Happy Pride!

First, let’s start with LGBTQ in books! I read one book representing each letter in LGBTQ:

L: Dyke Drama by Leslie Lange
Okay, this was a really fun read. This is definitely a book for lesbians, by lesbians, about lesbians, and it’s mostly lesbians that will appreciate it. It does go as far as to be inclusive to any woman who is interested in other women, but since this was published in the early 2000’s, there’s a lack of non-binary visibility. But that being said, this was hilarious and relatable full of sapphic horror stories that you can’t get enough of. It’s a collection of experiences that show the patterns and tropes of dating in the lesbian world. Truly, it’s wonderful.

G: The Glass Closet by John Browne
To be honest, I don’t recommend this book. But, I read it for work, and I put it under the G because it could maybe be useful for gay men. I think there are few good ideas embedded in the pages around why it’s good for business to have an environment where employees can be safely out at work. And, I agree that if employees are focusing time on hiding their personal life, they cannot focus all of their brain on their job or task at hand. However, the author writes from a place of white, male privilege, and often goes as far as to invalidate and negate the lesbian experience entirely. So for this reason, I would not suggest this book to others.

B: Claiming The B In LGBT edited by Kate Harrad
This book was a collaborative narrative of bisexual stories, mainly from people living in the UK. It’s interesting that there weren’t that many differences between bisexual stereotypes in the UK versus the US, and the book went through myths, validity, experiences, and nuances of the bisexual experience. It was relatively inclusive and included a lot of different perspectives, which I appreciated. I think this would be beneficial for someone who is coming out newly as bisexual, or a valuable resource for someone who is questioning.

T: Transgender Hisotry by Susan Stryker
I really appreciated Susan’s attention to detail on so many levels when it comes to this book – including pulling in other voices for areas that her experience does not allow her to speak on first-hand. Going through changemakers through history was both inspiring as well as heartbreaking to see what ground needed to be covered for trans people to try to live peacefully. It felt like this book could be read and understood by anyone- trans or not, because it focuses on the events that led to the world today.

The T Guide by Gigi Gorgeous and Gottmik
Yes, the T gets two books! This was a recent release that was the cutest collab between Gigi and Gottmik and is what I would call a “coffee table book”. I think this was geared more towards being a resource for trans people rather than written for allies, although I found it incredibly informative. There’s so many specifics and options for surgeries, and honestly a lot of advancement that still could and should still happen in the medical field to be more inclusive. The trans experience is so nuanced and unique, but the support that Gottmik and Gigi give can be crucial for someone who is living this truth. I would definitely recommend this one for the table of any queer household.

Q: The Book Of Pride: LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed The World by Mason Funk
This book gets the Q because it showcases the power of queer people and how we have the ability to create meaningful change. These stories cover all kinds of queer people from all walks of life, with different methods of achieving one common goal, and that’s making the world better for other gay people. There are artists, writers, political activists, HIV and AIDS fighters, and more who went out and made a difference in whatever way their gifts allowed. While there are stories of struggle, they are mostly stories of success. Long live the queers!

Now next, here’s a mix of different queer material that covers a wide variety of colorful areas:

Queer Samoan Lives by Dan Taulapapa McMullin and Yuki Kihara
A collection of memoir-style stories and scripts by fa`afafine-identifying individuals, detailing the intimate parts of their queer experiences in the Samoan community.

Rainbow Revolution by Magnus Hastings
A beautiful, queer collective of colorful people photographed in a simple white box touched with their own individual vision of creativity.

Drag: The Complete Story by Simon Doonan
A deep dive into the legends and styles of different types of drag and how they have each manifested and evolved over time.

Working Girls by Trixie Mattel and Katyz Zamolodchikova
A quirky and goofy guide to the modern professional workplace as satirically told through the silly advice of two camp-loving Drag Queens.

Gay Girl Prayers by Emily Austin
Poems centered around the Catholic faith and the sapphic experience with heavy religious symbolism mixed with humorous queer imagery – that I read with a sapphic book club!

A Place Of Our Own by June Thomas
A deep dive into six different spaces that helped shape culture for queer women and non-binary people, including bars, bookstores, sex shops, and more!

Feel It All by Casey Tanner. LCPC, CST
A realistic approach to breaking down sexual miseducation and compulsory sexuality in a way that is inclusive, told by a queer sex therapist – also a book I read with the sapphic book club!

Polysecure by Jessica Fern
A wonderfully helpful guide and deep dive to all things consensual non-monogamy with an emphasis around attachment style and a focus on creating secure relationships.

Thanks for reading! (Last Updated: March 2025)