Search results for ""Author Meg-John Barker""

'Excellent' KATE BORNSTEIN'The compassionate, accessible manual the world has been waiting for' LAURIE PENNYHave you ever questioned your own gender identity? Do you know somebody who is transgender or who identifies as non-binary? Do you ever feel confused when people talk about gender diversity?This down-to-earth guide is for anybody who wants to know more about gender, from its biology, history and sociology, to how it plays a role in our relationships and interactions with family, friends, partners and strangers. It looks at practical ways people can express their own gender, and will help you to understand people whose gender might be different from your own. With activities and points for reflection throughout, this book will help people of all genders engage with gender diversity and explore the ideas in the book in relation to their own lived experiences.

Read more less

'The book we all need for this moment in time.' CN LESTER'An absolute must read' FOX FISHER'A genius book' LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEWMuch of society's thinking operates in a highly rigid and binary manner; something is good or bad, right or wrong, a success or a failure, and so on. Challenging this limited way of thinking, this ground-breaking book looks at how non-binary methods of thought can be applied to all aspects of life, and offer new and greater ways of understanding ourselves and how we relate to others.Using bisexual and non-binary gender experiences as a starting point, this book addresses the key issues with binary thinking regarding our relationships, bodies, emotions, wellbeing and our sense of identity and sets out a range of practices which may help us to think in more non-binary, both/and, or uncertain ways.A truly original and insightful piece, this guide encourages reflection on how we view and understand the world we live in and how we all bend, blur or break society's binary codes.

Read more less

'An outstanding work' - CN Lester, author of Trans Like MeJoin the creators of Queer: A Graphic History ('Could totally change the way you think about sex and gender' VICE) on an illustrated journey of gender exploration. Is masculinity 'toxic'? Why are public toilets such a political issue? How has feminism changed the available gender roles - and for whom? Why might we all benefit from challenging binary thinking about sex/gender?In this unique illustrated guide, Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele travel through our shifting understandings of gender across time and space - from ideas about masculinity and femininity, to non-binary and trans genders, to intersecting experiences of gender, race, sexuality, class, disability and more. Tackling current debates and tensions, which can divide communities and even cost lives, Barker and Scheele look to the past and the future to explore how we might all approach gender in more caring and celebratory ways.

Read more less

Mediated Intimacy looks at contemporary sex and relationship advice, exploring how our intimate lives are shaped through different media, from manuals and magazines to television and Twitter. By exploring how intimacy is constructed through different media texts, the authors consider which ideas and practices these changing forms of 'sexpertise' open up, and which they close down. The book reveals the intimate operation of power in mediated advice, how words and images, stories and sound can work to shore up social injustice. It critically engages with the ideas of choice and responsibility in sex self-help, arguing that these can obscure and/or justify oppression, even if they're sometimes experienced as empowering and/or pleasurable. This bold and incisive book provides a radical challenge to the assumptions underlying the sex advice industry, and presents a critical, collaborative and consensual vision for sex advice of the future.

Read more less

World Book Night 2022A visionary, moving and one-of-a-kind anthology of writing on what it means to be trans today and every day.From the daily bite of anxiety as you go to leave the house, to the freedom found swimming in the wild, through to moments of queer rage and joy and the peculiar timeslip of reliving your adolescence, the stories in this collection reveal the untold lived realities of trans people to help inform, inspire and unite. Spanning a range of topics such as gender dysphoria, transphobia, chest binding, gender reassignment surgery, coming out in later life, migration and love and relationships, these unique first-person accounts celebrate the beauty and diversity of being trans and will empower others on their journey.Showcasing eight new exciting trans writers, this extraordinary collection is a powerful and heartfelt love-letter to the trans community.Jessica Kingsley Publishers will donate at least 5p per book sold to Gendered Intelligence (registered charity no. 1182558)

Read more less

Take a moment to pause... Breathe... And ask yourself, what does self-care mean to you?Times are very tough-in a world that pushes us to go faster, be the best, and get ahead of others, we often forget to focus on ourselves, leaving us with anxiety, anger, burnout, stress, and trauma. In this creative workbook and journal leading mental health pioneers, Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker, provide you with the tools to begin your self-care journey and develop sustainable self-care routines and rituals that work for you. Featuring a diverse range of experiential exercises, activities, and opportunities for reflection, while drawing upon a range of practices and approaches including systemic and existential therapies, Buddhist mindfulness, Pagan ritual, trauma-informed practice, intersectional feminism and more. This book explores self-care in all its forms and covers somatic self-care, plural selves, emotions and feelings, relationships, and care for others.Empowering, illuminating and written with authenticity and honesty throughout-this is a manual for everyone and will help you look after yourself on your path towards happiness and wellbeing.

Read more less

'Sexuality delivers the goods, making the history and theory of sexuality downright sexy ... I learned more in one session with this book than I've figured out in a lifetime.' Christine Burns MBE, author of Trans BritainThey're back! Writer Meg-John Barker and artist Jules Scheele once again team up in this cheeky and informative comic-book follow-up to Queer and Gender. Sex is everywhere. It's in the stories we love - and the stories we fear. It defines who we are and our place in society ... at least we're told it ought to.Sex and sexuality can seem like a house of horrors, full of monsters and potential pitfalls. We often live with fear, shame and frustration when it comes to our own sexuality, and with judgement when it comes to others'. Sex advice manuals, debates over sex work and stories of sexual "dysfunction" only add to our anxiety.With compassion, humour, erudition and a touch of the erotic, Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele shine a light through the darkness and unmask the monsters.'The art introduces a set of reoccurring characters, tongue-in-cheek references to the Scooby-Doo gang, who journey through a haunted house confronting and unmasking the villains: patriarchy, white supremacy, ableism, and capitalism personified ... The sum: accessible, compassionate reading for readers wanting to think more deeply about sex, society, and how they intersect.' Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Mediated Intimacy looks at contemporary sex and relationship advice, exploring how our intimate lives are shaped through different media, from manuals and magazines to television and Twitter. By exploring how intimacy is constructed through different media texts, the authors consider which ideas and practices these changing forms of 'sexpertise' open up, and which they close down. The book reveals the intimate operation of power in mediated advice, how words and images, stories and sound can work to shore up social injustice. It critically engages with the ideas of choice and responsibility in sex self-help, arguing that these can obscure and/or justify oppression, even if they're sometimes experienced as empowering and/or pleasurable. This bold and incisive book provides a radical challenge to the assumptions underlying the sex advice industry, and presents a critical, collaborative and consensual vision for sex advice of the future.

Read more less

WINNER - NAUTILUS GOLD BOOK AWARDExploring how the essentialism of the gender binary impacts on clients of all genders, this ground-breaking book examines how historical, social and culturally gendered trauma emerges in clinical settings. Weaving together systemic ideas, autoethnography, narrative therapy and somatic experiencing, the book charts the history of the gender binary and its roots in colonialism, as well as the way this culture is perpetuated intergenerationally, and the impact this trauma has on all bodies, gender identities and experiences.Featuring clinical vignettes, exercises and reflexive practices, this is an accessible and intersectional guide for professionals to develop their understanding of gender-derived trauma for supporting clients. Highlighting the importance of applying a trauma-informed approach in practice, this book provides insights as to how we can work towards collective healing, for future generations and for ourselves.

Read more less

'Queer: A Graphic History Could Totally Change the Way You Think About Sex and Gender' ViceActivist-academic Meg-John Barker and cartoonist Jules Scheele illuminate the histories of queer thought and LGBTQ+ action in this groundbreaking non-fiction graphic novel.From identity politics and gender roles to privilege and exclusion, Queer explores how we came to view sex, gender and sexuality in the ways that we do; how these ideas get tangled up with our culture and our understanding of biology, psychology and sexology; and how these views have been disputed and challenged.Along the way we look at key landmarks which shift our perspective of what's 'normal' - Alfred Kinsey's view of sexuality as a spectrum, Judith Butler's view of gendered behaviour as a performance, the play Wicked, or moments in Casino Royale when we're invited to view James Bond with the kind of desiring gaze usually directed at female bodies in mainstream media.Presented in a brilliantly engaging and witty style, this is a unique portrait of the universe of queer thinking.

Read more less

Bimini Bon Boulash (Author) Bimini Bon Boulash is a drag performer from east London and star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2. She invented veganism about seven years ago.Jules Scheele (Illustrator) Jules Scheele is an illustrator, graphic facilitator and comic book artist. They have been making artwork and zines about identity and queerness for over a decade, and also illustrated Queer: A Graphic History and its follow-ups with author Meg-John Barker.

Read more less

Specifically aimed at Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) and voice practitioners, this book follows up from the authors' first book, The Voice Book for Trans and Non-Binary People. It sets out cultural competence, psychological and vocal skills, group activities and improvisations frameworks and exercises to helps SLTs develop their skills for working with trans and non-binary clients, including facilitation and coaching, emotional intelligence, role-play and solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy practices. It also includes many contributions from the trans community and a range of clinical professionals to emphasise the collaborative space.Written by two leading authorities on voice and communication therapy for trans people, this is an essential and authoritative resource for anyone working with trans and non-binary clients who are seeking their voice exploration.

Read more less

Sexuality is a complex and multifaceted domain – encompassing bodily, contextual and subjective experiences that resist ready categorisation. To claim the sexual as a viable research object therefore raises a number of important methodological questions: what is it possible to know about experiences, practices and perceptions of sex and sexualities? What approaches might help or hinder our efforts to probe such experiences? This collection explores the creative, personal and contextual parameters involved in researching sexuality, cutting across disciplinary boundaries and drawing on case studies from a variety of countries and contexts. Combining a wide range of expertise, its contributors address such key areas as pornography, sex work, intersectionality and LGBT perspectives. The contributors also share their own experiences of researching sexuality within contrasting disciplines, as well as interrogating how the sexual identities of researchers themselves can relate to, and inform, their work. The result is a unique and diverse collection that combines practical insights on field work with novel theoretical reflections.

Read more less

LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FINALIST'Essential reading' - THE INDEPENDENT'Vital and insightful' - OWL FISHERWhat does it mean to be non-binary in the 21st Century?Our gender identity is impacted by our personal histories; the cultures, communities and countries we are born into; and the places we go and the people we meet. But the representation of contemporary non-binary identities has been limited, until now.Pushing the narrative around non-binary identities further than ever before, this powerful collection of essays represents the breadth of non-binary lives, across the boundaries of race, class, age, sexuality, faith and more.Leading non-binary people share stories of their intersecting lives; how it feels to be non-binary and neurodiverse, the challenges of being a non-binary pregnant person, what it means to be non-binary within the Quaker community, the joy of reaching gender euphoria.This thought-provoking anthology shows that there is no right or wrong way to be non-binary.

Read more less

'A goldmine of wisdom' CYNDI DARNELL'Gentle, kind and embracing' JUNO ROCHE'Interesting and engaging' JUSTIN HANCOCKGay, straight, queer, pansexual, demisexual, ace...? Sexuality is complex and diverse, but it doesn't have to be confusing.This down-to-earth guide is the ultimate companion for understanding, accepting and celebrating your sexuality. Written by two internationally renowned authors and therapists, the book explains how sexuality works in terms of our identities, attractions, desires and practices, and explores how it intersects with our personal experiences and the world around us.With activities and reflection points throughout, it offers space to tune into yourself and think deeply about your own sexuality. You'll hear from people across the sexuality spectrum and in different relationship set-ups, and be inspired by the ideas of scholars, activists and practitioners. Sexuality is a vast and wonderful landscape - let this book guide you on your journey!

Read more less