Book excerpt: Gender identity helps define who each of us is, but it's also a complicated topic for many people to understand or discuss. LGTBQ Life: Beyond Male and Female carefully explains terminology, the dichotomy of lives beyond gender, and experiences of genderqueer people. Finding one's true self and claiming that are not always easy. The path is often littered with obstacles along the way, but with the right tools, the navigation is easier. The more information we have, the better advocates, activists, and educators we are for ourselves and those we love. Exploring stereotypes is beneficial for genderqueer students and the teachers who educate them. Not everything is as cut and dried as a marked box on a birth certificate. LGTBQ Life: Beyond Male and Female details gender fluidity as a modern concept as well as in historical context. The present is often explained by our past.