Our Favourite LGBTQI+ Books in Celebration of Pride Month
June is Pride Month, and Abodus would like to mark the occasion in a very special way!
While our goal is to support our LGBTQI+ community and educate all Abodus residents on this ever-present and important subject year-round through events, blogs and more, we wanted to do something a little more celebratory throughout the month of June through a mini-series of blog articles.
First up in our blog series is a list of 10 of our (and our residents’) favourite LGBTQI+ books. Ranging from light-hearted fiction books to autobiographies covering the heavier and more difficult topics, the below list has been written to be just as inclusive as Abodus aims to be with our residents.
This book takes the reader on a journey through the discovery of how the human rights frontier around sexual orientation and gender identity has come to both divide and define the world in a completely new way over the first two decades of the twenty-first century. An eye-opening, moving, and captivating narrative, The Pink Line has become known as a colossal exploration through the border posts of the world’s new LGBTQI+ frontiers.
Read the review from The Guardian here, and get your copy from Amazon here.
Felix has never been in love and he desperately wants to find his own happily-ever-after. And although he is proud of his identity, he also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever find true love. As he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.
Read the in-depth review on this book from A Book Owl’s Corner, and pick up a copy for yourself from The Guardian Bookshop.
An engrossing discovery of asexuality in a world that’s consumed with sexual attraction, ACE takes its readers on a journey of learning all about desire and identity by using an ace lens to see the world. Through interviews, cultural criticism, and memoir, ACE encourages all to consider big-picture issues through the lens of asexuality, because every place that sexuality touches our world, asexuality does too.
Learn more about this book through an article from The Washington Post, and get your own copy here.
Not-so-openly gay high-schooler Simon Spier prefers a quiet life, but when an email falls into the wrong hands, he finds himself being blackmailed and being forced to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out. But he must do all this without turning away from his friends, compromising himself, or dropping the ball on his shot at happiness with the most special guy he’s never met.
Learn more about this young adult novel in this video from Lucy the Reader, and grab a copy to read for yourself from Books2Door.
“Tomorrow Will Be Different” is a timely and captivating memoir that highlights author and American politician Sarah McBride’s work as an activist and the key issues at the forefront of the fight for trans equality. In this book, Sarah inspires readers with her barrier-breaking political journey that took her from a frightened, closeted college student to one of the nation’s most prominent transgender activists walking the halls of the White House, passing laws, and addressing the country amid a heated presidential election— All in just four short years. Sarah’s story is a vital starting point for readers who are seeking a better understanding of gender identity and what it means to be openly transgender.
Read the review from The Feminist Book Club, and purchase a copy for yourself here.
Alex Claremont-Diaz is the son of America’s first female president, who is getting ready to run for re-election in 2020. After a confrontation at a royal wedding, Alex and Prince Henry of England must fake a friendship to avoid a full-blown diplomatic and media crisis that would distract from Alex’s mother’s election bid. Over time, the two actually do become friends and eventually become romantically involved when Henry reveals he is gay and Alex realizes he is bisexual. They must reconcile this with their positions on the world stage, while trying not to endanger his mother’s re-election.
Learn more about this book in this article from Vogue, and grab your copy from Wordery.
As an Ahmadi Muslim growing up in Pakistan, Samra Habib has spent most of her life looking for a safe way to be her true self. When her family came to Canada as refugees, Samra was faced with a multitude of new challenges: bullies, racism, the threat of poverty, and an arranged marriage. This book is a loud cry for anyone who has ever felt out of place in life, and it is a true testament to the power of the pursuit of being your truest self.
Read the informative review from The Institute for Canadian Citizenship here, and buy your copy from Amazon.
When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, the first thing she feels is relief over their never knowing that she is a lesbian. Unfortunately, that relief doesn’t last, because she is soon forced to move in with her conservative aunt and old-fashioned grandmother. But when Coley Taylor moves to town, she and Cam establish an unexpected and intense friendship, with the potential for much more. However, Cam’s ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece through conversion therapy. Cam quickly learns that life will be easiest for her if she just blends in and leaves well enough alone, so she becomes an expert at both. This book takes its reader on an unforgettable journey about self-discovery and finding the courage to live a life true to oneself.
Learn more about this book in this video review from Sapphic Underground, and grab your copy here.
Based on the Coming Out Stories podcast, this book invites its readers to share one of the most momentous times in many LGBTQI+ people’s lives, and it shows you there is no right or wrong way to come out, no matter your age or background. Whether you’re gay, pan, queer, bi, trans, non-binary, or an ally, this book is filled with helpful advice and tips on what to expect, as well as inspirational quotes from leading LGBTQI+ figures.
Listen to episodes of the Coming Out Stories podcast, and purchase your copy of the book directly from the podcast website.
In Paris at the dawn of the modern age, Prince Sebastian’s parents are looking for his future bride, but Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone: At night, he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia, the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion. Only two people know Sebastian’s secret— One of them being his best friend and brilliant dressmaker, Frances. But Frances dreams of making her mark on the fashion world, and she cannot do that when she is keeping her friend Sebastian’s deepest secret.
Read the well-written and in-depth article on this book from Queerblr, and grab your copy here.
It was difficult to narrow this list down to only 10 books, but we hope you have enjoyed learning more about our residents’ most well-loved LGBTQI+ books, and that you have been able to add a few to your must-read list! If you have any favourites that aren’t listed in this article, reach out to us on Instagram and tell us all about yours. We will be sharing suggestions to our stories throughout the rest of the month, and yours might just be featured!
