15, 2022
I love this title. Rowan Ellis has written a book that I would have loved as a teenager. It is meant to help enable you answer important questions about your identity and sexuality, and it does exactly that. Among other things Ellis writes about dating, mental health, sex, friendships, self-expression, bullying, and more. This is maybe what you might find in other books as well. However, Rowan Ellis uses a very positive approach that helps validate the reader, to give them the message that they are just as wonderful as everybody else. She is very supportive and encourages questioning and queer readers to live their lives because it is absolutely worth it.
I love books that talk truths, and believe that especially questioning or queer kids and young adults need support to find their own way. That’s why I am always on the lookout for these rare gems. This is definitely one of them.
5 out of 5 stars.
I love books that talk truths, and believe that especially questioning or queer kids and young adults need support to find their own way. That’s why I am always on the lookout for these rare gems. This is definitely one of them.
5 out of 5 stars.
June 20, 2023
5★
“How can I celebrate Pride if I don’t live near a parade?”
I bet that’s not a question you thought would be asked. Author Rowan Ellis has put together a comprehensive, easy-to-understand collection of history, essays, anecdotes, and thoughts to help young girls figure out their own approach to life. While the illustrations are bold and bright, and the language is often light and breezy, there is no question that she treats the subject and her audience seriously and with respect.
This is published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, and I would say this is aimed at young readers and teens, depending on how they are maturing. Kids develop feelings beyond friendship at different ages, and the intensity of feelings is also different for everyone.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who, as a kid, thought I knew and understood more about ‘life’ than I obviously did. Anything beyond the usual boy-girl relationships was generally never discussed, certainly not around children.
There is so much talk about sex, gender, and identity in the public sphere now, that young children use terms like “gay” as a general insult, not knowing what it means or why it would be considered insulting. They’ve just heard it as a negative. But they’ve heard it.
Unfortunately, there are always those who know how to pick their targets. One person was quoted in the book, saying, “I was bullied for being a lesbian before I even knew I was gay. I’m not going to lie—that was a wild ride.”
On the other hand, some kids recognise their friend is probably queer or gay before the friend has known it themselves. I remember hearing that one of my kid’s schoolmates discovered he was gay later in his teens and when he eventually came out, his friends surprised him by saying “Oh, we’ve always known that. So what?” That was nice. 😊
The author says that because this book was intended to be for everyone, and her experiences and knowledge weren’t going to be broad enough for such a big subject, she asked others to write essays and contribute. They share their problems and their joys.
“I didn’t want to sugarcoat or ignore experiences you might be familiar with, including homophobia and sexism. But I also didn’t want to fall into that gloomy trope of queer pain and suffering being all there is to our collective story.”
The book is divided it into three sections:
“Part One: Coming Out; Part Two: Doing It; Part Three: Finding Your Community”. Each part has chapters on different topics. It opens with finding out about yourself.
“ How Do I Know I’m Gay (or Bi, or Pan or...)?”
She says there’s no shortcut of 101 questions to ask yourself, but there are some ideas that can help.
“There are three things that feed into working out your sexuality. Let me explain.
1. WHAT YOU THINK AND FEEL
2. WHAT YOU DO
3. HOW YOU IDENTIFY”
“So, an important first step is trying to put aside how other people feel and focus on yourself.”
WHAT YOU DO is about how you might interact with others, like kissing, holding hands, or more. The title is accompanied by a highlighted heading.
“HEAD TO CHAPTER 10 ON PAGE 82 TO READ ABOUT CONSENT AND COMMUNICATION.”
Then HOW YOU IDENTIFY reminds readers there’s no rush, and you are in control of you. There is a long, skinny illustration of a person walking on a meandering, endless path from below the bottom of the page to beyond the top, passing by the words “Queer, non-binary, lesbian, bi”.
“It’s important to know that if you land on your coordinates on the LGBTQ+ map, you don’t have to stay there forever. Some people find their place on the map and make it their home. But it’s just as valid to be someone who finds themselves voyaging around the map. It’s okay to keep figuring things out about yourself, to change your identity or to develop feelings for people of genders you hadn’t felt romantically or sexually about before.”
I know a woman who dated boys originally, then lived happily in a lesbian relationship for several years, and later married a man she had known back when she was dating boys. They’ve been married with a child for over a decade. We go where the love is.
There is an extensive section on dating and romance. I’m sharing three illustrations of ideas for activities to do in public, private, or long distance, with people who are or might be like-minded. I will write out the text below, since it would be hard to read on a small screen.
Incidentally, I think many of these activities are good ideas for anyone wanting to make new friends, romantic or otherwise.
“PUBLIC
• Visit a gay book store together and pick out a book for each other
• Pack up a picnic and have a relaxing afternoon in the sun
• Try something new together, like a class or activity
• Visit a gay bar or club for an evening date if you’re old enough
• Find some nature to explore—whether it’s a full-on hike or just a stroll in the park together
• Try a classic: dinner and a movie”
“PRIVATE:
• Cook a recipe you’ve never tried before together
• Get creative with some arts and crafts
• Play a game together (whether a video game, board game, or even a puzzle)
• Build a blanket fort and watch a movie together inside”
“LONG DISTANCE
• Send each other a date night/care package box and unbox them together
• Plan a remote movie night with webcams on and cinema snacks
• Order food for each other and have a surprise dinner date
• Play an online two-player game while you chat
• Create a mixtape playlist for each other and listen together”
All kinds of issues are discussed.
“Looking after your mental health on a day-to-day basis is so important. Too many of us wait until it gets bad before we think to do anything about it. It’s like a cup slowly filling up with water—as long as the water isn’t spilling over then it’s fine, right? We turn around to try and ignore the cup for a minute, but by the time we turn back, the water has already reached the top. But then the faucet is stiff and won’t turn off and the water is spilling onto the floor and, oh my God, is that an electric socket???”
There is a good vocabulary list of LGBTQI+ terms, along with the reminder that terms can mean different things to different people. As the book says “ After all, there isn’t an Official Global Queer Committee that decides what words we should use and what they should mean to everyone.”
There’s a reminder to check age appropriateness and restrictions for movies and entertainment. There’s a discussion of “what counts as sex?” which gets detailed enough to discuss the fact that laws apply to legal ages for different practices. This is to protect young people from abuse, and although this is written for the US, other countries and jurisdictions have laws to be aware of, too.
There is a list of “thinking points” (usually talking points, but this is to figure out your own head), and a good glossary, list of information resources, as well as some support services.
All in all, it’s a great book for young girls who want to know more, and it’s useful for older girls and women who probably wish they’d had this years before. But I’ll bet they find terms that are new to them, too. 😊
Here are websites where you can learn about the author and other contributors.
https://www.rowanellis.com/
https://www.jackysheridan.com/
https://www.mshafsaqureshi.com/
https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/10/0...
https://invisibleproject.org/annie-se...
https://www.mazhedgehog.com/
Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the copy for review.
“How can I celebrate Pride if I don’t live near a parade?”
I bet that’s not a question you thought would be asked. Author Rowan Ellis has put together a comprehensive, easy-to-understand collection of history, essays, anecdotes, and thoughts to help young girls figure out their own approach to life. While the illustrations are bold and bright, and the language is often light and breezy, there is no question that she treats the subject and her audience seriously and with respect.
This is published by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, and I would say this is aimed at young readers and teens, depending on how they are maturing. Kids develop feelings beyond friendship at different ages, and the intensity of feelings is also different for everyone.
I’m sure I’m not the only person who, as a kid, thought I knew and understood more about ‘life’ than I obviously did. Anything beyond the usual boy-girl relationships was generally never discussed, certainly not around children.
There is so much talk about sex, gender, and identity in the public sphere now, that young children use terms like “gay” as a general insult, not knowing what it means or why it would be considered insulting. They’ve just heard it as a negative. But they’ve heard it.
Unfortunately, there are always those who know how to pick their targets. One person was quoted in the book, saying, “I was bullied for being a lesbian before I even knew I was gay. I’m not going to lie—that was a wild ride.”
On the other hand, some kids recognise their friend is probably queer or gay before the friend has known it themselves. I remember hearing that one of my kid’s schoolmates discovered he was gay later in his teens and when he eventually came out, his friends surprised him by saying “Oh, we’ve always known that. So what?” That was nice. 😊
The author says that because this book was intended to be for everyone, and her experiences and knowledge weren’t going to be broad enough for such a big subject, she asked others to write essays and contribute. They share their problems and their joys.
“I didn’t want to sugarcoat or ignore experiences you might be familiar with, including homophobia and sexism. But I also didn’t want to fall into that gloomy trope of queer pain and suffering being all there is to our collective story.”
The book is divided it into three sections:
“Part One: Coming Out; Part Two: Doing It; Part Three: Finding Your Community”. Each part has chapters on different topics. It opens with finding out about yourself.
“ How Do I Know I’m Gay (or Bi, or Pan or...)?”
She says there’s no shortcut of 101 questions to ask yourself, but there are some ideas that can help.
“There are three things that feed into working out your sexuality. Let me explain.
1. WHAT YOU THINK AND FEEL
2. WHAT YOU DO
3. HOW YOU IDENTIFY”
“So, an important first step is trying to put aside how other people feel and focus on yourself.”
WHAT YOU DO is about how you might interact with others, like kissing, holding hands, or more. The title is accompanied by a highlighted heading.
“HEAD TO CHAPTER 10 ON PAGE 82 TO READ ABOUT CONSENT AND COMMUNICATION.”
Then HOW YOU IDENTIFY reminds readers there’s no rush, and you are in control of you. There is a long, skinny illustration of a person walking on a meandering, endless path from below the bottom of the page to beyond the top, passing by the words “Queer, non-binary, lesbian, bi”.
“It’s important to know that if you land on your coordinates on the LGBTQ+ map, you don’t have to stay there forever. Some people find their place on the map and make it their home. But it’s just as valid to be someone who finds themselves voyaging around the map. It’s okay to keep figuring things out about yourself, to change your identity or to develop feelings for people of genders you hadn’t felt romantically or sexually about before.”
I know a woman who dated boys originally, then lived happily in a lesbian relationship for several years, and later married a man she had known back when she was dating boys. They’ve been married with a child for over a decade. We go where the love is.
There is an extensive section on dating and romance. I’m sharing three illustrations of ideas for activities to do in public, private, or long distance, with people who are or might be like-minded. I will write out the text below, since it would be hard to read on a small screen.
Incidentally, I think many of these activities are good ideas for anyone wanting to make new friends, romantic or otherwise.
“PUBLIC
• Visit a gay book store together and pick out a book for each other
• Pack up a picnic and have a relaxing afternoon in the sun
• Try something new together, like a class or activity
• Visit a gay bar or club for an evening date if you’re old enough
• Find some nature to explore—whether it’s a full-on hike or just a stroll in the park together
• Try a classic: dinner and a movie”
“PRIVATE:
• Cook a recipe you’ve never tried before together
• Get creative with some arts and crafts
• Play a game together (whether a video game, board game, or even a puzzle)
• Build a blanket fort and watch a movie together inside”
“LONG DISTANCE
• Send each other a date night/care package box and unbox them together
• Plan a remote movie night with webcams on and cinema snacks
• Order food for each other and have a surprise dinner date
• Play an online two-player game while you chat
• Create a mixtape playlist for each other and listen together”
All kinds of issues are discussed.
“Looking after your mental health on a day-to-day basis is so important. Too many of us wait until it gets bad before we think to do anything about it. It’s like a cup slowly filling up with water—as long as the water isn’t spilling over then it’s fine, right? We turn around to try and ignore the cup for a minute, but by the time we turn back, the water has already reached the top. But then the faucet is stiff and won’t turn off and the water is spilling onto the floor and, oh my God, is that an electric socket???”
There is a good vocabulary list of LGBTQI+ terms, along with the reminder that terms can mean different things to different people. As the book says “ After all, there isn’t an Official Global Queer Committee that decides what words we should use and what they should mean to everyone.”
There’s a reminder to check age appropriateness and restrictions for movies and entertainment. There’s a discussion of “what counts as sex?” which gets detailed enough to discuss the fact that laws apply to legal ages for different practices. This is to protect young people from abuse, and although this is written for the US, other countries and jurisdictions have laws to be aware of, too.
There is a list of “thinking points” (usually talking points, but this is to figure out your own head), and a good glossary, list of information resources, as well as some support services.
All in all, it’s a great book for young girls who want to know more, and it’s useful for older girls and women who probably wish they’d had this years before. But I’ll bet they find terms that are new to them, too. 😊
Here are websites where you can learn about the author and other contributors.
https://www.rowanellis.com/
https://www.jackysheridan.com/
https://www.mshafsaqureshi.com/
https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/10/0...
https://invisibleproject.org/annie-se...
https://www.mazhedgehog.com/
Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the copy for review.
May 14, 2022
World, do yourself a favour. Gift this book to someone younger you love. It's definitely worth it!
An amazing compilation of well-informed explanations and illustrations regarding gender and sexuality meant for young readers and beginners. Even the adults would definitely need this guidebook because honestly speaking we don't usually go for the bland looking non-fiction books even when it would explain things way better or otherwise.
The illustrations are so eye-popping and so well done. Perfect! And the presentation like a colourful graphic novel gives all the perfect vibes for the youngsters to pick up this book.
The information provided will teach the reader about the various stereotypes, the misconceptions as well as the taboos that are related to sexuality.
I need a copy.
Thank you, Quarto Publishing Group Frances Lincoln Children's Books, for the advance review copy.
An amazing compilation of well-informed explanations and illustrations regarding gender and sexuality meant for young readers and beginners. Even the adults would definitely need this guidebook because honestly speaking we don't usually go for the bland looking non-fiction books even when it would explain things way better or otherwise.
The illustrations are so eye-popping and so well done. Perfect! And the presentation like a colourful graphic novel gives all the perfect vibes for the youngsters to pick up this book.
The information provided will teach the reader about the various stereotypes, the misconceptions as well as the taboos that are related to sexuality.
I need a copy.
Thank you, Quarto Publishing Group Frances Lincoln Children's Books, for the advance review copy.
January 27, 2022
So excited for this to be out in the world this May!
Here & Queer includes sections on relationships, community, history, sex, activism, queer friendship and more - as well as guest essays and a list of resources and media to check out after you've read the book :)
Here & Queer includes sections on relationships, community, history, sex, activism, queer friendship and more - as well as guest essays and a list of resources and media to check out after you've read the book :)
Read
May 30, 2022It was interested to read this book at about twice its target demographic, because it made me reflect back on how I learned this sort of information when I was a teen. This is a YA nonfiction book introducing queer girls to the basics of what it means to be a queer girl (or think you might be one). My first impression after finishing it was that it didn’t offer a lot that was new, but then I realized that a) it is likely new to the queer teens reading it and b) that I guess there haven’t really been self help books specifically for queer teen girls before! It feels like that should have happened by now, but I can’t think of any.
I think the concept of this book is strong, but it didn’t live up to what I wanted from it. Then again, I’m not a teen queer girl, and I am glad that a book exists specifically for their questions, even if the answers aren’t exactly what I’d like to see. It is trans-inclusive and also addresses questioning your gender, which is great!
Full review at the Lesbrary.
I think the concept of this book is strong, but it didn’t live up to what I wanted from it. Then again, I’m not a teen queer girl, and I am glad that a book exists specifically for their questions, even if the answers aren’t exactly what I’d like to see. It is trans-inclusive and also addresses questioning your gender, which is great!
Full review at the Lesbrary.
January 29, 2024
4.75*
i wish i had this book back in school; it would have saved me from a shit ton of trauma. i just desperately needed someone to tell me that cisheteronormativity was not something i had to give in to; hearing this would have genuinely saved my life then. i entirely blame compulsory heterosexuality (yes, there's a name for it and you will learn more about it in here) for everything that happened after sixth grade.
honestly, schools just don't know how to function. i had no idea that the system was so corrupt in the uk too. indians are as it is garbage when it comes to devising a "proper" education system (no, i didn't learn anything in school) — there was not one queer narrative we were taught in english, not one queer figure we were taught about in history, not one sentence on trans-inclusive reproduction we were taught about in biology. books like here and queer are life-changing and it's a shame that educators deny children their very right to discover themselves.
but we are here, we are queer, and we are thriving (or are we? 🙂)
now i know the perfect person to gift this to.
i wish i had this book back in school; it would have saved me from a shit ton of trauma. i just desperately needed someone to tell me that cisheteronormativity was not something i had to give in to; hearing this would have genuinely saved my life then. i entirely blame compulsory heterosexuality (yes, there's a name for it and you will learn more about it in here) for everything that happened after sixth grade.
honestly, schools just don't know how to function. i had no idea that the system was so corrupt in the uk too. indians are as it is garbage when it comes to devising a "proper" education system (no, i didn't learn anything in school) — there was not one queer narrative we were taught in english, not one queer figure we were taught about in history, not one sentence on trans-inclusive reproduction we were taught about in biology. books like here and queer are life-changing and it's a shame that educators deny children their very right to discover themselves.
but we are here, we are queer, and we are thriving (or are we? 🙂)
now i know the perfect person to gift this to.
Want to read
June 5, 2024The only self-help book I consider to be useful lol
May 1, 2023
I actually got this book last June at a conference I was volunteering at, but I've only just started digging into many of those books so. Oops? But I will 100% admit to passing my responsibilities of helping set up a panel on to someone else so I could get a personalized signed copy, because I adore Rowan Ellis's video work and I really couldn't pass up the chance. Also, there's a very quiet excitement of being in a line with a bunch of queer girls in a city away from a home where you're still closeted.
This book is an excellent, hopeful, and honest primer of what every queer girl should know. A lot of this is information I had to learn on my own growing up, but it was lovely seeing it presented with such understanding. (Not to mention gorgeous illustrations!) From vocabulary to first-hand accounts to guidance, this book is honestly such a comfort to me, and I hope plenty of little gaybies end up finding it.
This book is an excellent, hopeful, and honest primer of what every queer girl should know. A lot of this is information I had to learn on my own growing up, but it was lovely seeing it presented with such understanding. (Not to mention gorgeous illustrations!) From vocabulary to first-hand accounts to guidance, this book is honestly such a comfort to me, and I hope plenty of little gaybies end up finding it.
May 16, 2022
I’ve loved Rowan Ellis’ YouTube videos for years, so I was really excited to learn that she was writing an informational guide for queer girls. This is the type of book I wish I could’ve read back when I was a teenager. It covers so many topics like coming out, different labels, activism, sex, consent, and the history of pride and queer women throughout the years
It’s written in a really easy to read way and the illustrations by Jacky Sheridan added a lot of charm. I appreciated how inclusive the book is, it includes trans girls and makes it clear that it’s not just a guide for cis girls. There are also a couple guest essays that cover topics like disability, religion, and more.
The book covers a lot of ground, but being that it’s under 200 pages there are some parts that feel glossed over. Like, when talking about sex muffing is brought up, explaining that it’s digital penetration/stimulation of the inguinal canals. But the book doesn’t describe what the inguinal canals actually are or safe practices for that particular act. Also dental dams only get one sentence. It just seems like these are things that maybe younger readers won’t already have knowledge about but the book isn’t giving them the full picture.
But overall I think this is a really valuable book and will help out so many people.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It’s written in a really easy to read way and the illustrations by Jacky Sheridan added a lot of charm. I appreciated how inclusive the book is, it includes trans girls and makes it clear that it’s not just a guide for cis girls. There are also a couple guest essays that cover topics like disability, religion, and more.
The book covers a lot of ground, but being that it’s under 200 pages there are some parts that feel glossed over. Like, when talking about sex muffing is brought up, explaining that it’s digital penetration/stimulation of the inguinal canals. But the book doesn’t describe what the inguinal canals actually are or safe practices for that particular act. Also dental dams only get one sentence. It just seems like these are things that maybe younger readers won’t already have knowledge about but the book isn’t giving them the full picture.
But overall I think this is a really valuable book and will help out so many people.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2024
this is such a cute and well written book for queer women
April 2, 2023
Petit guide, grande aide
Destiné aux jeunes filles queer adolescentes le guide peut être évidemment lu peu importe votre genre, votre âge et votre orientation sexuelle, que vous fassiez partie de la communauté LGBTQ+ ou si vous êtes un.e simple allié.e. Rowan Ellis, militante et autrice LGBTQ+ s’appuie sur les dessins de Jacky Sheridan qui illustrent le texte et nous offre une belle mise en page pour guider ceux qui se questionnent.
Le livre se découpe en plusieurs thématiques, le coming out, la sexualité avec un accent sur le consentement, et enfin une grande partie sur la communauté, comment trouver la sienne avec aussi une fresque des combats et femmes queer à travers le monde. Tout est écrit avec bienveillance, on y trouve toutes les informations de bases avec quelques lexiques, un glossaire, des pistes pour militer mais aussi sur comment faire face au harcèlement. Chaque partie est entrecoupée de témoignages aux profils différents qui nous offre une belle intersectionnalité.
Cela parlera très certainement à beaucoup d’adolescents ou même à d’autres personnes de tout âge grâce à l’inclusivité, la compréhension et le confort qu’apporte ces discours.
Destiné aux jeunes filles queer adolescentes le guide peut être évidemment lu peu importe votre genre, votre âge et votre orientation sexuelle, que vous fassiez partie de la communauté LGBTQ+ ou si vous êtes un.e simple allié.e. Rowan Ellis, militante et autrice LGBTQ+ s’appuie sur les dessins de Jacky Sheridan qui illustrent le texte et nous offre une belle mise en page pour guider ceux qui se questionnent.
Le livre se découpe en plusieurs thématiques, le coming out, la sexualité avec un accent sur le consentement, et enfin une grande partie sur la communauté, comment trouver la sienne avec aussi une fresque des combats et femmes queer à travers le monde. Tout est écrit avec bienveillance, on y trouve toutes les informations de bases avec quelques lexiques, un glossaire, des pistes pour militer mais aussi sur comment faire face au harcèlement. Chaque partie est entrecoupée de témoignages aux profils différents qui nous offre une belle intersectionnalité.
Cela parlera très certainement à beaucoup d’adolescents ou même à d’autres personnes de tout âge grâce à l’inclusivité, la compréhension et le confort qu’apporte ces discours.
July 13, 2022
What an absolutely amazing resource book for every queer girl to have, loved it.
July 16, 2022
More and more queer books like this are being banned around the world, including the United States. I know that is due to homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. But it is still hard for me to grasp my mind around why anyone would forbid something so wonderfully wholesome as this book.
Here and Queer: A Queer Girl's Guide to Life is very good at being inclusive to anyone that might not feel entirely female. Rowan Ellis also did a wonderful job of including the stories of non-white and disabled queer people.
I thought the book was wholesome because it (rightfully) tells the reader about consent but also to look up age limits for media or skip to a page if they aren't ready (or don't feel like) reading about the sexual content.
A lot of people have said this book is what they needed as a teenager and perhaps the constent reminder you are allowed to set your boundaries would have been perfect for me as a baby bi. There weren't much sapphic stories I could read besides fanfiction that were written for teens. Some of the queer media I did consume as a teen was very focused on sex when I maybe wasn't ready for reading that as a 15-year-old.
So I hope queer girls have access to this and shows/graphic novels like Heartstopper that show that there's joy in being queer. Even if you are just finding your way.
Here and Queer: A Queer Girl's Guide to Life is very good at being inclusive to anyone that might not feel entirely female. Rowan Ellis also did a wonderful job of including the stories of non-white and disabled queer people.
I thought the book was wholesome because it (rightfully) tells the reader about consent but also to look up age limits for media or skip to a page if they aren't ready (or don't feel like) reading about the sexual content.
A lot of people have said this book is what they needed as a teenager and perhaps the constent reminder you are allowed to set your boundaries would have been perfect for me as a baby bi. There weren't much sapphic stories I could read besides fanfiction that were written for teens. Some of the queer media I did consume as a teen was very focused on sex when I maybe wasn't ready for reading that as a 15-year-old.
So I hope queer girls have access to this and shows/graphic novels like Heartstopper that show that there's joy in being queer. Even if you are just finding your way.
May 10, 2022
This is the ultimate guide for teens to learn about gender and sexuality in a non-judgemental, factual and healthy way no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identity may be. The book is comprised of 3 parts which including information related to: coming out, relationships (including sex), and finding/joining the LGBTQ community. The book is filled with terminology and definitions, straight forward explanations, as well as debunked myths and clarity around stereotypes or common misinformation. I think this is a wonderful book for teens who are curious or questioning their gender identity or sexual preferences, and want to know more. I think that any teen would benefit from the information in this book (I'm sure adults could too to be honest!) but I think it is aimed at teen girls who identify as queer. The information about sex is pretty standard for teen books of this kind, with explanations of terms and clear statements about consent and peer pressure. I would recommend this book for teens, and potentially preteens but would recommend them reading with supervision or at least an adult who is aware of the content and whom they could ask questions to. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!
September 12, 2023
It's quite hard to rate that kind of book, because I may and may not be the targeted audience at the same time ^^
So. Did I enjoy it? Yes, very much. It's concise, short but self-explanatory, very accessible, it gives good advices and I reckon it could help young queers to reach out and know that being queer is a good thing too.
In the same time, there isn't a lot I didn't know beforehand, I may have like more explanations or something deeper because of that.
But on a very good note, the illustrations are awesome, I read it on ereader so I only got it black and white, but sure the physical version have to be a treat!
I think it's an excellent book to have in every school library (if one can dream), in every doctor's waiting room, therapist's office, etc.
So. Did I enjoy it? Yes, very much. It's concise, short but self-explanatory, very accessible, it gives good advices and I reckon it could help young queers to reach out and know that being queer is a good thing too.
In the same time, there isn't a lot I didn't know beforehand, I may have like more explanations or something deeper because of that.
But on a very good note, the illustrations are awesome, I read it on ereader so I only got it black and white, but sure the physical version have to be a treat!
I think it's an excellent book to have in every school library (if one can dream), in every doctor's waiting room, therapist's office, etc.
October 2, 2023
Clairement le genre de livre que j’aurais voulu publier, et dont l’existence est nécessaire. Très heureuse de le voir chez cet éditeur
June 30, 2022
This was a joy to dive into! I've been consuming Rowan's videos for some years now, and I've always admired how articulate she is in delivering complex ideas and her honesty. As soon as I saw she was being published, I didn't blink twice before deciding to support her work.
Of course, like many have mentioned, it didn't hurt that this is like a juicy treat for LGBTIQ+ people -with an emphasis on queer girls/teens- and many of us would have LOVED to see this in our local library or bookshop in our teenage years.
This has been a five star read for me cause it delivers what it promises, nothing less than that (and I'd say even a little more than expected). It has glimpses that read as an author memoir, too, and that made it even more personal. Goes to show how much of herself Rowan has poured in here.
I'll just underline some key aspects of it that I enjoyed:
🔻 validating: knowing about different queer experiences -you can find up to four essays spread out through this guide from diverse voices invited as contributors (Hafsa, Maz, Mikaela & Annie)-, not just Rowan's, and her constantly reminding you that sometimes it's just her perspective or opinion as a white queer woman feels so important.
🔻 there's something in here for everyone, a genuine effort has been put into making it as inclusive and intersectional as possible. And it's been done with so much care, as expected. It's well-aimed at queer girls but I think queer people in general or anyone curious about this compendium of LGBTQ+ knowledge would find it interesting enough (especially questioning folks). Worth noting that disabled people are pivotal in this book and I even learned something about ambulatory wheelchair users, so thank you, Annie, for your contribution piece and shedding some light into the matter and making people feel seen with your activism and existence. My thanks extend to Maz, Hafsa and Mikaela, too.
🔻 colorful eye candy: thanks in no small part to Jacky Sheridan, who did an amazing work at illustrating every page and make it a feast for the eyes, in my opinion, one of the things that pulled my attention to this little book.
🔻 it's not completely exhaustive, but does a darn good job at covering every issue that could concern a queer girl, ranging from mental health, to finding community in a realistic yet positive way, seeing yourself, dealing with the tough bits, etc. It's to be praised how Rowan & co. managed to fit so much vital information in here! And if a baby queer or anyone who finds themselves reading this, for that matter, would like to expand on that knowledge, it's always commendable to do so, obviously!
🔻 impactful: I have never seen something like this, ever! it's just what I would have loved to have as a baby queer (no, that doesn't have anything to do with your age) and, honestly, it doesn't feel that basic to me. Yes, it's stuff I'm 90% familiar with but the way it's presented in here is so well thought-out, so tidy and neat, so thorough. Not just the parts about LGBT+ history but also diverse perspectives and the organization + presentation of facts.
🔻 it's celebratory, without shying away from the difficult parts.
🔻 closure: I really like how it wrapped up, the structure made a lot of sense to me, and the nerd in me rejoiced at finding some thinking points aka writing prompts that could even make their way into a review of the book or as journal entries. Also, especially helpful to find some helplines and NGOs linked at the end, as well as some more extensive reading/watching, never losing focus of its intended readers.
As a final note, it goes without saying but I'll say it anyway: I hope this will pave the way for more genuine and comforting queer "roadmaps" and guides available in all languages and to anyone who might be in need of them.
Of course, like many have mentioned, it didn't hurt that this is like a juicy treat for LGBTIQ+ people -with an emphasis on queer girls/teens- and many of us would have LOVED to see this in our local library or bookshop in our teenage years.
This has been a five star read for me cause it delivers what it promises, nothing less than that (and I'd say even a little more than expected). It has glimpses that read as an author memoir, too, and that made it even more personal. Goes to show how much of herself Rowan has poured in here.
I'll just underline some key aspects of it that I enjoyed:
🔻 validating: knowing about different queer experiences -you can find up to four essays spread out through this guide from diverse voices invited as contributors (Hafsa, Maz, Mikaela & Annie)-, not just Rowan's, and her constantly reminding you that sometimes it's just her perspective or opinion as a white queer woman feels so important.
🔻 there's something in here for everyone, a genuine effort has been put into making it as inclusive and intersectional as possible. And it's been done with so much care, as expected. It's well-aimed at queer girls but I think queer people in general or anyone curious about this compendium of LGBTQ+ knowledge would find it interesting enough (especially questioning folks). Worth noting that disabled people are pivotal in this book and I even learned something about ambulatory wheelchair users, so thank you, Annie, for your contribution piece and shedding some light into the matter and making people feel seen with your activism and existence. My thanks extend to Maz, Hafsa and Mikaela, too.
🔻 colorful eye candy: thanks in no small part to Jacky Sheridan, who did an amazing work at illustrating every page and make it a feast for the eyes, in my opinion, one of the things that pulled my attention to this little book.
🔻 it's not completely exhaustive, but does a darn good job at covering every issue that could concern a queer girl, ranging from mental health, to finding community in a realistic yet positive way, seeing yourself, dealing with the tough bits, etc. It's to be praised how Rowan & co. managed to fit so much vital information in here! And if a baby queer or anyone who finds themselves reading this, for that matter, would like to expand on that knowledge, it's always commendable to do so, obviously!
🔻 impactful: I have never seen something like this, ever! it's just what I would have loved to have as a baby queer (no, that doesn't have anything to do with your age) and, honestly, it doesn't feel that basic to me. Yes, it's stuff I'm 90% familiar with but the way it's presented in here is so well thought-out, so tidy and neat, so thorough. Not just the parts about LGBT+ history but also diverse perspectives and the organization + presentation of facts.
🔻 it's celebratory, without shying away from the difficult parts.
🔻 closure: I really like how it wrapped up, the structure made a lot of sense to me, and the nerd in me rejoiced at finding some thinking points aka writing prompts that could even make their way into a review of the book or as journal entries. Also, especially helpful to find some helplines and NGOs linked at the end, as well as some more extensive reading/watching, never losing focus of its intended readers.
As a final note, it goes without saying but I'll say it anyway: I hope this will pave the way for more genuine and comforting queer "roadmaps" and guides available in all languages and to anyone who might be in need of them.
May 12, 2022
"They tell us about fear and suffering, isolation, and loss. I don’t ever want to deny the experiences of people in out community who go through these things. But I think it’s so vital to talk about what a joyous and wonderful experience being queer is."
As a 19y/o queer girl, this book is so resourceful. Almost every question you might have as a young queer person is answered here. With accounts by a few queer people which are as authentic as they could get. It addresses issues you might have or will ever face. This book is not just for cis girls. It's for EVERYONE.
I learnt so much about myself and our community as a whole. I'll dive into all the book/movie/show suggestions given in the book.
Thank you Netgalley and Rowan Ellis for giving me this ARC.
As a 19y/o queer girl, this book is so resourceful. Almost every question you might have as a young queer person is answered here. With accounts by a few queer people which are as authentic as they could get. It addresses issues you might have or will ever face. This book is not just for cis girls. It's for EVERYONE.
I learnt so much about myself and our community as a whole. I'll dive into all the book/movie/show suggestions given in the book.
Thank you Netgalley and Rowan Ellis for giving me this ARC.
June 19, 2022
I know this isn't my typical type of book, but when I saw this book offered on Amazon Vine, I knew I needed to pick it up. When I grew up in the 90's & 2000's books like this didn't exist (that I know of), but I'm glad that the next generation can go into a bookstore and find an LGBTQ+ affirming book to help them through the rough parts of life.
This book is exactly what I would have loved my younger self to read. Heck, I probably wouldn't have hid in the closet for 31 years if I had a book that talked openly and joyfully about being LGBTQ+. This book has everything you could want, from dealing with bullies to finding the community and a small section on consent and when you're ready to go all the way in a relationship and how to do it safely.
This is a great book that deals with more challenging topics (bullying, homophobia, etc.) but also has joy and love in it. This is not full of tragic stories but still tells (age-appropriate) history without trauma dumping. Being Gay in our world can be terrifying, so I was happy that this book celebrates the joy of being gay.
This book is exactly what I would have loved my younger self to read. Heck, I probably wouldn't have hid in the closet for 31 years if I had a book that talked openly and joyfully about being LGBTQ+. This book has everything you could want, from dealing with bullies to finding the community and a small section on consent and when you're ready to go all the way in a relationship and how to do it safely.
This is a great book that deals with more challenging topics (bullying, homophobia, etc.) but also has joy and love in it. This is not full of tragic stories but still tells (age-appropriate) history without trauma dumping. Being Gay in our world can be terrifying, so I was happy that this book celebrates the joy of being gay.
January 12, 2023
This is a gift of a book, and I wish I had it as a teenager.
An inclusive look at discovering your identity, dealing with bullies, looking after your mental health. Dating romance, pride, activism ect ect ect.
This book feels like a warm hug and feels like it was written with a great sense of care.
To quote the back of the book.
“This inclusive guide for queer girls was written to give you the tools you need to explore your own identity, on your own terms!”
And that is exactly what it does.
An inclusive look at discovering your identity, dealing with bullies, looking after your mental health. Dating romance, pride, activism ect ect ect.
This book feels like a warm hug and feels like it was written with a great sense of care.
To quote the back of the book.
“This inclusive guide for queer girls was written to give you the tools you need to explore your own identity, on your own terms!”
And that is exactly what it does.
May 30, 2022
With adorable illustrations and an uplifting tone, this book provides a positive and educational introduction for every sapphic reader (especially teens) to sapphic and queer women’s culture. Personal anecdotes between the more serious chapters seem to lighten the mood as well as spirits!
This should be present in every school library to help young queer women and the people around them understand themselves and each other better.
Thank you, NetGalley and Rowan Ellis for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This should be present in every school library to help young queer women and the people around them understand themselves and each other better.
Thank you, NetGalley and Rowan Ellis for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2023
I loved this book. It was exactly the kind of education I wish we’d had in school. I felt like there was so much information from history of queer identity to reasons to love being queer to not worrying about shaving if you so choose, while all being presented in a fun and light manner. Focusing on the queer girl experience this book still had so much quality information that I think anyone could appreciate and learn from. One of those “you don’t need to be represented” to learn books. All stars
May 10, 2022
This is an A M A Z I N G resource for kids & teens to help really answer some of the big questions they might be having!
I feel as if the author did a remarkable job at hitting all the key aspects that a reader of that age group might be wondering about when it comes to how they identify.
This is a book that I am looking forward to seeing all shelves everywhere because this is the type of books & informational texts we need to be putting out there!
I feel as if the author did a remarkable job at hitting all the key aspects that a reader of that age group might be wondering about when it comes to how they identify.
This is a book that I am looking forward to seeing all shelves everywhere because this is the type of books & informational texts we need to be putting out there!
December 20, 2022
A wonderful resource for queer and questioning girls (or non-girls, if they don't mind the female-centered language). I definitely starting composing a list in my mind as I was reading of young women I'd like to recommend this to and/or purchase it for.
May 4, 2023
I wasn’t planning on buying this book but then I saw a signed copy at a gay bookstore in London so naturally I had to get it. Rowan Ellis is such an incredible educator in lgbt online spaces and this is a great book for young lesbians and other sapphics!
June 23, 2022
EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!!
whether your queer or straight this book taught me so much! i am so grateful for the information and acceptance i gained from reading, one of my all time favourite non fictions! which non fictions i usually get bored with but the illustrations and how they wrote this book hooked me!!! if you get the chance i HIGHLY recommend. 🏳️🌈
whether your queer or straight this book taught me so much! i am so grateful for the information and acceptance i gained from reading, one of my all time favourite non fictions! which non fictions i usually get bored with but the illustrations and how they wrote this book hooked me!!! if you get the chance i HIGHLY recommend. 🏳️🌈
July 30, 2022
full review to come but damn this book is amazing
May 15, 2022
such an important book which i wish i had read way sooner. absolutely loved the illustrations they were so wholesome and inclusive which i really appreciated
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