Thanks so much to David Hopper at Giddy for interviewing me recently about Jules Scheele and my book Sexuality: A Graphic Guide.
In the interview we explore the myths and misconceptions about sex and sexuality which we wanted to confront in the book, the problems with the idea of sexual ‘dysfunction’, and what Jules and I are hoping to achieve with our contributions to Icon’s graphic guide series.
You can find the full interview here.
Between the Pages: ‘Sexuality: A Graphic Guide’
Author Meg-John Barker explains why the comic book medium is perfect for exploring sex.From the creators of graphic books, “Queer: A Graphic History” and “Gender: A Graphic Guide” comes “Sexuality: A Graphic Guide.” Published in 2021 by Icon Books, the 176-page comic book offers an informative and inclusive look at sexuality.
Writer Meg-John Barker and artist Jules Scheele, who both use they/them pronouns, take the reader on a Scooby-Doo, gang-like journey as the book’s four main characters encounter monsters like patriarchy, heteronormativity, ableism and white supremacy. The book is packed with quotes from (and illustrations of) leading sex researchers and theorists, helping make academic topics more accessible and fun.
Barker is the author of various+ books on sex, gender and relationships, including “Life Isn’t Binary,” “How to Understand Your Gender,” “Enjoy Sex (How, When and IF You Want To)” and “Rewriting the Rules.” You can read their blog at www.rewriting-the-rules.com.
In this exclusive interview with Giddy, Barker discusses the common sexuality myths they wanted to dispel, why a focus on sexual “dysfunction” is problematic, Scheele’s eye-catching illustrations and more.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What would you say is the purpose of the book as well as the intended audience?
Barker: Our aim was to provide a friendly, accessible guide to the various ways of understanding sexuality that are out there. Particularly, we wanted to highlight how the normative ways of understanding it in our culture at the moment are only one possibility, and often a not particularly helpful or accurate one. Read more…
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