Stan and Allen: A Book About Gender - Book Review

Stan and Allen by Huxley Ren Bunn is a visual primer for children or even adults on the issues of using appropriate pronouns with individuals who identify as nonbinary or gender neutral. This is a how-to-book on navigating the confusing, ever-shifting landscape of sex and gender. The book seems more aimed at people that have not considered gender at any great length.

Bunn takes on the task of explaining how to use the singular version of They/Them and gender-neutral words to greet and address individuals in a respectful, friendly way who are gender-neutral or non-binary. With two anthropomorphic alligators as the protagonist, Bunn takes you by the hand and works at explaining today’s new agenda on “gender.” Sometimes serious but often humorous, Bunn breaks down the do’s and don’ts of using more acceptable and inclusive pronouns, how to be an ally in any situation (including the workplace), and just what gender fluidity means.

The book explains that you need to be able to be your real self, and part of that grows from the inside out. It grows from a child’s dreams and discoveries of what in the world feels comfortable and right for their being. They might discover many things that they are at odds with relating to their assigned gender at birth – as in this story where the color pink was assumed to be only associated with a female, but Stan, who doesn’t identify as a girl, loves pink and especially pink pearls.

The book offers a list of gender-neutral greetings that can be used, such as: How are you folks, Hi Crew, Hi Y’all, etc. For example, instead of saying Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen you could say, “Good Evening, Everyone.” It’s being inclusive in your speech.

Stan and Allen serve as a very easy-to-understand workbook on understanding gender identity issues and provides everyone with a new-found knowledge of gender-neutral words to make the world a little more inclusive, safer, and welcoming for those who don't identify as binary.