Queer and How We Got Here: A (Personal) History

Transgender cartoonist Newlevant (No Ivy League) blends memoir with snippets of queer history in this entertaining and educational graphic novel. An adult Newlevant acts as an omniscient narrator, guiding readers as the creator reflects on their teenage and early adulthood experiences exploring their gender and sexual identity. Sporadic cartooning sans panel borders depicts an opening scene of teenage Newlevant coming out as bisexual to their parents; subsequent personal milestones include recollections of fledgling romantic endeavors and beginning hormone therapy. Each pivotal shift in their self-perception, conveyed with vulnerable sensitivity, is interspersed with corresponding revelatory historical moments, including the founding of Daughters of Bilitis, the first United States lesbian rights organization, and the fight to legalize birth control. Stories of prominent figures whom Newlevant believes paved the way for them—and others—to obtain access to information and affirming care are additionally peppered throughout, highlighting individuals like birth control advocate Margaret Sanger, German sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld, and Gay American Indians founders Randy Burns and Barbara May Cameron. Simple, stylized illustrations in blue and orange hues accompanied by direct dialogue impart urgency, culminating in a sprawling yet approachable introduction to the impact of prior generations’ advocacy on a contemporary landscape. Ages 14–up. (May)