Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding

By Maia Kobabe, Dr. Sarah Peitzmeier

A graphic guide to gender affirming care with real-life stories and research-backed advice about chest binding from bestselling Gender Queer author Maia Kobabe and University of Michigan professor Sarah Peitzmeier.

Breathe arose from the need for an evidence-based resource for folks considering chest binding as gender-affirming care. Its original form was a 32-page digital-only 'zine, but Peitzmeier and Kobabe saw potential for reaching a wider audience with an expanded version with more art and more exploration of what the research really shows about binding, designed to be easily readable as a printed book. This is the result.

To create Breathe, Peitzmeier and her research team interviewed 25 people of different ages and backgrounds about their journeys with binding, and then she and Kobabe combined excerpts from those interviews with evidence-based resources on binding into this extremely accessible book. The result is both a practical resource for trans and nonbinary folks and an engaging and perspective-broadening read for anyone interested in what it means to be on a journey of expressing one's gender in the ways that are the most joyful, healthy, and affirming for them.