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41 Inspiring LBGTQ+ Books Everyone Needs On Their Bookshelf
The best LGBT books of all time, from fiction to fact
Powerful and inspiring books have the ability to open up a myriad of worlds - either relatable or new - to a reader.
When it comes to staple pieces of literature every person should have on their shelves/kindles, there are several LGBTQ+ books with an enormous range of narratives that speak of the inherent struggle, hope and history of the LBGTQ+ movement and the personal stories of the community through the fictional and real characters involved.
From the correctional facilities in the rural South of the US, Victorian thieves and Jamaican gangsters to real-life stories of gender transitions and first queer love, this list covers both new and old in queer writing.
Here are our favourite LGBTQ books you need to read:
The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye
£20.00
Due to be published later this year, The Transgender Issue sets out to reclaim the trans narrative, which up until now has been distorted by the media and dominated by subsequent 'debates' between those who lack understanding of the transgender experience.
Drawing on her own reality, Faye analyses the wider cultural experience of being trans in our society, and how changing the conversation could open up a more joyful world.
In Their Shoes by Jamie Windust
£12.99
Writer, public speaker and model Jamie Windust takes to the pages of this book in an exploration of what it means to be non-binary.
From discussing their own lived experiences to navigating relationships and why your path may not look like everyone else's, this book presents a helping hand to those struggling with their own identity and is a crucial read for those wanting to educate themselves on the challenges faced by non-binary and transgender people.
What It Feels Like For A Girl by Paris Lees
£17.99
In her debut novel, acclaimed writer Lees takes us back to her teenage years growing up in Nottingham during the emerging culture of the new millennium. From yearning to escape her hometown to her subsequent discoveries, this is no ubiquitous coming-of-age memoir. It's a raw and original story exploring the spectrum of sexuality, identity and adolescence.
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Manns
£8.99
Spoken word poet Jasmine Mann's book of poems encompasses the full experience of being a Black queer woman through her powerful prose and personal recounted moments.
We Are Everywhere by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown
£21.00
From the creators and curators of the massively popular Instagram account @lgbt_history, this fresh, photographic take on the classic anthology takes you through times that were instrumental in the gay rights movement from 19th century Europe to the gender champions making change today.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
£9.08
In this Vietnamese-American poet’s debut novel, Vuong weaves a story of family, his first love and being caught in between cultures.
The T.S Eliot prize-winning poet gives a sensitive portrayal of his world and the relationships within it, ultimately asking the reader never to give up on themselves.
Boy Erased: A Memoir by Garrard Conley
£11.63
Recently adapted into an award-winning film with Nicole Kidman and Lucas Edges, Boy Erased, tells the true story of author and activist Garrard Conley's teenage experience of conversion therapy in Arkansas.
The book takes you on his journey to self-acceptance in spite of his surroundings and years of therapy after the programme.
Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg
£7.37
From the transgender author, this debut book suspends you in a world of underground resistance and gender transformation that ties its three characters together in a web of secrets.
A hidden manuscript from the 18th century, discovered by recently heart-broken Dr. Voth, leads the story and details the lives of the two notorious thieves and lovers – transgender escape artist Jack Shepherd (based on the real-life thief) and revolutionary mastermind Bess Kahn.
Tomorrow will be Different by Sarah McBride
£9.99
Now, the first transgender state senator, McBride's book was written when she was the first transgender person to speak at a national political convention in 2016, Sarah’s story (foreworded by US presidential candidate Joe Biden) is incredibly hopeful and uplifting.
In spite of fears that she wouldn’t be accepted at the university where she taught, McBride announced her coming out on Facebook. From this one act, she writes about how her decision impacted the lives of others and how she became an activist for the LGBTQ+ cause.
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
£6.99
This book has become a classic, engrossing the reader in 15 poetic essays and speeches about sexuality. It's so engrained in feminist culture that it was poignantly featured on a coffee shop chalk board in an episode of the television show Girls.
Audre was an activist and feminist who grew up in 1950s America and fought for race, gender equality and civil rights. In her book, the author takes on problems she faced throughout her life as a Black lesbian author, including sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia and class. Audre says she saw her position of difference as crucial in instructing social change. She has undeniably paved the wave for intersectional feminism.
Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown
£6.57
Written in 1973 by Lavender Menace member and lesbian activist Rita Mae Brown, this book tells the story of Molly, an adopted daughter living in the American South in the 1950s.
Fearless and bright, the book chronicles the protagonist's relationships with her family and lovers and her fight for a career in the most unapologetic way possible. A friend on a page from the very first line, Molly is an inspirational queer character unlike any other.
On Being Different by Merle Miller
£8.99
Almost 50 years since it was first published, this book remains a crucial piece of literature on gay rights and inspired activist Dan Savage to create the celebrity-studded ‘It Gets Better’ videos.
Miller - a previous Harper's Bazzar editor - was so enraged by an anti-gay article that came out in the magazine that he came out at lunch to his editors.
The author then promptly wrote a reply in the New York Times titled ‘What it means to be homosexual’ and came out to his family and the public at the age of 51. This book expands on Miller's initial arguments from the article and makes a case for his measured anger at societal rejection.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
£9.99
The first Jamaican author to win the Man Booker prize (2015), this book delivers an incredible story, both masterful and Quentin Tarantino-esque.
Filled with gang violence, heart-breaking gay relationships and peppered with Jamaican Patois, the narrative will leave your head spinning.
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