List
Stories of Experience
How people celebrate Pride is as varied as the experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals. These books share an array of perspectives, but are still only a small selection of the LGBTQIA+ experience.
-
Be Gay, Do Comics! Queer History, Memoir, and Satire from The Nib
2020Get this itemFilled with LGBTQIA+ experiences, this graphic novel ranges from personal stories to queer history to cutting satire about pronoun panic and brands desperate to co-opt Pride. Brimming with resilience, inspiration, and humor, it includes top indie cartoonists and takes you from the American Revolution through Stonewall to today's fights for equality and representation. I have never read another book that encompasses so many of the ways people experience queerness, and that is absolutely due to the number of voices represented in this work. A must-read. Suggested by Becca.
-
Black Boy Out of Time: A Memoir
2021 by Ziyad, HariGet this itemThrough reframing their own coming-of-age story, Ziyad takes readers on a powerful journey of growing up queer and Black in Cleveland, Ohio, and of navigating the equally complex path toward finding their true self in New York City. Exploring childhood, gender, race, and the trust that is built, broken, and repaired through generations, Ziyad investigates what it means to live beyond the limited narratives Black children are given and challenges the irreconcilable binaries that restrict them. Suggested by Mary.
-
How to Be Ace: A Memoir of Growing up Asexual
2021 by Burgess, RebeccaGet this itemA candid journey of the author's experience at the intersection of autism, asexuality, and struggling with OCD while going on a quest to reach understanding and self-acceptance. Suggested by Rummanah.
-
Love Is an Ex-Country: A Memoir
2021 by Jarrar, RandaGet this itemQueer. Muslim. Arab American. A proudly fat woman. Randa Jarrar is all of these things. In this "exuberant, defiant and introspective" memoir of a cross-country road trip, she explores how to claim joy in an unraveling and hostile America (The New York Times Book Review). Suggested by Allyson.
-
All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto
2020 by Johnson, George M.Get this itemIn a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys. Suggested by Mary.
-
Fine: A Comic about Gender
2022 by Ewing, RheaGet this itemFine is the end result of the author's quest to better understand the complexities of gender. Ewing interviewed dozens of acquaintances about their multifaceted relationships with gender. The result, as Kirkus Book Reviews wrote, offers a "vital, richly textured resource for anyone seeking a better understanding of gender identity." Suggested by Chris.
-
Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story
2019 by Tobia, JacobGet this itemA heart-wrenching, eye-opening, and giggle-inducing memoir about what it's like to grow up not sure if you're (a) a boy, (b) a girl, (c) something in between, or (d) all of the above. Suggested by Mary.
-
We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation
2019 by Riemer, MatthewGet this itemA collaboration from the creators of @lgbt_history on Instagram, this is an illustrated history of Queer Liberation. It includes photographs and primary source materials. Publisher's Weekly says, "The authors trace the origins of the movement to 19th-century Europe, detailing its evolution through historical records and firsthand accounts. Taking an intersectional approach, Riemer and Brown provide perspectives from communities traditionally underrepresented in queer history—including people of color, disabled people, bisexuals, and transgender individuals." Suggested by Becca.
-
Fairest: A Memoir
2020 by Talusan, MeredithGet this itemFairest is a standout debut memoir about a precocious boy with albinism, a "sun child" from a rural Philippine village, who would grow up to become a woman in America. Library Journal says, "Talusan explores her childhood in the Philippines, and how her albinism and family dynamics affected her upbringing. Later, she becomes a student at Harvard, navigating a new environment while exploring her sexuality and grappling with the complexities of her racial identity. Lastly, in perhaps the most compelling part of the book, readers follow her journey and relationships after college, which ultimately led to her gender transition." Suggested by Mary.
-
Queer Love in Color
2021 by Jordan, JamalGet this itemBilly Porter says, “The world needs to see and receive what love looks like in all its forms. Queer Love in Color arrested my heart and soothed my anxious soul. Love is love is love is love! Thank you, Jamal Jordan, for showing the world what true love looks like.” Suggested by Allyson.
-
The Gay Agenda: A Modern Queer History & Handbook
2020 by Molesso, AshleyGet this itemCompiled and designed by queer power couple and illustrators extraordinaire, Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham, founders of the popular stationery company Ash + Chess, The Gay Agenda is an inviting and entertaining guide that pays tribute to the LGBTQ+ community. A joyful celebration of the LGBTQ+ community’s development, history, and culture, packed with facts, trivia, timelines, charts, and beautiful full-color illustrations. Suggested by Becca.
-
Born Both: An Intersex Life
2017 by Viloria, HidaGet this itemFrom one of the world’s foremost intersex activists, a candid, provocative, and eye-opening memoir of gender identity, self-acceptance, and love. Suggested by Becca.
-
Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much
2021 by Winston, JenGet this itemIf Jen Winston knows one thing for sure, it's that she's bisexual. Or wait--maybe she isn't? Actually, she definitely is. Unless--she's not? Winston spent most of her life questioning who she is and how she fits into society until she realized that “maybe confusion is as queer as it gets.” A nonfiction, often funny, coming-of-age story. Suggested by Becca.
-
Gender Queer: A Memoir
2019 by Kobabe, MaiaGet this item"Kobabe’s art is very readable and, above all, accommodating. E lays out eir personal history with an enviable degree of candor. Telling the world all your most excruciating personal secrets while also making them aesthetically pleasing and readable certainly seems like it should be a simple enough task, but it’s harder than you might think. ...[E]ven in the most sensitive areas Kobabe’s art and storytelling remains both personable and clear." (The Comics Journal) Suggested by Mary.
-
Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality
2018 by McBride, SarahGet this item"Part autobiography, part advocacy, [Tomorrow Will Be Different] succeeds beautifully on both counts. . . . Highly readable and beautifully written, [McBride’s] is an inarguably important book that deserves the widest possible readership." (Booklist) Suggested by Mary.
-
And the Category Is: Inside New York's Vogue, House, and Ballroom Community
2021 by Tucker, RickyGet this itemTucker is an art critic and this book is his love letter to the New York City ballroom community from its creation more than 100 years ago to now. It is a mix of history, interviews, and Tucker's own reflection on his experiences in the ballroom scene. Suggested by Becca.
-
Children of the Land
2020 by Hernandez Castillo, MarceloGet this itemIn this lyrical memoir, the prize-winning poet writes about growing up undocumented in the United States. "Throughout, Castillo examines other borders and boundaries in his life, including being bisexual and bilingual." (Publishers Weekly) Suggested by Allyson.
-
Unbecoming: A Memoir of Disobedience
2019 by Bhagwati, Anuradha KristinaGet this itemThis raw, unflinching memoir by a bisexual woman of color and former U.S. Marine brims "with the ebullient Bhagwati's fierce humanism, seething humor, and change-maker righteousness." (Shelf Awareness) Suggested by Allyson.
-
Legendary Children: The First Decade of RuPaul's Drag Race and the Last Century of Queer Life
2020 by Fitzgerald, TomGet this itemFrom the singular voices behind Tom and Lorenzo comes the ultimate guide to all-things RuPaul’s Drag Race and its influence on modern LGBTQ culture. Legendary Children centers itself around the idea that not only is RuPaul’s Drag Race the queerest show in the history of television, but also that RuPaul and company devised a show that serves as an actual museum of queer cultural and social history, drawing on queer traditions and the work of legendary figures going back nearly a century. Suggested by Becca.
-
Pride: The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement : A Photographic Journey
2019 by Measom, ChristopherGet this itemThis lavishly illustrated book commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and is an inspiring photographic journey through the LGBTQ+ Pride movement over the last century. Suggested by Becca.
-
Becoming Eve: My Journey From Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman
2019 by Stein, AbbyGet this itemThe Times of Israel says, "The book gives readers a frank look at what it was like to come of age misgendered in one of the world's most gender-segregated societies. More so, it's about Stein becoming the woman she is and about her finally being able to embrace Judaism on her terms." Suggested by Mary.
-
Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place
2019 by Bird, JacksonGet this itemAn unflinching and endearing memoir from LGBTQ+ advocate Jackson Bird about how, through a childhood of gender mishaps and an awkward adolescence, he finally sorted things out and came out as a transgender man in his mid-twenties (Publisher). Suggested by Mary.
-
The Book of Pride: LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed the World
2019 by Funk, MasonGet this itemPaying tribute to more than 50 extraordinary and influential leaders who sparked the worldwide LGBTQ-rights movement, this important volume tells stories of dedication and triumph through never-before-published original interviews. Kirkus describes it by saying, "Among the dynamic voices featured in his empowering anthology are activists, leaders, and individual contributors who represent the struggle of LGBTQ people to be heard above the perennial din of intolerance, discrimination, and hate. Recognizing that many of the pioneers are baby boomers and that there will be 'fewer of our elders around to interview,' the author briskly traveled across America arranging interviews for a volume he knew would 'do justice to the long, complex journey that our community has traveled.'" Suggested by Becca.
-
Time Is a Mother
2022 by Vuong, OceanGet this itemIn his second poetry collection, Vuong explores many of the same themes as in his novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, with the added complexity of grief from the loss of his mother. This is a collection that is complex while remaining approachable. Vuong is a favorite of our staff. Suggested by Becca.
-
Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love 1850s-1950s
2020Get this itemA collection of portraits and candid shots of couples taken between the mid-19th century and just after World War II. Author Nini says, "This book means, for the first time, that these people, these couples, get to speak for themselves. They couldn't do it when they were alive, but they can do it now, and I think that's really powerful." Suggested by Becca.
-
Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American
2022 by Gao, LauraGet this itemIn this candid and moving graphic memoir, Laura Gao examines her multifacetedness as a queer Asian American and the search for "home" while covering topics such as anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic, assimilation, internalized racism, and awareness of her sexual identity, all balanced with humor and energetic artwork. The graphic memoir is also a love letter to the city of Wuhan, with its rich culture and history. Suggested by Rummanah.
-
Pride: The Story of the LGBTQ Equality Movement
2020 by Todd, MatthewGet this itemPride documents the milestones in the fight for LGBTQ equality, from the victories of early activists to the passing of legislation barring discrimination, and the gradual acceptance of the LGBTQ community in politics, sports, culture, and the media. Rare images and documents cover the seminal moments, events, and breakthroughs of the movement, while personal testimonies share the voices of key figures on a broad range of topics. Pride is a unique celebration of LGBTQ culture, an account of the ongoing challenges facing the community, and a testament to the equal rights that have been won as a result of the passion and determination of this mass movement. Suggested by Becca.
-
XOXY
2020 by Zieselman, Kimberly M.Get this itemKyle Knight, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, says, "You'd be forgiven for assuming the memoir of a white straight cisgender woman in Massachusetts wouldn't be a story of profound self-discovery in a marginalized community; you'd also be wrong. Therein lies the power of XOXY&--in a raw narrative, Zieselman delicately guides you through her own journey as an intersex woman, a mother and a lawyer, and perhaps a not-so-unlikely activist." Suggested by Allyson.
-
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex
2020 by Chen, AngelaGet this itemEvette Dionne, editor in chief of Bitch Media, says this is a "powerful book that interweaves reporting and research about asexuality in ways that will remain with readers long after they've turned the last page. Ace announces a new dawn, one in which asexual people are voicing their experiences without fear or shame. They're here, simply living and demystifying misconceptions in the process." Suggested by Allyson.
-
Playing with Myself
2022 by Rainbow, RandyGet this itemComedian and YouTube song parody sensation Randy Rainbow (really, honestly, his last name!) offers this chatty, campy memoir exploring childhood bullying, Broadway theater auditions, and his ascent to the highest echelons of viral popularity. A lighthearted, upbeat read. Suggested by Chris.
Bookmatch
Bookmatch allows Skokie Library cardholders to receive a custom list of titles prepared for you by the library's expert staff.
Try Bookmatch