They begin telling their story from childhood to the present day and include many monumental experiences in their life: their first period, learning about what it means to be transgender, first relationship, and numerous others.

[5][6] After coming out as nonbinary in 2016, Kobabe (who uses Spivak pronouns[7]) began drawing black-and-white cartoons about their experience with their gender identity, and publishing them on Instagram.

[17][18] Publishers Weekly's February 2019 review stated that "this heartfelt graphic memoir relates, with sometimes painful honesty, the experience of growing up non-gender-conforming.

[...] Kobabe is a straightforward cartoonist who uses the medium skillfully (if not particularly stylishly), incorporating ample cheery colors, with a script that's refreshingly smooth and nondidactic for the topic.

This entertaining memoir-as-guide holds crossover appeal for mature teens (with a note there's some sexually explicit content) and is sure to spark valuable discussions at home and in classrooms.

[...] Part of the book details eir sexual history, as well as a series of terrifying and painful trips to the OBGYN, and even in the most sensitive areas Kobabe's art and storytelling remains both personable and clear.

"[20] O'Neil also highlighted that "Phoebe Kobabe's colors are strong throughout, a palette of soft pastels and earth tones to communicate a range of emotions.

"[21] Jacob Roden, for The News-Gazette in 2020, wrote that "due to the format, the book is easily digestible in a single sitting, and Kobabe holds the reader's hand every step of the way into the weeds of gender construction.

"[22] Roden called the art style "economical, demonstrative, unpretentious, colorful" and highlighted that the writing conveys Kobabe's "experiences with purpose and candor in every panel.

"[23] Brown also highlighted some "harrowing moments" in the book – "Kobabe's first experience going for a pap smear was especially traumatic and resonated with me more than I expected, as I suspect it might for many of us who have had to undergo that procedure while uncomfortable with our bodies and sexualities.

[25] Tara Lehmann, publicity director at Oni Press, said to Publishers Weekly in June 2022 that "selling more copies doesn't fix the intrinsic problem: people are trying to police what others read.

[27] These sexually explicit illustrations have been widely reproduced (sometimes in censored form) by critics of the book on social media, at school board meetings, and on conservative television programs.

The conservative advocacy group Independent Women's Forum attempted to purchase air time for an advertisement including imagery from Gender Queer but it was rejected as too graphic.

[33][34][35] Moms for Liberty, a conservative group founded in Florida in 2020 with chapters around the country, have been leading many of the school board debates about Gender Queer and other LGBTQ+ books.

[47] In Bonner's Ferry, Idaho, the public library director resigned in August 2022 after harassment related to banning books, and Gender Queer in particular.

"[53] However, the decision was reversed in April 2023, as the board had violated the Idaho Open Meeting Law because the vote occurred "without noting an action item on the agenda.

"[54] Numerous conservative politicians in the United States have challenged Gender Queer and other books, including Ron DeSantis, Republican governor of Florida.

[1] Henry McMaster, Republican governor of South Carolina, called for an investigation into "obscene and pornographic" material such as Gender Queer in the state's schools.

[56] In addition to monetary support, they contracted with top conservative political consulting firms and helped these 11 candidates win school board seats.

Following the wins, the Patriot Mobile Action's executive Director stated that their aim is to eliminate "critical race theory" and "LGBTQ indoctrination" from schools.

"[63][64] In October 2022, the American Principles Project paid for TV ads against the Michigan Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, that feature a narrator reading passages of Gender Queer while red letters display "stop grooming our kids.

[73] In November 2022, ACLU Texas filed an Office for Civil Rights (OCR) complaint over the Keller Independent School District's ban on books about gender fluidity.

[74] The OCR complaint states that "to assert that the mere presence of a transgender or non-binary character would render a book sexually explicit or age-inappropriate is inflammatory, inaccurate, and discriminatory.

[75] On March 9, 2023, Queensland police flagged Gender Queer to the Department of Communications and Art, which oversees the Australian Classification Board (ACB), for review after a complaint by a conservative activist.

Mark Saunokonoko, for 9News, highlighted on March 20 that "a decision is likely in the next 25 days, and there are several routes the ACB may choose to take, ranging from age restrictions on who can read and buy the book through to an outright ban.

In early April, the ACB gave Gender Queer an "unrestricted classification" but with "consumer advice" of "M (Mature) — Not Recommended for Readers Under 15 Years".

[86]The Guardian Australia noted that "the review board found the depictions of sex and nudity in the book were justified in the context of a nonfiction memoir describing the author's lived experience".