Gender
These resources are split into three sections:
Understanding Gender: What is it? Why is it? Where am I in it?
Gender: A Graphic Guide book by Meg-John Barker & Jules Scheele (2019)
An accessible non-fiction graphic novel / illustrated guide that approaches gender and its associated norms, ideas, expansion and intersections through the history of shifting understandings and current tensions in a way that encourages care and celebration as well as challenge and enquiry.
How to Understand Your Gender: A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are book by Alex Iantaffi & Meg-John Barker (2017)
Another useable and thorough introductory guide to gender identities and gender in relation to biology, history and sociology. Includes activities and points for reflection designed to help people of all genders engage with gender diversity and to explore the ideas in relation to their own lived experiences.
Delusions of Gender: The Real Science Behind Sex Differences. Book by Cordelia Fine (2010)
A readable, funny yet extensively researched and thorough look at the science of gender and the tendency for implicit biases and cultural stereotyping to inform some so-called science that is often largely “neurosexism”.
Life Isn’t Binary: On Being Both, Beyond, And In-between. Book by Meg-John Barker and Alex Iantaffi (2019)
A highly readable, incisive and wide-ranging book that uses bisexual and non-binary gender experiences as a starting point for reflection on how we view and understand the world and the ways in which we all bend, blur, or break society’s binary codes of “good or bad”, “right or wrong”, etc.
Zami: A New Spelling of my Name - A Biomythography; Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Book / Essays / Speeches by Audre Lorde
In her own words, Audre Lorde’s writings are a call to “never close our eyes to the terror, to the chaos which is Black which is creative which is female which is dark which is rejected which is messy which is…”. In her biomythography Zami and in the essays and speeches of Sister Outsider, she addresses the intersectional traumas of sexism, racism, homophobia, ageism and class with deeply personal insight and an invitation to collective hope.
The Genderbread Person graphic explainers
A series of deceptively simple teaching tools for breaking the big concept of gender down into bite-sized, digestible pieces. Website includes links to other resources, including articles, training plans and activities.
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel. Podcasts
Where Should We Begin? is a podcast from behind the curtain of the office of renowned relationship therapist, Esther Perel. Listen as real couples of all kinds anonymously bare the raw, intimate, and profound details of their story. From infidelity, to sexlessness, to loss, it's a space for people to be heard and understood.
Challenge Patriarchy resources
Resources from Beautiful Trouble: a book, web toolbox and international network of artist-activist trainers whose mission is to make grassroots movements more creative and more effective.
Glasgow Zine Library (GZL) zines
A community archive and zine library housing over 1,000 zines on a broad range of topics including gender and sexuality. Hosts affordable workshops, community meals, film screenings, discussion groups, reading groups, children’s arts and crafts, social clubs, plus the annual Glasgow Zine Fest which attracts zine-makers and appreciators from all over the world.
Binary Gender & Cisgender Resources: With a focus on men and women
The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love. Book by bell hooks (2004)
Black feminist theorist, cultural critic and author, bell hooks, addresses issues of fear of intimacy and loss of patriarchal place in society for men, inviting them to lay claim to their inner lives, a domain which has historically been the exclusive province of women.
The Descent of Man . Book by Grayson Perry (2017)
Artist, author and activist Grayson Perry examines what it means to be a man in the 21st Century and what it could mean. The book offers thoughts on things from power to physical appearance, and emotions to a brand new Manifesto for Men.
All Man. TV programme - docuseries by Grayson Perry / Swan Films / Channel 4
Grayson Perry explores what it means to be a modern man in Britain today. Perry, a father of one who enjoys cross-dressing and mountain biking, discusses contemporary masculinity with people from male-dominated worlds.
A Band of Brothers, organisation
A Band of Brothers Charity helps young men grow and develop, improving their lives and the communities they live in.
Creators of Peace UK, organisation
Creators of Peace UK empowers women to be radical peace-builders, starting in their own lives and communities.
Treesisters, organisation
Treesisters focuses on the creation of resources and experiences that empower women to step into their feminine, nature-based leadership, in support of humanity's identity shift from a consumer species to a restorer species. Their approach is the balance of inner and outer, spiritual and practical, behavioural and ecological pathways.
The Mythic Masculine podcast
Conversations on mythology, culture and emerging masculinities.
Women in Power: Initiating ourselves to the predator within. Course/ programme
Short, experiential initiatory programme aimed at women that seeks to break the habitual victim/perpetrator cycle in order to liberate the power held in the dynamic.
Trans / Non-binary / Gender Non-conforming / Genderqueer / Gender Expansive Resources
Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation. Book by Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman (2010)
A compendium of essays, commentary, comic art and conversations from a diverse group of trans-spectrum people who live and believe in barrier-breaking lives.
Stone Butch Blues. Novel by Leslie Feinberg (1993
A powerful and moving story based closely on real lives, including the author-activist’s own, exploring the complexities of being a transgendered person.
Genderqueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary. Book edited by Riki Anne Wilchins, Clare Howell & Joan Nestle (2002
Classic introduction to genderqueer identities and experiences. Includes short essays about personal life stories.
Life As A Unicorn: A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything in Between. Book (memoir) by Amrou Al-Kadhi
A writer performer based in the UK, Amrou focuses on intersectionality in their non-fiction memoir: “a hilarious yet devastating story of a search for belonging, following the painful and surprising process of transforming from a god-fearing Muslim boy to a queer drag queen, strutting the stage in seven-inch heels and saying the things nobody else dares to …”.
Julia Serano. Essays / Articles / Books / Blog
Julia Serano is a writer, performer, activist, musician, and biologist. Her first two books include: Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity - a collection of personal essays debunking the myths and misconceptions about trans women, femininity, and the subjects of gender and sexism more generally, and Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive.
ALOK. Essays / Articles / Books / Blog
ALOK (they/them) is a gender non-conforming writer, performer and public speaker who explores themes of eugenics, trauma, belonging and the human condition. They are the author of Femme in Public (2017) and Beyond the Gender Binary (2020). In this article, ‘Both Gender + Sex Are Cultural’, they address the ideology of biological essentialism.
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More. Book - Video by Janet Mock
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More is Janet Mock's story of growing up as a trans girl. In this interview she talks about her story and the book, which offers readers accessible language and gives vital insight into the unique challenges and vulnerabilities of a marginalized and misunderstood population.
Freddy McConnell blog
Blog of full-time single dad, Freddy McConnell (see Seahorse film below) who writes about being and learning about being a dad, as well as his work as a writer, journalist and “queer story consultant”.
Made over three years, this film follows Freddy, a transgender gay man, during the process of preparing to conceive right through to birth. It is an intimate, highly personal story about conception, pregnancy, birth and what makes us who we are, which challenges society's fundamental understanding of gender, parenthood and family along the way.
Disclosure. Film / documentary
As physical, social and cultural violence against trans people persists, this film looks at transgender depictions in film and television in history through the eyes of trans thinkers and creatives, revealing how media simultaneously reflects and manufactures our deepest anxieties about gender.
Alex Iantaffi, author of How to Understand Your Gender: a practical guide for exploring who you are explores how gender impacts different areas of our lives, including relationships, spirituality, parenting and more. Together with guests they also reflect on their own experiences as a therapist, writer, educator and trans masculine, non-binary person (don't worry if you don't know what that means, there’s an episode about terminology!).
Masc Undone. Podcast
Transgender men, Tiq Milan and Aydian Dowling have honest, funny and vulnerable conversations about being trans, cultural expectations of manliness and reimagining masculinity into something entirely different.
Made of Human with Sophie Hagen. Podcast.E188: Shon Faye - What they’re scared of, I’m scared of
Comedian Sophie Hagen talks to Shon Faye about therapy, writing, trans issues and rights, online culture(s), social media, transitioning in her 20s, visibility, mental health, the media, crying, and the mundane work of activism.
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel. Podcast. S3 Episode 5: Mom and Monique
Where Should We Begin? is a podcast from behind the curtain of the office of renowned relationship therapist, Esther Perel. In this episode the mother/daughter clients navigate many things, including Monique’s choice of using “Monique” as an all encompassing pronoun - a decision based on more than resisting labels.
Gendered Intelligence. Organisation.
Provides support and training, and specialises in supporting young trans people. Offers short courses and longer training, plus a therapists’ directory and network.
Gender Identity Research & Education Society (GIRES). Organisation
GIRES is a volunteer operated membership charity that, in collaboration with the other groups in its field, hears, helps, empowers and gives a voice to trans and gender diverse individuals, including those who are non-binary and non-gender, as well as their families.
Pink Therapy. Organisation
The UK's largest independent therapy organisation working with gender and sexual diversity clients. Offers training, resources, mentoring and supervision, as well as hosting a directory of therapists working with gender, sexuality and relationship diverse clients.
Umbrella Cymru. Organisation
Cymru (Wales) based organisation specialising in gender and sexual identity, diversity, equality and inclusion support (specific and non-specific), providing also groups, training, events and resources.
An introduction to the idea of transgender and/or transsexuality for those who are completely new to the concept, plus steps to becoming an ally.
Resources suggestions and feedback
We welcome suggestions for additional and more diverse resources.
Please see our criteria and submit links and descriptions to suggested resources via our form. Thank you.