BOOK LIST
Below is a list of a few books that we have found can be useful and enjoyable. If you are looking to purchase a physical copy, many include a link to an LGBT bookstore. We receive a small donation from some books purchased.
Many titles are available through libraries/interlibrary loans either as physical books or audiobooks, so we encourage you to check with your local library.
This is not a complete list of all LGBTQ books by all means, new books are being published all the time and older books may become less relevant. Some books might only be available as physical copies while some might have audiobook options. If you have a suggestion for a book, feel free to contact us at help@lgbthotline.org .
Many titles are available through libraries/interlibrary loans either as physical books or audiobooks, so we encourage you to check with your local library.
This is not a complete list of all LGBTQ books by all means, new books are being published all the time and older books may become less relevant. Some books might only be available as physical copies while some might have audiobook options. If you have a suggestion for a book, feel free to contact us at help@lgbthotline.org .
Coming out
-This Book is Gay - Juno Dawson
-Is It A Choice? 3rd Edition - Eric Marcus
-Boys Like Us - Patrick Merla
-Lesbians Coming Out - Sarah Holmes
-Being Different: Lambda Youth Speak Out - Larry Dane Brimner
-Fashionably Late: Gay, Bi and Trans Men Who Came Out Later in Life - Vinnie Kinsella
-Is It A Choice? 3rd Edition - Eric Marcus
-Boys Like Us - Patrick Merla
-Lesbians Coming Out - Sarah Holmes
-Being Different: Lambda Youth Speak Out - Larry Dane Brimner
-Fashionably Late: Gay, Bi and Trans Men Who Came Out Later in Life - Vinnie Kinsella
Relationships
-Love Between Men - Rik Isensee
-Together Forever - Eric Marcus
-Loving Someone Gay - Don Clark, Donald H. Clark
-When Love Last Forever - Merle J Yost
-Together Forever - Eric Marcus
-Loving Someone Gay - Don Clark, Donald H. Clark
-When Love Last Forever - Merle J Yost
Bisexual
-Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution - Shiri Eisner
-Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out - Loraine Hutchins, Lani Kaahumanu
-Bisexuality - Beth A Firestein
-Bi Lives: Bisexual Women Tell Their Stories - Kata Orndorff
-Getting Bi - Robyn Ochs, Sarah E. Rowley
-Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out - Loraine Hutchins, Lani Kaahumanu
-Bisexuality - Beth A Firestein
-Bi Lives: Bisexual Women Tell Their Stories - Kata Orndorff
-Getting Bi - Robyn Ochs, Sarah E. Rowley
Lesbian
-Girl2Girl - Norrina Rashid, Jane Hoyt, Gina Roberts
-The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For - Alison Bechdel
-Women in Love - Barbara Seyda, Diana Herrera
-The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For - Alison Bechdel
-Women in Love - Barbara Seyda, Diana Herrera
Transgender interests
The Gender Book - Mel Reiff Hill, Jay Maya (book available online free at www.thegenderbook.com)
-Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out - Susan Kuklin
-Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation - Kata Bornstein, S. Bear Bergman
-My New Gender Workbook - Kate Bornstein
-Transgender Rights and Protections - Rebecca T. Klein
-Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue - Leslie Feinberg
-Stone Butch Blues - Leslie Feinberg
-Transgender Warriors - Leslie Feinberg
-Helping your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents - Irwin Krieger
-Health Issues When You're Transgender - Susan Meyer
-Coming Out as Transgender - Corona Brezina
-Identifying as Transgender - Sara Woods
-Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue - Nicholas Teich
-Transgender History - Susan Stryker
-Some Assembly Required - Arin Andrews
-Second Serve - Archie M. Richards, Jr. , Renee Richards
-Trans/Portraits: Voices from Transgender Communities - Jackson Wright Shultz
-At the Broken Place - Mary Collins, Donald Collins
-Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community - Laura Erickson-Schroth
-Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out - Susan Kuklin
-Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation - Kata Bornstein, S. Bear Bergman
-My New Gender Workbook - Kate Bornstein
-Transgender Rights and Protections - Rebecca T. Klein
-Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue - Leslie Feinberg
-Stone Butch Blues - Leslie Feinberg
-Transgender Warriors - Leslie Feinberg
-Helping your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents - Irwin Krieger
-Health Issues When You're Transgender - Susan Meyer
-Coming Out as Transgender - Corona Brezina
-Identifying as Transgender - Sara Woods
-Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue - Nicholas Teich
-Transgender History - Susan Stryker
-Some Assembly Required - Arin Andrews
-Second Serve - Archie M. Richards, Jr. , Renee Richards
-Trans/Portraits: Voices from Transgender Communities - Jackson Wright Shultz
-At the Broken Place - Mary Collins, Donald Collins
-Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community - Laura Erickson-Schroth
African-American / People of Color (POC)
-One More River to Cross: Black & Gay in America - Keith Boykin
-Invisible Families: Gay Identities, Relationships and Motherhood Among Black Women - Mignon Moore
-Gay Latino Studies - Michael Hames-Garcia, Ernesto Javier Martinez
-Queer & Trans Artists of Color Vol. 2 - Nia King, Elena Rose
-Queer Brown Voices: Personal Narratives of Latna/o LGBT activists - Uriel Quesada, Letitia Gomez, Salvador Vidal-Ortiz
-The Man who was a Woman and other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore - Devdutt Pattanaik
-A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder - Ma-Nee Chacaby, Mary Louisa Plummer
-Cuentamelo! - Testimonies of LGBT Latino Immigrants - Edited by Juliana Delgado Lopera
-Invisible Families: Gay Identities, Relationships and Motherhood Among Black Women - Mignon Moore
-Gay Latino Studies - Michael Hames-Garcia, Ernesto Javier Martinez
-Queer & Trans Artists of Color Vol. 2 - Nia King, Elena Rose
-Queer Brown Voices: Personal Narratives of Latna/o LGBT activists - Uriel Quesada, Letitia Gomez, Salvador Vidal-Ortiz
-The Man who was a Woman and other Queer Tales from Hindu Lore - Devdutt Pattanaik
-A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder - Ma-Nee Chacaby, Mary Louisa Plummer
-Cuentamelo! - Testimonies of LGBT Latino Immigrants - Edited by Juliana Delgado Lopera
Religion / Spirituality
-What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality - Daniel A. Helminiak
-PFLAG: Faith in Our Families - Can be found on PFLAG.org's online booklist
-The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart - Peter J. Gomes
-Twice Blessed: On Being Lesbian, Gay and Jewish - Christie Balka
-The Grace of Coming Home: Spirituality, Sexuality and the Struggle for Justice - Melanie Morrison
-On Being Gay: Thoughts on Family, Faith and Love - Brian McNaught
-Homosexuality in Islam - Scott al-Haqq Kugle
-I'm Muslim and my Gender doesn't Fit Me- A resource for Trans Muslim Youth - PDF can be found at www.advocatesforyouth.org
-PFLAG: Faith in Our Families - Can be found on PFLAG.org's online booklist
-The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart - Peter J. Gomes
-Twice Blessed: On Being Lesbian, Gay and Jewish - Christie Balka
-The Grace of Coming Home: Spirituality, Sexuality and the Struggle for Justice - Melanie Morrison
-On Being Gay: Thoughts on Family, Faith and Love - Brian McNaught
-Homosexuality in Islam - Scott al-Haqq Kugle
-I'm Muslim and my Gender doesn't Fit Me- A resource for Trans Muslim Youth - PDF can be found at www.advocatesforyouth.org
Parents / Caregiver
-Our Families Q and A's for Parents of LGBT Youth and Adults - Can be found on PFLAG.org booklist.
-Helping your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents - Irwin Krieger
-Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together - Robert Bernstein, Betty DeGeneres, Robert MacNeil
-Always My Child: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Your LGBT or Questioning Son or Daughter - Kevin Jennings, Pat Shapiro
-Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son - Lori Duron
-Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Health Gender-Nonconforming Children - Diane Ehrensaft, Edgardo Menvielle
-Invisible Families: Gay Identities, Relationships, and Motherhood Among Black Women - Mignon Moore
-The ABCs of LGBT+ - Ashley Mardell
-When Your Child is Gay: What You Need to Know - Wesley C. Davidson, Jonathan L. Tobkes, Cason Crane
-This Book is for Parents of Gay Kids: A question and answer guide to everyday life - Dannielle Owens-Reid, Kristin Russo
-At the Broken Place - Mary Collins, Donald Collins
-Helping your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents - Irwin Krieger
-Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together - Robert Bernstein, Betty DeGeneres, Robert MacNeil
-Always My Child: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Your LGBT or Questioning Son or Daughter - Kevin Jennings, Pat Shapiro
-Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son - Lori Duron
-Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Health Gender-Nonconforming Children - Diane Ehrensaft, Edgardo Menvielle
-Invisible Families: Gay Identities, Relationships, and Motherhood Among Black Women - Mignon Moore
-The ABCs of LGBT+ - Ashley Mardell
-When Your Child is Gay: What You Need to Know - Wesley C. Davidson, Jonathan L. Tobkes, Cason Crane
-This Book is for Parents of Gay Kids: A question and answer guide to everyday life - Dannielle Owens-Reid, Kristin Russo
-At the Broken Place - Mary Collins, Donald Collins
Safer Sex & other Sexual questions
-Sexual Intimacy for Women: A guide for Same Sex Couples - Glenda Corwin
-The Joy of Gay Sex - Charles Silverstein, Felice Picano
-The Joy of Gay Sex - Charles Silverstein, Felice Picano
Youth
-This Book is Gay - Juno Dawson
-Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out - Susan Kuklin
-Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation - Kate Bornstein, S. Bear Bergman
-Growing Up Gay/Lesbian: A literary Anthology - Bennett L. Singer
-The ABCs' of LGBT+ - Ashley Mardell
-Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 people who have changed the world - Sarah Prager, Zoe More O'Ferrall
-GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for LGBT and Questioning Teens - Kelly Huegel
-It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying and Creating a Life Worth Living - Dan Savage, Terry Miller
-Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen - Arin Andrews
-Transgender Rights and Protections - Rebecca T. Klein
-Health Issues when you're Transgender - Susan Meyer
-Coming Out as Transgender - Corona Brezina
-Identifying as Transgender - Sara Woods
-Gay-Straight Alliances: Networking with Other Teens and Allies (LGBTQ+ Guide to Beating Bullying) - Kristina Lyn Heitkamp
-Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out - Susan Kuklin
-Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation - Kate Bornstein, S. Bear Bergman
-Growing Up Gay/Lesbian: A literary Anthology - Bennett L. Singer
-The ABCs' of LGBT+ - Ashley Mardell
-Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 people who have changed the world - Sarah Prager, Zoe More O'Ferrall
-GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for LGBT and Questioning Teens - Kelly Huegel
-It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying and Creating a Life Worth Living - Dan Savage, Terry Miller
-Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen - Arin Andrews
-Transgender Rights and Protections - Rebecca T. Klein
-Health Issues when you're Transgender - Susan Meyer
-Coming Out as Transgender - Corona Brezina
-Identifying as Transgender - Sara Woods
-Gay-Straight Alliances: Networking with Other Teens and Allies (LGBTQ+ Guide to Beating Bullying) - Kristina Lyn Heitkamp
Teachers / Safer Schools
-Safe Spaces: Making Schools and Communities Welcoming to LGBT Youth - Annemarie Vaccaro, Gerri August, Megan S. Kennedy
-Understanding & Teaching US Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History - Leila J. Rupp
-Transgender History - Susan Stryker
-The Right to be Out: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America's Public Schools - Stuart Biegel
-Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People who changed the world - Sarah Prager, More O'Ferrall
-Gay-Straight Alliance: A hand book for Students, Educators and Parents - Ian K. Macgillivray
-The ABC's of LGBT+ -Ashley Mardell
-It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living - Dan Savage
-Gay & Lesbian History for Kids: The Century-Long Struggle for LGBT Rights - Jerome Pohlen
-Gay-Straight Alliances: Networking with Other Teens and Allies - Kristina Lyn Heitkamp
-Safe Zones: Training Allies for LGBTQIA+ Young Adults - Kerry John Poynter
-Understanding & Teaching US Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History - Leila J. Rupp
-Transgender History - Susan Stryker
-The Right to be Out: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America's Public Schools - Stuart Biegel
-Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People who changed the world - Sarah Prager, More O'Ferrall
-Gay-Straight Alliance: A hand book for Students, Educators and Parents - Ian K. Macgillivray
-The ABC's of LGBT+ -Ashley Mardell
-It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living - Dan Savage
-Gay & Lesbian History for Kids: The Century-Long Struggle for LGBT Rights - Jerome Pohlen
-Gay-Straight Alliances: Networking with Other Teens and Allies - Kristina Lyn Heitkamp
-Safe Zones: Training Allies for LGBTQIA+ Young Adults - Kerry John Poynter
Popular novels
-The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Emily M. Danforth
-The Cosmopolitans - Sarah Schulman
-Bright Lines - Tanwi Nandini Islam
-Guapa - Saleem Haddad
-A Home at the End of the World - Michael Cunningham
-City of Night - John Rechy
-Naked - David Sedaris
-Spring Fire (Lesbian Pulp Fiction) - Vin Packer
-Tropic of Cancer - Henry Miller
-The Front Runner - Patricia Nell Warren
-A Separate Peace - John Knowles
-Dancer from the Dance - Andrew Holleran
-A Single Man - Christopher Isherwood
-Other Voices, Other Rooms - Truman Capote
-Tales of the City - Armistead Maupin
-Tropic of Capricorn - Henry Miller
-Bastard Out of Carolina - Dorothy Allison
-The Lord Won't Mind - Gordon Merrick
-Queer - William S. Burroughs
-The Best Little Boy in the World: 25th Anniversary Edition - Andrew Tobias
-Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin
-Rubyfruit Jungle - Rita Mae Brown
-Swimming Pool Library - Alan Hollinghurst
-Call me by Your Name - Andre Aciman
-Goldenboy - Michael Nava
-Maurice - E M Forster
-Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories - John Dececco, Bob Guter
-The Cosmopolitans - Sarah Schulman
-Bright Lines - Tanwi Nandini Islam
-Guapa - Saleem Haddad
-A Home at the End of the World - Michael Cunningham
-City of Night - John Rechy
-Naked - David Sedaris
-Spring Fire (Lesbian Pulp Fiction) - Vin Packer
-Tropic of Cancer - Henry Miller
-The Front Runner - Patricia Nell Warren
-A Separate Peace - John Knowles
-Dancer from the Dance - Andrew Holleran
-A Single Man - Christopher Isherwood
-Other Voices, Other Rooms - Truman Capote
-Tales of the City - Armistead Maupin
-Tropic of Capricorn - Henry Miller
-Bastard Out of Carolina - Dorothy Allison
-The Lord Won't Mind - Gordon Merrick
-Queer - William S. Burroughs
-The Best Little Boy in the World: 25th Anniversary Edition - Andrew Tobias
-Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin
-Rubyfruit Jungle - Rita Mae Brown
-Swimming Pool Library - Alan Hollinghurst
-Call me by Your Name - Andre Aciman
-Goldenboy - Michael Nava
-Maurice - E M Forster
-Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories - John Dececco, Bob Guter
YA (Young Adult)
-The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Letter to Their Younger Selves - Sarah Moon, James Lecesne
-Cut Both Ways - Carrie Mesobian
-If I Was Your Girl - Meredith Russo
-The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee
-Symptoms of Being Human - Jeff Garvin
-Picture Us in the Light - Kelly Loy Gilber
-Girl Mans Up - M-E Girard
-Little & Lion - Brandy Colbert
-The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Emily M. Danforth
-All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages - Sandra Mitchell
-Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Saenz
-Simon vs. the Homo Sapien Agenda - Becky Albertalli
-Leah on the Off Beat - Becky Albertalli
-Cut Both Ways - Carrie Mesobian
-If I Was Your Girl - Meredith Russo
-The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee
-Symptoms of Being Human - Jeff Garvin
-Picture Us in the Light - Kelly Loy Gilber
-Girl Mans Up - M-E Girard
-Little & Lion - Brandy Colbert
-The Miseducation of Cameron Post - Emily M. Danforth
-All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages - Sandra Mitchell
-Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Saenz
-Simon vs. the Homo Sapien Agenda - Becky Albertalli
-Leah on the Off Beat - Becky Albertalli