Add These LGBTQ+ Books to Your Reading List


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On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel by Ocean Vuong

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel by Ocean Vuong

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On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous: A Novel by Ocean Vuong

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In this poetic novel, a son writes a letter to his mother, who cannot read. It explores his love for her and unpacks the deepest secrets of masculinity, race and class. This tough but tender novel is about understanding yourself and queerly demanding to be heard.

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Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

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Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

This best-selling and often-banned graphic novel follows comic artist Kobabe (pronouns: e/em/eir) in eir journey of self discovery and gender exploration. The book explores coming out to family, medical trauma that comes as existing as a visible trans person and coming out as asexual. Exploring your own identities or trying to explain who you are to friends or family? Consider giving them this book to read and let it open the conversation for you.

RELATED: The History of 21 Common LGBTQ+ Pride Flags and What They Mean

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Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

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Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

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Credit: Grove Press

For anyone who has ever grappled with the complexities of sexual orientation within a religious context, this coming-out novel will feel all too familiar. The evangelical Jeanette considers herself one of God’s children, but when she discovers her sexuality, it throws a wrench into her family’s plans for her.

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Pageboy: A Memoir by Elliot Page

Pageboy: A Memoir by Elliot Page

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Pageboy: A Memoir by Elliot Page

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Actor Elliot Page recounts his journey to understanding his gender in this New York Times bestseller. This book is full of intimate stories of his experience starring in the movie Juno, going to a queer bar for the first time, coming out as transgender and the backlash he experienced in Hollywood. This book is sure to inspire you to live authentically, regardless of what others say.

5

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill

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The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

A great Pride read pick for readers of all ages, including adults who enjoy curling up with a gentle fantasy. This graphic novel follows a blacksmith apprentice as she meets enchanting characters and begins to learn about the tea dragons. From gay mentors, to a soft crush, this beautifully illustrated book is sure to make you feel cozy and seen. It also makes a great coffee table book.

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Hush by Tal Bauer

Hush by Tal Bauer

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Hush by Tal Bauer

A federal judge running from the truth, a U.S. marshal running from his past and the world on the brink of war — the stakes couldn’t be higher in this political thriller. Bauer’s romantic novel is full of the kind of intense suspense that is sure to pull you in and keep you guessing, page after page, late into the night.

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Valencia by Michelle Tea

Valencia by Michelle Tea

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Valencia by Michelle Tea

This iconic punk dyke novel is a must-read every Pride season. The gritty novel takes you into the punk houses and bars of drama-filled queer San Francisco of the 90s. Tea brings readers into the urgency and joy of young queer love, heartbreak, community building and art. Whether you came of age, and came out reading this book, or you’re feeling some 90s nostalgia, be sure to add this to your to-read list.

8

City of Night by John Rechy

City of Night by John Rechy

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City of Night by John Rechy

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Credit: Grove Press

Take a trip into the underground world of gay hustlers, drag queens, and sex workers in this book that scandalized the literary world when it first came out but went on to become a must-read. It’s inspired musicians like the Doors and earned the author comparisons to authors like Kerouac, so if you like either of those, pick this one up.

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Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H

Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H

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Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H

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Did you come of age reading the queer classic Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinburg? This new story is a fresh take on the book that inspired so many of us. In this beautiful memoir, readers follow a queer Muslim immigrant coming to understand her own identity and sense of gender. The book also explores themes of desire and belonging.

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Top Priority (The Game Series) by Cara Dee

Top Priority (The Game Series) by Cara Dee

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Top Priority (The Game Series) by Cara Dee

If you’re looking for a steamy read to heat things up this Pride season, look no further than Book 1 of The Game (and the rest of the 13 books so far in the series). This is a pick for those readers who enjoy well-written realistic BDSM — none of that “fifty shades” nonsense. This is a well-written novel centering beautiful consensual kink. With a full cast of compelling gay characters, this story is one that will pull you in, and leave you literally begging for the next books in the series.

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In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado

In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado

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In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado

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Credit: Graywolf Press

This stunning memoir plays with structure and form as it takes us through an abusive relationship and what that does to a person. In a world where many people still believe abuse only occurs when a man is involved, Machado’s work is essential.

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Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein

Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein

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Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein

The re-release of this foundational book on gender is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding transgender people better, or for anyone questioning their own gender. Bornstein takes readers through a fun, fantastical and complicated journey through gender exploration into self-actualization. A self-described nonbinary diesel femme dyke, Bornstein has and continues to pave the way for all of us to find the labels that fit us best.

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13

How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir by Saeed Jones

How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir by Saeed Jones

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How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir by Saeed Jones

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Selected a best book of the year by The New York Times, this powerful memoir is a coming-of-age story about a Black, gay man from the South working through his hopes, fears and desires. Jones is a celebrated poet and his distinctive lyrical voice is beautiful and clear through this vulnerable examination of the intersections of race and queerness. In this book, Jones explores his place in his family and community on his challenging journey through his gay adolescence and how it shaped him into who he is today.

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Rubyfruit Jungle: A Novel by Rita Mae Brown

Rubyfruit Jungle: A Novel by Rita Mae Brown

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Rubyfruit Jungle: A Novel by Rita Mae Brown

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Credit: Bantam Books

Molly Bolt is the adoptive daughter of a poor Southern couple who makes her own way across America, finding love of all stripes in between. It’s a true, slightly steamy celebration of being true to yourself, whoever that may be.

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With Teeth: A Novel by Kristen Arnett

With Teeth: A Novel by Kristen Arnett

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With Teeth: A Novel by Kristen Arnett

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Credit: Riverhead Books

Parenting is hard. Queer parenting is hard. Queer parenting when you feel like you aren’t in sync with your partner? Even harder. This gorgeous, starkly honest novel pulses with struggle as well as the raw beauty of finding your way through it.

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Hola Papi by John Paul Brammer

Hola Papi by John Paul Brammer

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Hola Papi by John Paul Brammer

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Credit: Simon & Schuster

Fans of the popular advice column Hola Papi will recognize the unique voice in this hilarious coming-of-age memoir in essays about the “Chicano Carrie Bradshaw.” You’ll find yourself chortling and nodding along as you follow JP’s journey, and you’ll probably even learn something along the way.

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Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

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Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

The book that inspired the Tony-winning musical, this graphic novel is a powerful queer coming of age story you won’t be able to put down. In college, Bechdel comes out as a lesbian, at which time she realizes that her father was also gay. This is a book about self discovery, family secrets and overcoming family trauma and legacies to build your own life.

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Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

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Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

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Credit: Penguin Books

When Sol falls for a widow when she brings her late wife’s notes to the archive where he works, it kicks off a whirlwind romance. One that’s complicated by Sol’s vampirism, which means he can’t go outside during the day. Oh, and he’s been illegally living in his office, where some strange stuff has started happening. This darkly funny novel tackles grief, transphobia and love with a fiercely original touch.

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Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

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Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

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This accessible book takes readers on an engaging exploration into sexual attraction, and what happens if you don’t experience it. Part memoir, part cultural criticism, this book not only breaks down what asexuality is (and isn’t), it also encourages readers to think about what asexuality tells us about gender roles, consent and more — regardless of how you personally identify.

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Loveless by Alice Oseman

Loveless by Alice Oseman

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Loveless by Alice Oseman

The fan-fic obsessed romantic Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush. As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a new town far from home, she’s determined to find romance. But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends in the Shakespeare Society, Georgia ends up in the middle of her own comedy of errors. This is a wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance, especially perfect for those who are exploring their own attractions.

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