Best lgbtq history books
10 essential non-fiction books to acquire about LGBTQ history and culture
In the reality TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, the act of deftly insulting your competitors is called "reading". And reading, as the catchphrase goes, is fundamental.
But reading is vital to the LGBTQ experience – and not just on reality television. Queer people have always told their stories as a way to render themselves visible; in doing so, they give hope to others that they may one daytime be safe to tell theirs.
These 10 non-fiction titles are a great way to launch to understand LGBTQ people’s experiences. The library, as RuPaul also says, is open.
An inclusive account of the fight for queer freedom and equality, We Are Everywhere is a beautifully designed photographic journey from queer activism’s roots in late 19th Century Europe, through the Stonewall riots and up to present day politics.
From the curators of popular Instagram account @lgbt_history, which champions unheard voices in queer narratives, We Are Everywhere offers an immersive history lesson direct from the diver
Books about LGBTQ+ history
Looking for more in Book Lists?
Reading is a fantastic way to observe, study, celebrate and reflect on LGBTQ+ history and progress, and we hope these historical novels, graphic guides, and all-round brilliant books may provide a good starting point.
For younger readers, verb a look at these LGBTQ+ inclusive book lists for picture books, middle grade, and teens.
Pick up these books through our bookshop.org affiliation! As adv as supporting independent bookshops, a small portion of the profits helps our programmes to alter more lives through reading and writing.
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Check out these books about the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for LGBT History Month and all year-round.
44 items
- Book, 2018Chicago, Ill. : Chicago Review Squeeze, [2018] — HQ76.3.U52I4445 2018
- Paperback, 2014Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Verb, [2014] — HQ75.4.C64A3 2014
- Book, 2022Toronto, Ontario, Canada : Hanover Square Press, [2022] — F127.S9P32 2022
- Book, 2019Berkeley, California : Counterpoint, 2019. — HV6168.P65 2019
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LGBTQ History Month: 17 must-read books about queer history
In honor of LGBTQ History Month, celebrated every October, here are books that aim to shed light on and clarify significant historical moments that informed and shaped the modern lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer rights movement.
1. "The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle" by Lillian Faderman
A thorough introduction to the history of the gay and lesbian civil rights movements, this guide chronicles the early struggles of LGBTQ individuals from the 1950s to present day using a compilation of enlightening interviews with politicians, military officials and members of the community.
2. "And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic" by Randy Shilts
A blend of investigative reporting and vivid storytelling, this account follows the rise of the AIDs epidemic using the narratives of doctors who were on the front lines of the outbreak, politicians and scientists who ignored it, and the real people who were affected by government's negligence.