The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie
Infinite Identities around the World
From the Series Queer History Project
What if you discovered that the whole concept of a gender binary is an illusion?
While many people identify as men or women, that is not all there is. The idea that all humans fall into one of two gender categories is largely a construct created by those who benefit from that belief. The reality is that gender is naturally diverse, falling inside and outside of those boxes, and more expansive ideas of gender have always existed.
In the second book of the Queer History Project, The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities around the World, author Lee Wind uses historical evidence and primary sources—poetry, ancient burial sites, firsthand accounts, and news stories—to explore gender roles and identities. Gender identities and physical bodies are as diverse as the human experience. Get ready to shatter those preconceived notions of nothing but a gender binary and dive deep into expressions of gender—both past and present—that reveal the infinite variety and beauty of everyone’s gender.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
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978-1-7284-1453-9
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$29.99 | |
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978-1-7284-1454-6
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$19.99 | |
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978-1-7284-8610-9
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$44.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 6 - Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 6 |
| Genre | Social Studies, Young Adult |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Traditional Nonfiction, Diverse Books: LGBTQIA+, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diverse Books: Social Class, Diverse Books: Social Justice, Diversity, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2024 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Zest Books ™ |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 312 |
| Publication Date | 2024-08-06 |
| Text Type | Informational/Explanatory |
|---|---|
| BISACS | YAN006150, YAN052020, YAN038010 |
| Dewey | 305.3 |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 8.25 |
| Features | Author/Illustrator biography, Awards, Bibliography/further reading, Glossary, Photo captions, Reviewed, Sidebars, Source notes, Starred Reviews, Table of contents, Teaching Guides, and eSource |
Author: Lee Wind
Lee Wind is the founding blogger and publisher of I’m Here. I’m Queer. What The Hell Do I Read?, an award-winning website about books, culture, and empowerment for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Questioning and Queer youth, and their Allies. He is the author of No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves, which won the ILA Children’s and Young Adult’s Book Award and was named a 2021 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book. Lee also works for IBPA and SCBWI. Visit him online at www.leewind.org to see and share how #QueerHistoryIsEverywhere.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
Queer History Project
Take a fascinating journey through LGBTQIA2+ history, delving into primary sources to explore and reclaim the lives, loves, and identities of historical figures around the world. View available downloads →
Reach for the Stars: A Year in Review
Every year Lerner aims high, striving to create quality fiction and nonfiction for K-12 readers. In 2024 we’ve landed among the stars with 44 starred reviews for Lerner titles and our distribution partners’ titles! Check out the recognized picture books, middle grade and young adult… View →
The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Author Interview with Lee Wind
Undertake a journey to examine gender identity and representation throughout history in The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities around the World by Lee Wind. The idea that all humans fall into one of two gender categories is largely a construct created by those who benefit… View →
Happy Book Birthday: August New Releases
Bring out the cake and light the candles! We have a bevy of book birthdays to celebrate. Read on to find the August new releases. New Board Books My First Dino-Hanukkah by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by Barry Gott Interest Level: PreK Spin the dreidel and light the menorah! It’s time… View →
Shimmer and Shine: The Stars of 2024 So Far
There’s no better way to spend clear summer nights than stargazing! It’s time to reflect on the year so far. Read on to discover which 2024 titles have earned review recognition from industry professionals. Picture Books Best Believe: The Tres Hermanas, a Sisterhood for the Common Good… View →
Awards
- CYBILS Award Nominee
Reviews
School Library Journal
“Perfect for a teen audience who can digest this information in chunks while learning a lot about the gender diversity that exists in humans and other biological species. It is also an excellent resource for anyone raised in the shadow of European colonialism to combat the pervasive idea that gender is either binary or a spectrum.”—School Library Journal
Foreword Reviews
“Edifying…reveals worlds in which gender nonconformity is celebrated.”—Foreword Reviews
Booklist
“Through unpacking the ancient yet ongoing human experience with gender, Wind presents an informative and approachable starting point for readers wanting to learn what gender really is and how it may apply to them.”—Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
“An accessible, thorough, curiosity-provoking introduction to gender.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
Seven Graham
“This book is a must-read for anyone interested in gender & the history of gender diversity around the world. As a Brit intersex, non-binary & transmasc creativity & mental health coach in Hollywood, I feel seen and happy to know more of our contributions to humanity—lots to be proud about!” —Seven Graham, Producer, Writer, Actor
Dreya Blume
“This book will save lives. By normalizing the existence of gender diversity through time and space, by sharing a beautiful array of stories, by interrogating the tyranny of the gender binary in such a gentle yet forceful way, Lee Wind offers inspiration and encouragement at a time when it is most needed.” —Dreya Blume, Psychotherapist and Author
Sarah Prager
“Lee Wind uses an easy-to-understand, engaging voice to teach young readers the important truth that there have always been more than two genders. While also developing the reader’s skills for thoughtful historical analysis on any subject, Wind shares well-researched, fascinating stories and concepts for any well-rounded education. The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie belongs in every classroom, library, and bookshelf.”—Sarah Prager, author of Queer, There, and Everywhere, Rainbow Revolutionaries, and A Child’s Introduction to Pride
Rob Bittner
“Wind’s accessible and informative deep dive into the history (and the now) of gender around the world will open eyes and minds.”—Rob Bittner, LGBTQ+ Literature Advocate and Educator
