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These insightful LGBTQ+ books are a must-read

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Chayanika Roy
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These LGBTQ+ books are for everyone to read and to catch an insight into the lives of the most inspiring queer activists and members of the community.

Bibliophiles need to add these awe-inspiring LGBTQ+ books by some of the finest authors and LGBTQ+ activists from around the globe to their read-list. Not only will these books and memoirs provide you with an insight into the queer life, but it'll introduce you to its origin, history and even how some people struggled for liberation while some had to continue living a pseudo-heterosexual life due to rigid societal norms.

There's no better way to gain knowledge than getting your hands on a book. We have compiled a list of incredible pride reads that are a must-read for everyone.

Check these LGBTQ+ books with insightful characters and experiences:

Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia

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Today is a dream come true. Today, my book is released nationwide (and soon to be in Canada, the UK, and around the world) Today is for every child who has ever been told that their gender is not good enough. Today is for every person who has ever faced discrimination, violence, or harassment because of their gender identity. Today is for all of the trans and queer people who dream of a kinder world. Today is for all of my transcestors who fought for me before I was even born. Today is for every feminist and suffragette and activist before me. Today is for every person who is navigating the world with unacknowledged gender based trauma, who needs access to healing too. Today is for girls who are strong and boys who are gentle and trans folx and queers who are both. Today is for all of us. Today is a dream come true, and for all the dreams to come. I love y’all and I could never do this without you. A very very special thank you to everyone who helped me launch #sissythebook in style last night in NYC at the @acehotelnewyork, especially my darling moderator and the ORIGINAL sissy, @alancummingsnaps ??? and @amesbeckerman who helped to capture what was, without a doubt, the best night of my entire life ?⭐️?

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A Year Without a Name: A Memoir by Cyrus Grace Dunham

The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness by ">Arundhati Roy

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I feel that I cannot do this book justice. At last I have finished reading #TheMinistryOfUtmostHappiness by #ArundhatiRoy and I am overwhelmed with emotions! 20 years separate #TheGodOfSmallThings and this novel, and it shows how much wider the author’s outlook had become by the time her second novel was published. The problems and ideas of the first book are included in the second one as part of the puzzle, not the whole thing. In The Ministry of Utmost Happiness we suddenly find ourselves at a cemetery, accompanied by Anjum, our main character. She is not exactly a woman, nor is she a man - she is a hijra, born with both male and female organs into a highly traditional family within a highly traditional society. Being stuck somewhere in between variations of normalcy, Anjum quickly discovers that normalcy is in itself an exception, especially in such a country as India, more particularly - in the times of the Kashmir conflict. One by one, different sorts of misfits gather around her in a tight group, at first sight perfectly incompatible, bringing with them their personal histories, and with them - chunks of histories of their caste or religion or land or political party. It seems that only the cemetery can pacify all their conflicts, mitigate all their differences: a borderline between the living and the dead, it is the only place where man is stripped of everything except the bare fact of living. Oddly enough, this is what brings happiness: getting together under one roof for the purpose of love, not for finding out who is right; revering and fondly respecting all the differences and quirks, beliefs and disbeliefs thus creating harmony, peace and rest. A cemetery might be a place for the final rest, But it can also be a place for a peaceful life. Unfortunately, not all among the living are wise enough to see this simple life-saving truth. #booksinmyhands #booksinmyhands_roy #booksinmyhands_indianliterature #booklover #bookworm #bookstagram #instareads #bookblogger #indianbook #roy #книгивмоихруках #книгивмоихруках_рой #рой #арундатирой #министерствонаивысшегосчастья #книгивмоихруках_индийскаялитература #мирдолжензнатьчтоячитаю #чточитаешь #книжныйблог

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Kari by Amruta Patil

Odd Girls And Twilight Lovers: A History Of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America By Lillian Faderman

Also Read: Reasons that make Drag one of the most liberating forms of self-expression

Gay Icons of India by Hoshang Merchant, Akshaya K. Rath

Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton

A Married Woman by Manju Kapur

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Book: A Married Woman Author: Manju Kapur Language: English “A Married Woman” is the story of Astha, a woman in an arranged marriage, who is liberated by a desire that threatens her family and future. An only child raised to become a dutiful wife, Astha is filled with unnamed longings and untapped potential. In the privacy of her middle-class Indian home, she dreams of the lover who will touch her soul. But her future was mapped out long ago: betrothal to a man with impeccable credentials, with motherhood to follow. At first, Astha’s arranged union with handsome, worldly Hemant brings her great joy and passion. But even after bearing him a son and daughter, she remains unfulfilled. Her search for meaning takes her into a world of art and activism...and a relationship that could bring her the love and freedom she desires. She begins an extra-marital affair with Pipee, the widow of a political activist and jeopardizes everything. (Source: Amazon) #iQueerLit #IndianQueerBook #IndianLGBTBook #DesiLGBTBook #ManjuKapur #AMarriedWoman

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Youth should be imparted knowledge about same-sex relationships and marriages and not treat them as a taboo topic. Prejudices, stereotypes and social stigmas are learned and can be transferred to our children because of their ability to imitate their parents and adults. Therefore, we need to break the cycle of rigid conservative thinking and make young adults learn how to love and support their queer friends or acquaintances.

We have curated a list of books for children and how they can form a better understanding of the queer community:

Daddy, Papa, and Me by Leslea Newman, illustrated by Carol Thompson

Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

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?Kazoo Book Club? Julián is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love. Julián loves mermaids. And, I mean, who doesn’t? But this is different. Julián IS a mermaid. And while his Abuela takes a bath, he adds some palm fronds, flowers, lipstick, and a billowy curtain to make his transformation complete. When Abuela steps out of the bathroom, Julián freezes, waiting for her reaction. She pauses for a moment, then hands him a strand of beads, takes him by the hand, and leads him to the Mermaid Parade. This is a beautifully illustrated story of love and the embracing of identity that is borne of that love. It’s subtle, and works on a lot of levels, and references Coney Island’s famous Mermaid Parade! Sparse and easy to read a million times if asked, this is a lovely book with a beautiful message. ?????/5 Book review by @valerie_best, part-time mermaid. #kazoomagazine #makesomenoise #kazoobookclub #noisemakers #girlsmagazine #kidslit #childrensliterature #kidsbookreview #kidsbooksofinstagram #juliánisamermaid #jessicalove

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The Whispers by Greg Howard

The Boy with Pink Hair by Perez Hilton, illustrated by Jen Hill

My Two Moms and Me by Michael Joosten, illustrated by Izak Zenou

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On a day-to-day basis, parenting involves making sure my kids are safe, healthy, fed, and well-loved. Some days I’m launched back into survival mode as I tackle arguments between the kids and trying to get out of the house on time in the mornings. Other times, I see myself as my children’s first teacher, guiding them through practical skills like learning to tie their shoes to more fantastic curiosity like how the world works. Why do I do all of this stuff I sometimes wonder? What is the “why” behind it all? One day it dawned on me that my “why” for doing it all is for one simple reason: to raise future adults. If you will, imagine yourself 25 years from now, and you’re sitting across the table from your now adult daughter or son, who may now be in their 20s, 30s, or 40s. What kind of adult would you hope to sit across the table from? If they’re a parent, how would you hope he/she parents their own children? Doesn’t that help you put your “why” into perspective? It certainly helps me. While your child will ultimately be their own person and define their future as they see fit, much of who he/she will be stems from how you raise him/her now. With Mother’s Day on the horizon, this week I’ll be featuring some picture book recommendations to read with younger children ages 4-8. #mytwomomsandme #representationmatters #mothersdaybooks #twomomsquad #teamtwomoms #twomoms @randomhousekids

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