Books on LGBTQ+ topics and issues are a great way to understand and celebrate the queer community, learning more about the achievements and struggle for liberation. In this article, we've curated a collection of our top 15 favourites, with all our recommendations available to buy online in the UK on Amazon and eBay.
These books are perfect for educational use, or to just to add to your shelf, from stories of gender transition, to ideas for LGBTQ+ inclusivity at schools and celebrations of the work the community has done to support other causes too. So, whether you're searching for fiction, memoirs or graphic novels, we've ranked the best books that celebrate the diversity and strength of the LGBTQ+ community.
Picking a book on LGBTQ+ issues isn't as simple as it may sound. You'll need to think about the kind of book you most enjoy and what you hope to gain from the reading experience.
In this section, we'll take a look at the various kinds of books that are out there to help make your decision easier. Whether you prefer fantasy stories or facts, there are LGBTQ+ books out there to suit all reading preferences and genres.
If learning the facts are your priority, you might want to choose a non-fiction book that discusses the history of the gay liberation movement or a particular element of the LGBTQ+ kaleidoscope.
Non-fiction LGBTQ+ books can teach us information about particular events and campaigns, or give a broad, data-centred representation of the queer community as a whole.
The personal memoirs of gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and non-binary writers present life from a personal perspective. Choosing a memoir puts you right inside the author's head, allowing you to share in the highs and lows of their lived experience.
Great if you are the kind of reader who likes a true story, but also the compelling narrative style often typical of autobiographies. These books provide insight into the lives of others, whether it's one you've never discovered before, or one you can relate to.
For lovers of imaginative fiction, novels with an LGBTQ+ storyline are a good call. Sometimes LGBTQ+ themes are central to the plot, other times the sexuality or gender identity of the characters is simply incidental. Either way, the excitement or emotions of the plot will keep you racing from chapter to chapter.
LGBTQ+ fiction is a good pick if you love escapism and want to add more books with queer characters to your shelves.
Whether it's a particular event, moment in time or area of LGBTQ+ life, of course you'll want to pick a book that suits your interests. Below we've divided your decision into possible categories.
Try to decide whether you want to read about similar experiences to your own, or learn about life from a different point of view. Picking a book you can relate to can serve as a reminder that others are living through similar stresses, strains and triumphs, helping to build a greater sense of community.
On the other hand, opting for a a read which looks at life from an unfamiliar angle can help you to broaden your perspective. Learning about the lives of others fosters greater empathy and understanding for experiences outside of our own.
If you want to learn more about concepts of gender and gender fluidity, you may want to choose a book that discusses transgender or non binary experiences. Addressing this topic from a non-cisgendered viewpoint encourages the reader to consider gender from a less rigid perspective.
This could be a book that is specifically explores the topic of gender, or approaches the idea more subtly. For example, through a novel with transgender, non binary or gender fluid characters.
Among the fifteen LGBTQ+ books we've picked are reads dedicated to particular moments in history, such as the Stonewall riots, or the UK Miners' Strike of the 1980s which had great support from the lesbian and gay community.
Choosing a book like this allows you to build your knowledge of LGBTQ+ struggles and successes. Historical reads can help to provide context and deepen your understanding of key events and prominent figures.
If you're a teacher, you may be seeking a book aimed at transforming your classroom into an LGBTQ+ friendly space. This is a great way to make sure students feel comfortable talking about queer issues around their peers.
Check out books with ideas for activities which bring diversity of gender and sexuality into the classroom in a variety of ways.
If you are a visual learner, check out books with photos or illustrations. Images have a way of really sticking in our minds, and can help to bring particular events and issues to life. Photos especially are a great way to introduce us to the important names and faces relevant to certain time periods.
Graphic novels are a similarly memorable pick, as they contain quirky illustrations to emphasise their message. For those who already love stories brought to life in cartoon form, an LGBTQ+ graphic novel is surely the ideal option!
Consider whether the book you're choosing is available in hardcover or paperback. Hardcover books are sturdy and strong, and look great on shelves or coffee tables, but can be cumbersome to lug around with you. So, these perhaps aren't the best pick to read on your journey to work.
Paperbacks are lightweight and can be bent and squished with relatively minimal damage. They are a good choice if you like to carry the book you're reading on the go, as they will fit easily in your backpack or handbag.
Keen to live a more minimal lifestyle? eBooks are a good choice as they reduce the amount of stuff crowding your shelves. The downside is that you'll be looking at a screen, but eBooks really can't be rivalled in terms of space saving and the sheer number you can keep on one device.
Audiobooks are a top pick for multi-taskers, or those who prefer to switch off after a busy day's work. This way, you can sit back have the story read to you in the dulcet tones of a professional narrator.
It was truly tough to select just 15, but here are our recommendations of the best LGBTQ+ books to to buy in the UK. Some are lighthearted, others deeply serious, all are informative.
£10.99
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Identity and gender |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Hardcover and paperback available |
£7.49
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Family and Identity |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Hardcover and paperback available |
£11.63
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Gender, religion, drag |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Hardcover and paperback available |
£5.99
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Historical drama |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£8.19
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Gender transition |
Illustrations / Images | Hand-drawn illustrations |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£7.32
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Identity, sexuality and gender |
Illustrations/Images | N/A |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£8.19
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Fictionalised memoir - based on true events |
---|---|
Topic Area | Gay 'conversion' therapy and its repercussions |
Illustrations / Images | None |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£12.40
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-Fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Gender fluidity |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£8.17
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Historical romance |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Hardcover and paperback available |
£8.99
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | The role of the LGBT community in the UK miners' strike in the 1980s |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£10.78
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | The gay liberation movement |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£9.59
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | The LGBT+ community and history |
Illustrations / Images | Graphic novel |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£13.40
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-Fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Making schools safe and inclusive for LGBT+ staff and students |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£7.26
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | Gender |
Illustrations / Images | - |
Cover Type | Paperback |
£30.00
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Topic Area | The Queer Liberation Movement |
Illustrations / Images | Colour photographs |
Cover Type | Hardcover |
Image | 1 ![]() Leighton Brown | 2 ![]() Alok Vaid-Menon | 3 ![]() Dr Ellie Barnes MBE and Dr Anna Carlile | 4 ![]() Meg-John Barker and Julia Scheele | 5 ![]() Jason Baumann and Edmund White | 6 ![]() Tim Tate | 7 ![]() Sarah Waters | 8 ![]() Kate Bornstein | 9 ![]() Garrard Conley | 10 ![]() Virginia Woolf | 11 ![]() Alex Bertie | 12 ![]() Alice Walker | 13 ![]() Amrou Al-Kadhi | 14 ![]() Ocean Vuong | 15 ![]() Juliet Jacques |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | We Are Everywhere | Beyond the Gender Binary | How to Transform Your School into an LGBT+ Friendly Place | Queer: A Graphic History | The Stonewall Reader | Pride: The Unlikely Story of the True Heroes of the Miner's Strike | Tipping The Velvet | Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us | Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith and Family | Orlando | Trans Mission | The Color Purple | Unicorn: The Memoir of a Muslim Drag Queen | On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous | Trans; A Memoir |
Features | A Rich Photographic History of LGBTQ+ Liberation | A Pocket Sized Re-Imagining of Gender | Making Education Fairer, Safer and More Open | A Boldly Illustrated Graphic Novel Celebrating Queer History | LGBTQ History Told Through Library Archives, Articles and Essays | The Heartwarming Book Behind the Hit Film | A Nuanced Exploration of Lesbian Love and Gender Fluidity | A Thought-Provoking Un-Picking of Traditional Gender Roles | A Deeply Moving Story Beautifully Told | A Unique Tale of Sexuality and Gender | A Joyful Story of Gender Transition Full of Humour and Truth | A Hauntingly Beautiful Tale of Love and Pain | A Rip-Roaring Tale of Life as an Iraqi Drag Queen | A Breathtaking Debut Novel | An Unflinching Tale of Gender Transition |
Price | £30.00 | £7.26 | £13.40 | £9.59 | £10.78 | £8.99 | £8.17 | £12.40 | £8.19 | £7.32 | £8.19 | £5.99 | £11.63 | £7.49 | £10.99 |
Fiction / Non-Fiction | Non-fiction | Non-fiction | Non-Fiction | Non-fiction | Non-fiction | Non-fiction | Fiction | Non-Fiction | Fictionalised memoir - based on true events | Fiction | Non-fiction | Fiction | Non-fiction | Fiction | Non-fiction |
Topic Area | The Queer Liberation Movement | Gender | Making schools safe and inclusive for LGBT+ staff and students | The LGBT+ community and history | The gay liberation movement | The role of the LGBT community in the UK miners' strike in the 1980s | Historical romance | Gender fluidity | Gay 'conversion' therapy and its repercussions | Identity, sexuality and gender | Gender transition | Historical drama | Gender, religion, drag | Family and Identity | Identity and gender |
Illustrations / Images | Colour photographs | - | - | Graphic novel | - | - | - | - | None | N/A | Hand-drawn illustrations | - | - | - | - |
Cover Type | Hardcover | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Hardcover and paperback available | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Paperback | Hardcover and paperback available | Hardcover and paperback available | Hardcover and paperback available |
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While you're educating yourself on LGBTQ+ issues, why not take the opportunity to expand your bookshelf with more informative reads? Below we've linked you to some articles which will help you broaden your mind through the magic of reading. Discover more top ranking educational books you can enjoy alone, share with friends or even use as teaching resources.
Whether you're buying a book for yourself, to help educate others, or to better understand the issues your LGBTQ+ friends and loved ones face, we think it's great you've decided to learn more on this bold, beautiful community!
Author: Annie Hopkins
We're always looking for new reading materials to add to our bookshelves, so if you haven't already been spoiled for choice with our top 10 above, then Jeremy and Andy have some more options for you! Check out their page and discover even more content from gay books to LGBTQ+ films and also inclusive games for the PS4.
£5.99
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