It’s International Day Against Homophobia 2016! Happily in recent years transphobia and biphobia have been included as well. As always, these actions seek to highlight the everyday and structural discrimination and violence enacted against the queer community and personally I celebrate the shit out of these days, even if it’s another day in the year round fight for freedom for all of us! I’m spending most of my time today watching queer shorts, yup that’s basically the event name 😀 But then I remembered I do have a blog that like 5 people read, so here’s a list of my fave LGBTQIA+ books or ones that are still on my tbr. Remember to read them well and read them obnoxiously in the face of parading homophobes! *puts down SJW megaphone*
Dirty River by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
Queer femme of color memoir including Canada, migration, disability and anarchopunk!
Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta
Nigerian civil war, coming of age, falling in love and being a lesbian in one of the most dangerous places to be so openly.
Queer Brown Voices by eds Uriel Quesada and Letitia Gomez
Personal stories by LGBTQIA+ Latin@ ativists!
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
Novel about growing up a butch lesbian in a blue-collar community by awesome activist Leslie Feinberg!
Stealing Nasreen by Farzana Doctor
Indo-Canadian novel about identity and belonging and being a lesbian in different communities.
The Other Side of Paradise by Staceyann Chin
Memoir by one of my fave spoken-word performers about growing up a lesbian in different homes in Jamaica and finally belonging and finding her voice.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
I have so much love for this one! Two boys exploring family and identity and finding each other. Has to be one of the most beautifully written books ever, prepare to cry.
Directed by Desire by June Jordan
Epic June Jordan’s epic poetry collection. This is the poetry you need, rooted in race, class and gender analysis and impacted by Jordan’s blazing LGB activism. Yes, I keep this book on my nightstand!
Too rarely listed coming of age story about a Black and a Jewish boy in 1970s Ohio. This is about love, friendship and racism and segregation.
Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
Janet Mock of #GirlsLikeUs talks about identity, transitioning, New York and finally telling her story. This is on my tbr for this year.
Obviously I left out a ton of amazing works, can’t list ’em all. But: Do let me know your favorite LGBTIQIA+ fiction and non-fiction in the comments!