12 LGBTQIA+ Novels to Celebrate Pride Month

After losing to her rival (and romantic interest) in the 1968 Olympics, Jesse is devastated. Fast-forward two decades, and the story’s narrative splits into three parallel versions of what Jesse’s present life could be: a small-town wife, a cosmopolitan woman in a lesbian relationship, or a divorcee with two children.

When Catherine, a sheltered college student, and James, an adventurous, charismatic young artist, meet in 1990s Dublin, they become fast friends. But their initiation into young adulthood become heartbreaking: as Catherine develops a deep and obsessive love for James, he is secretly struggling to come to terms with his homosexuality.

In sunny 1960s California, George is a gay middle-aged English professor adjusting to solitude after the tragic death of his partner. Following him over the course of twenty-four hours, A SINGLE MAN sympathetically portrays a man who—behind his British reserve, tides of grief, and loneliness—loves being alive despite the everyday injustices he experiences.

Sue was raised by a transient family of petty thieves, known as fingersmiths, in the heart of a mean London slum. Now Sue is a young adult and they plan to seduce the naïve Maud Lily, a wealthy local gentlewoman, in order to gain access to her vast inheritance. But as Sue gets to know her helpless mark, she develops feelings for her in unexpected ways.

In this feminist science fiction novel, planet Gethen’s society of intersex people exist without any gender-based discrimination. But when Genly, an emissary from the human galaxy, arrives, he struggles to overcome his ingrained prejudices about the significance of “male” and “female.”

In this landmark coming-of-age novel, Molly Bolt is startlingly beautiful and possesses a crackling wit. Forging her own path in life and intent on being true to herself, Molly finds that women are drawn to her wherever she goes—and she refuses to apologize for loving them back.

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE is the heartbreaking, heroic, and radically reimagined fictional history of the United States. Early English settlers live as loving same-sex couples; Washington and Hamilton revel in unexpected intimacies; and a religious sect conspires with eugenicists and McCarthyites to exterminate homosexuals.

This haunting story of fame, love, and legacy follows the propulsive rise of an imperfect artist who wreaks havoc on those closest to her through her art. Sophie Stark’s story is told from the perspective of the people who loved her most, including an ex-husband and an ex-girlfriend.

Written by the late Leslie Feinberg, a noted activist on transgender issues, STONE BUTCH BLUES is one of the finest accounts ever written about the transgendered experience. It follows Jess, who struggles with the complexities of being a trans person in a world that demands simple representations and explanations of gender.

Paris in the 1920s shimmered with excitement, ambition, passion, and freedom. The Chameleon Club was at the heart of it: filled with expats, artists, and libertines looking to express their true selves. So when Lou Villars, an extraordinary athlete and scandalous cross-dressing lesbian walks in, she knows she’s found her home.

Anna Madrigal is the legendary 92-year-old transgender landlady of 28 Barbary Lane who has just embarked on a road trip that will take her deep into her past. Setting out in a beat-up RV with a close friend, she travels to the lonely Nevada town where the 16-year-old boy she once was ran away from home.

Until now, Matthew and Daniel have enjoyed a quiet domestic life together. But when Daniel’s brother and sister-in-law die tragically, they are asked to take custody of their two young nephews. During the challenging adoption process, Matthew and Daniel face doubt from conservative family members and discriminatory legal struggles, which strains their relationship.