Defining LGBTQ+, A Guide to Gender & Sexuality Terminology is a printer-friendly (8.5” x 11” format), short e-book (just 37 pages), that is better thought of as an elaborately annotated glossary than a book-book.
It originated from the glossary of A Guide to Gender and my post Comprehensive List of LGBTQ+ Vocabulary Definitions, which evolved into a collaboration with Meg Bolger as the Core Vocabulary for our Foundational Safe Zone Curriculum. The list of vocabulary is the primary focus of the book, with additional chapters, tools, and a preface added to create a helpful context through which to parse the list.
Right now, it’s only available on Gumroad (not in bookstores, or any e-book providers), but I might work to expand the availability if there’s enough ask.
I’m hoping that the direct-to-reader relationship of Gumroad will help me garner feedback to improve the book, and keep it evolving as a living document, like the blog post and curriculum that formed its basis.
Table of Contents:
- The Politics of Language
- Introduction
- About the List
- Non-Comprehensive
- Index of Terms
- The Parts of Speech Rule
- The 51⁄100 Rule
- The Platinum Rule
- Create Your Own Identity Term
- Say This, Not That
- Acknowledgements
Design
I designed the interior layout and cover of the book with the hope of making it inviting, cheerful, and un-intimidating. The main thing I’ve taken away from teaching groups LGBTQ+/gender/sexuality vocab over the years is the knee-jerk reaction of overwhelm. I wanted the book to counteract that, as much as it could.
The interior is super clickable, with two Table of Contents (the one above, and the index of terms) to make it easy for readers on an iPad or phone to jump to exactly what they’re looking for.
Gilbert (a ridiculously cute font with a beautiful backstory) is the primary font I used for the headings and cover, and I created a few doodles the match that font throughout the book.
Some of My Fav Stats
Calculated using a mix of methods (and generally underrepresented due to limitations), here's what Defining LGBTQ+ looks like by the numbers:
| Statistic | Last Count |
|---|---|
| Word Count | 9,422 |