Ten Best LGBTQ+ Books and Their Authors

An Article by Dawn-Marie Alexander

It’s Pride Month! Every June, LGBTQ+ culture is acknowledged and celebrated globally with a vast array of rainbow themed merchandise as well as temporary logo changes from businesses who support the community. This increased visibility helps shed light on the queer community that is otherwise stigmatised. Although these business measures bring more awareness, there are alternative opportunities to become aware of the lives of queer persons and become better informed of the challenges they face. There are actually novels and other pieces of literature written by exceptional authors that are available all year long! These books depict the elusive struggles of LGBTQ+ persons as well as highlight queer (romantic and sexual) relationships. In honour of Pride Month, here are ten beautifully written books along with their authors who show us how beautifully diverse our literary worlds can be:

1.Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (1956)

Giovanni’s Room recounts a tormented love affair between African American protagonist David and an Italian bartender, Giovanni who meet at a Parisian gay bar. The novel reveals various thematic concerns, like queer relationships, but also shame and self-loathing. David is disgusted by his homosexuality and early in the book, before his personal discovery (no spoilers!) , he is even horrifically critical of other queers. With David’s inability to come to terms with his sexuality, Baldwin provides a relatable world for those struggling with their sexual identity. James Baldwin, African-American activist, playwright and author of this esteemed work was an openly gay man that wrote several novels that features gay and bisexual characters and also spoke openly about LGBTQ+ issues. Giovanni’s Room was banned at several points but also received the National Book Award in 1957. What we can take away from this novel is the importance of self love and acceptance as well as the (perfectly okay) possibilities of new beginnings.

2.On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019)

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous takes the form of a letter written by a young Vietnamese American writer to his illiterate mother. It can be described as a painful yet extraordinary bildungsroman about surviving the aftermath of trauma. The narrator, Little Dog, addresses his mother’s abuse as well as his tragic relationship with a drug-addicted young American. Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese American, openly gay poet, essayist and novelist that considers this novel an autobiography where he explores both gender and sexuality along his journey. Vuong’s language soars in On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, a novel more about processing difficult memories than about direct communication. Grappling with the limits of language, Little Dog tries to “break free” by writing.

3.Here Comes The Sun by Nicole Y. Dennis Benn (2016)

This novel features the shared lives of three Jamaican women, Thandi,

Margo and Delores, whom are at three different stages of life. They live near Montego Bay, Jamaica in an area where there is a boom in the tourism industry. Dennis Benn provides a vast array of concerns: prostitution/sex tourism, homophobia, rape, maternal relationships and forbidden lesbian romance. Nicole Y. Dennis Benn herself is a Jamaican novelist who is an open lesbian and feminist who explores themes of sexuality and Jamaican life and its diaspora. Here Comes The Sun, which was named “Best Book Of The Year” by New York Times explores the sinister side of tourism while integrating queer relationship and experiences.

4.History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (2017)

History Is All You Left Me revolves around Griffin, who mourns the death of his boyfriend Theo who dies by drowning. Griffin revisits the memories of the past and recalls their intimate experiences while navigating through bouts of grief and mental illness. The imagery is enticingly vivid and the language paints Griffin’s emotions brilliantly for the reader to experience. The author,

Adam Silvera is so stranger to the queer community with his breathtaking LGBTQ+ literature. Being queer himself, he captures the essence of romantic queer relationships amazingly and even touches on real life experiences such as death and coping with grief.

5.The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar (2020)

The Henna Wars is a refreshing read featuring two teen girls who face challenges within school competitions as well as with their sexuality. Nishat and Flàvia compete against each other with their henna design businesses and although rivals, they quickly fall for each other. Nishat remains conflicts, as “Muslim girls aren’t lesbians”. As the competition heats up, Nishat has a decision to make, stay in the closet for the sake of her family or pursue Flàvia regardless of their differences. Adiba Jaigirdar, a Bangladeshi/Irish writer captures the struggles of queer women of colour and their restriction of romantic expression in adherence to familial expectations. Jaigirdar highlights Muslim queers, a portion of the queer community that usually live in the shadows and presents a heartwarming depiction of lesbian relationships. The Henna Wars has been selected as one of TIME magazine’s Best Young Adult Books Of All Time, sitting next to classics like Little Women and The Catcher In The Rye.

6.I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver (2019)

I Wish You All The Best is a queer staple for Pride Month! The Protagonist, Ben De Backer comes out as non-binary and is immediately kicked out of their family’s home. They call upon Hannah, their estranged sister who is a welcoming and helping hand amidst all the turmoil. Ben struggles with body dysmorphia, fear of constant coming out and overall discomfort. The plot is compelling, but it is underlined with a constant insecurity, a direct parallel to Ben’s life. I Wish You All The Best educates readers on the nonbinary landscape, evoking compassion for those just as lost during their transitioning period. Mason Deaver, a non-binary person themselves, shows us in their debut novel that love, like gender, is fluid.

7.Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen (2020)

As society becomes more and more aware and accepting of various sexualities, the exploration of asexuality is a discussion yet to be fully touched on. In Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society and the Meaning of Sex, journalist and science writer, Angela Chen utilises interviews, research and personal experience to de-stigmatise queer relationships, emotion and sex in a culture that operates on “compulsory sexuality”. Although non-fiction and not as plot-filled as the other featured books, Chen introduces the concept of asexuality and write about other expansive ideas of connection in a world that values romantic relationships above all others.

8.Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters (2021)

Detransition, Baby is an electric representation of three persons: Reese, a trans woman, Ames, a man who lives as a trans woman who several years before detransitioning and Katrina, a cisgender woman. This is an incredibly written novel that speaks directly on gender, motherhood and queer identity. All three characters become intertwined through an unexpected pregnancy and they seek out an unconventional family dynamic. The novel allows the readers to think beyond the binary thought and it also takes on the polarising topic of detransitioning. Trans author Torrey Peters breaks the orthodox barriers of motherhood, womanhood and family. Although her novel is continuously criticised and frowned upon, she received the Women’s Prize For Fiction, the first trans woman to be nominated. The novel vaguely parallels with Peters’ own life, her experience as a trans woman and her exploration of self and family.

9.All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (2020)

All Boys Aren’t Blue is a compilation of personal essays that explores George Johnson’s childhood, adolescence and college years. He reflects on his experiences of being bullied, initial sexual relationships and even the familial and comforting activities with his grand mother. The book serves as both a guide and a testimony for young queer men of colour. It covers topics such as toxic masculinity, brotherhood, consent, gender identity and black joy, A definite enthralling yet easy read.

10.You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat (2020)

You Exist Too Much is an attention-grabbing debut that touches on Desire and the doubleness of the life of a young Palestinian-American bisexual woman caught between culture, religious and sexual identities. This captivating story charts too of our most intense longings— for love and a place to belong. Zaina Arafat, the author, is an LGBTQ+ Palestinian-American writer and writes from experience to conjure a genuine, candid story about Arab-Muslim culture and love addiction