The Classification Review Board (Review Board) has classified the publication Gender Queer Unrestricted with the consumer advice ‘M – Not recommended for readers under 15 years’.

In the Review Board’s opinion, Gender Queer warrants an Unrestricted classification because the content of the publication is justified in context, is appropriate for its intended audience of people who are interested in the author or interested in the subjects of gender identity and asexuality, and has a positive tone and character as well as many layers of positive messaging. The Review Board found that the publication’s depictions of sex and nudity were justified in the context of a non-fiction memoir describing the author’s lived experience.

Also, in the Review Board’s opinion, consumer advice of ‘M – Not recommended for readers under 15 years’ is warranted as some content within the publication may offend some sections of the adult community, and may not be suitable for younger readers; therefore, the publication is not recommended for readers under fifteen years of age.

The Review Board convened on 29 May 2023 in response to an application from Mr Bernard Gaynor to review the decision made by the Classification Board on 3 April 2023 to classify Gender Queer Unrestricted with the consumer advice ‘M – Not recommended for readers under 15 years’. This Review Board’s decision replaces the decision made by the Classification Board.

The Review Board is an independent merits review body. In reviewing a classification decision, the Review Board applies the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, the National Classification Code and the Guidelines for the Classification of Publications 2005. This is the same framework used by the Classification Board.

The Review Board’s reasons for this decision have been published on www.classification.gov.au.

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Statement authorised by Convenor, Classification Review Board