Working with the LGBTQ community in Botswana has been, hands down, some of the most rewarding moments in my service. I say this not only out of love for the individuals I have met, but also through a deep seated peace that comes with knowing that this kind of work is important and making a difference.
That being said I would like to be able to continue working within the community when I get home, and what better way to do that than to use my wonderful little blog land here as a stage to gives props (hehehe) to an AMAZING project called The GENDER Book.
I know I have mentioned this project once or twice before but I want to really give you a run down (in case you haven't already checked out their website at: www.thegenderbook.com) especially seeing as they are now counting down to their Kickstarter campaign! So, what is The GENDER Book you ask? Let me, let their press release explain:
"The GENDER book is a colorful visual primer on the world of gender. It has been called "clear enough for your mom to understand, real enough to hit home on every page." (Lily Hiott-Millis, buzzfeed.com.) It discusses terms such as drag queen, drag king, intersex, genderqueer, and transgender in a way that is accessible, nonjudgemental, and demystifying. This 90-page, fully illustrated book is made to be enjoyed in one sitting as it follows the adventures of the main character Boston's personal gender exploration. The GENDER book is the result of countless hours of research, more than 200 questionnaires, and dozens of one-on-one interviews with members of the communities depicted in the book. The result represents an agreement of many diverse community voices and a huge step forward in the world of gender education." 
The campaign starts on December 1st and will be the only time that you are able to pre-order your very own, limited first edition, hard cover, ass kickin' copy!! The campaign itself is being used to be able to fund the print costs and will also enable backers to donate copies to school and libraries and resource centers. WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY MIND BLOWING about this whole dealio is that the creators of this book, Mel Reiff Hill, Jay Mays, and Robin Mack, have fully committed to keeping the ebook version free for all.
I want y'all to stop and think about this for a moment. The creators of this amazing, global improvement, gender education goodness are SO committed to what this project is, and what it is going to do, and the information it provides, the gap that it is going to fill in the swiss cheese like system we call gender education that they want to do it for free. They want to make this wide spread not because they are making a living off of this but because they know how badly a resource like this is needed. Peeps, I have seen the websites, and the facebook/twitter/tumblr pages, and I signed up to be a Gender Scout a couple of months ago. This was not a small undertaking, nor a minor hobby, nor something to take up spare hours of the weekend. Its big, and it has the ability to be bigger, but only if you help out and do your part.
Hell, I signed up for Peace Corps, but at least my rent gets covered.
Here is a reason we need The GENDER book:
and this one:
and this one:
We all have a limited number of days to walk around God's green earth, and the faster we start realizing that only by loving, respecting, empowering, and uplifting those around us, can we truly be loved, respected, empowered and uplifted ourselves. Sometimes this takes some education, and anything we can do to help that process along is a step in the right direction.
So here is what I am asking you to do: pre order a copy when the Kickstarter Campaign launches, then order one for someone else as a Christmas present! Then go out and talk to everyone you know who works in a school, counseling office, library, or someone who you think could benefit from this information (so basically everyone you know) and tell them about The GENDER book. This is what I want for Christmas, truly and really (take note family!)
Mom: would your school be interested in having a
copy?
Aunt D: How about your office?
A2 Public Schools: GET ON BOARD!
LW: Would Manchester be interested?
I'm going to try and get a list together of businesses and organizations that should know about this and send them all an email. I will post the copy up here so that y'all can use it too! I will be spending this next week talking to a couple hundred high schoolers about the differences between gender and sex, and hopefully teaching/ empowering them to be comfortable in exactly the skin they are in, and to revel in the chaotic perfection that goes into any given human being. This can be a global movement! Seriously though, this project is Claire approved and if I can promote from Bots, you sure as heck can bring it up prior to slipping into a tryptophan induced coma.
Here is the promotion page/ count down timer for the event: The GENDER book Kickstarter Campaign as well as their other social media sites:
Facebook
Tumblr
Twitter
Here is the promotion page/ count down timer for the event: The GENDER book Kickstarter Campaign as well as their other social media sites:
Tumblr
Be thankful for exactly who you are, because I sure as hell am thankful for you :)
Hugs and smooches all, happy almost Thanksgiving,
Claire
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