Homebody
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In their comics debut, Theo Parish masterfully weaves an intimate and defiantly hopeful memoir about the journey one nonbinary person takes to find a home within themself. Combining traditional comics with organic journal-like interludes, Theo takes us through their experiences with the hundred arbitrary and unspoken gender binary rules of high school, from harrowing haircuts and finally the right haircut to the intersection of gender identity and sexualityβand through tiny everyday moments that all led up to Theo finding the term βnonbinary,β which finally struck a chord.Β
βHave you ever had one of those moments when all of a sudden things become clearβ¦like someone just turned on a light?β
A whole spectrum of people will be drawn to Theoβs storytelling, from trans or questioning teens and adults, to folks who devoured Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe or The Fire Never Goes Out by ND Stevenson, to any person looking to dive a little deeper into the way gender can shape identity. Throughout the book, Theoβs crystal-clear voice reminds the reader that itβs okay not to know, itβs okay to change your mind, and itβs okay to take your time finding your way home.
βWe are all just trying to find a place to call our own. We are all deserving of comfort and safety, a place to call home.β
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Theo Parish is a cartoonist currently living in "the fine city" of Norwich, England, with their three cats. Driven by a passion for creating the kinds of stories they longed to see as a kid, Theoβs work is inspired by their love of fantasy and their experiences moving through the world as a queer and neurodivergent person. When not making comics, they can usually be found playing tabletop RPGs, building pillow forts, or making friends with the neighborhood cats. Their debut graphic novel, Homebody, was a finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults.
