A Place at the Table is an excellent book to start with.

1. Brain Storm by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young
2. Sexing the Body by Anne Fausto Sterling

I am interested in the construction of sex and sexualities using biological markers and extrapolating the resulting categories to behavioral norms and sexualities as well as gender expression. I’ve given you two books that address some of the issues but much of my queer theory reading has a lot to do with feminism, race and politics and the transgender/intersex communities – anything from Fanon to Foucault to Bornstein.

Can you narrow that down? Are you looking for theory or practice? Are you also interested in the intersection of class and race along with gender and sexuality? I can recommend a bunch of stuff.

@prolificus

Can I ask what you are familiar with as well, for further narrowing? There are a ton of basics that might, well, be basic for you.

I’ve studied gender and sexuality from a Christian perspective – both theoretical and practical, both in personal and academic studies. I’ve taken non-Christian courses in sociology, psychology, and related subjects. I’ve read anti-gay, pro-heteronormative books. I’m interested in opposing arguments – doesn’t matter if theortical or practical. But, I’m not really interested in self-help type books.

Feminist Thought by Tong
Feminist Practice Post Structuralist Theory by Weedon
The Second Sex Simone De Beauvoir
Fundamentalism and Gender by Bendroth

I can also recommend some good fiction and anthologies, if you like.

Anything by Michel Foucault is a good bet, but History of Sexuality, Volume I is the seminal work.

“We Are Everywhere” is a solid anthology.

Angela Y. Davies is a good person to get the African American woman’s perspective on the issues.

If you want to get scared, you might want to try Judith Butler’s stuff, in particular her work on gender performativity in “Gender Trouble” (a thin but amazingly HEAVY volume).

The Wikipedia page on Gender Studies is actually pretty good in pointing you to sources.

Carol Gilligan is one of the most important authors in gender studies. Here are some of her writings:
* In a Different Voice, Harvard University Press, (1982)
* Mapping the Moral Domain: A Contribution of Women’s Thinking to Psychological Theory and Education, Harvard University Press, (1989)
* Making Connections: The Relational Worlds of Adolescent Girls at Emma Willard School, Harvard University Press, (1990)
* Meeting at the Crossroads: Women’s Psychology and Girls’ Development, Harvard University Press, (1992)
* Between Voice and Silence: Women and Girls, Race and Relationships, Harvard University Press, (1997)
* The Birth of Pleasure, Knopf, (2002)
* Kyra, Random House, (2008)
* The Deepening Darkness: Patriarchy, Resistance, & Democracy’s Future, Cambridge University Press, (2009) (with co-author David A.J. Richards)

Ophelia Speaks is great, the author after reading Reviving Ophelia collected letters from young women all over the usa.

I recommend you contact @Simone_De_Beauvoir personally. She is more knowledgeable than anyone else I know on this topic among those on Fluther.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir recommended “Brain Storm” published this year and I will start reading it this weekend.