Being You: A First Conversation About Gender

A board book bestseller – now in picture book! Developed by experts in the fields of early childhood development and activism against injustice, this topic-driven book offers clear, concrete language and imagery to introduce the concept of gender.

This book serves to normalise and celebrate the range of gender identities, preferences, and pronouns, and recognise the institutionalised ideas about gender that feminists are working to correct. While young children are avid observers and questioners of their world, adults often shut down or postpone conversations on complicated topics because it's hard to know where to begin.

Research shows that talking about issues like race, gender, and our bodies from the age of two not only helps children understand what they see, but also increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and allows them to recognize and confront things that are unfair, like discrimination and prejudice. These books offer a supportive approach that considers both the child and the adult.

Illustrative art accompanies the simple and interactive text, and the backmatter offers additional resources and ideas for extending this discussion.