Beyond They/Them: 20 Influential Nonbinary and Gender-Diverse People You Should Know

Gr 8 Up–Dickson creates a browsable, engaging exploration of well-known and lesser-known gender diverse folks complemented by bold, dynamic art from Mukwa. The featured biographies are from a broad variety of nonbinary, gender diverse, and two-spirit folks with varied gender identities, pronouns, and backgrounds. The categories include film and TV, books and poetry, music, sports, politics, and activists and scholars, with recognizable mention of ND Stevenson, Maia Kobabe, Janelle Monáe, and Sam Smith. The format is engaging and accessible. Each person’s entry starts out with bullet points and a “Did you know?” feature followed by colorful block quotes, making for a very browsable text. Young people, especially those who like coming-of-age stories or are looking for mirrors to their own identities, will find hope and inspiration in this book. Back matter contains resources about Indigenous identities and acknowledges their expansive nature and potential loss from culture. Illustrations by Mukwa feature each person as a portrait and engaged with their work. They are depicted in colorful earth tones with bold line work in colors that mirror and complement the nonbinary flag.