Gender: Your Guide by Dr. Lee Airton

Media Gallery

For media inquiries, contact Mackenzie Croft (Canada) or Sarah Armour (USA) at Simon & Schuster.

"This guide is a must-have for everyone, and not only those who are trans, gender non-conforming or non-binary — or who have someone trans in their life. Airton is speaking to a larger challenge in the culture: what Airton calls “gender unfriendliness.” What I like most about how the author writes is how they combine their knowledge about gender, language and identity with a warm and caring tone. I feel like Airton is both my smartest and best friend on this subject matter. And for anyone who finds themselves confused by the new acronyms and categories of sexual identity, the glossary alone is worth the price of this book."

Steven Petrow, The Washington Post

"I wish I had a copy of this book to give to every teacher, principal, counsellor, parent, partner, boss and co-worker of a trans, gender variant or non-binary person in the world. I sincerely do. This book is for anyone who wants to learn and do better by trans and non-binary people. Thoughtfully and compassionately written by someone who has lived experience of navigating the binary world in a non-binary body and mind, Dr. Lee Airton will talk you through it all without pretence, or judgement. It's not just a How-To guide to pronouns, gender neutral language and dismantling our very cisgendered systems, it is something so much more valuable: it's a Why Should We All guide to building a more accessible and just world for people of all genders."

Ivan Coyote, Author of Tomboy Survival Guide and Gender Failure

"Airton, founder of the blog They Is My Pronoun, brings clarity and simplicity to supporting the trans community. With great sensitivity and transparency, the author explains all there is to know about being trans in modern society and how allies can best support their trans friends. This how-to guide includes notes on what pronouns to use and when, how to advocate safely in one-on-one settings, and what to do if you make a mistake. Airton provides helpful charts and exercises to go along with personal anecdotes and brings in two linguists to help settle various debates around pronoun use. This is an invaluable resource for both new and veteran allies, especially with Airton’s empathetic approach, which regularly acknowledges and validates challenges. Despite the brevity of the work, the author packs an incredible amount of information and advice into clear and succinct prose. General readers and scholars alike will benefit from the “gender-friendly toolkit” and Airton’s straightforward explanations and advice. VERDICT: This guide is unlike anything else available today, and an obvious and necessary item for collections of all kinds."

Abby Hargreaves, Library Journal Starred Review

"Airton takes on the task of educating audiences who may be completely new or still learning about the trans community. The book is oriented toward cisgender people, who will undoubtedly find clarity in Airton’s accessible writing style. Their work is also great for non-cis individuals who may want to learn more about gender issues! More than anything, Gender: Your Guide is an impactful tool for creating a world more supportive of people of all genders. ... Introducing many new concepts into understanding gender, the guide isn’t quite like anything else available. Some parts of the book may appear prescriptivist, but Airton always allows room for the reader to disagree. Each chapter is rich in details, debates, and resources. If you’re new to gender issues and want to get informed, Gender: Your Guide is the right book for you."

Eli Erlick, Director of Trans Student Educational Resources

"I will be buying 10,000 copies of this book -- one for every person I do business with, start a family with, or befriend, for the rest of my life. Dr. Airton is the perfect brilliant-but-accessible, frank-but-kind guide to our current LGBTQ language and landscape. Gender: Your Guide is without a doubt the most delightful and focused roadmap I've seen to treating trans people (and yourself!) with dignity. The cries from our community of "respect us" will fall on deaf ears if we don't let people know where to begin; with engaging anecdotes and an inviting warmth, Dr. Airton gives our allies a compassionate path to understanding and honoring us."

Jeffrey Marsh, Gender Non-Binary Activist, Author and Speaker

"Today's workplaces must reflect the reality that gender is not as simple as previously thought. Understanding how to include everyone, regardless of how they identify and express their gender, is the key to unlocking the potential of any workforce. Gender: Your Guide provides the tools necessary for employers of any size to respond to the changing needs of employees and jobseekers."

Colin Druhan, Executive Director, Pride at Work Canada / Fierté au travail Canada

"I understood Ms. and chair, and couldn’t quite understand people who were thrown into a tizzy over the suggestion they use those words. But now I find myself uncertain about terminology, and perhaps you are as well. ... I was therefore delighted to see Queen’s University education professor Lee Airton, founder of TheyIsMyPronoun.com, had a book that could help, Gender: Your Guide. Airton offers a warm, inviting guide to a complicated area."

Harvey Schacter, The Globe and Mail

DOWNLOAD A STARTING PLACE DISCUSSION GUIDE

Full of clear explanations and vivid examples, Gender: Your Guide can help you begin a transformative discussion about gender in any context. Use one of the starting place discussion guides to help yourself and those around you get started on making your space more welcoming of the gender diversity that is already there and the gender diversity on its way. Each guide offers tailored excerpts, activities and discussion questions for you to implement right where you are.