The LGBTQ+ community is so much more than rainbow flags and the month of June. In this beautifully designed dynamic book, young readers will learn about groundbreaking events, including historic pushes for equality and the legalization of same-sex marriages across the world. They will dive into the phenomenal history of queer icons from ancient times to the present and read about Harvey Milk, Marsha P. Johnson, Audre Lorde, and more. Including several personal current essays from inspiring young LGBTQ+ people, this book encourages readers to take pride in their identity and the identities of those around them.

Celebrate some of the LGBTQIA+ community's modern-day trailblazers, champions, and icons who have shaped, or are shaping, our world, from well-known public figures and allies to others you will wish you had heard of earlier. Covering topics including coming out, gender, mental health, and activism, this book is packed full of empowering quotes, inspiring life lessons, and helpful advice that will encourage you to embrace your story and find your power.

Often breezy in tone but always informative, Dawson's book is filled with facts and stories about being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or, as the author puts it, the full and infinite spectrum of sexual and gender identities. If you think this means the book is aimed at straight readers as well as gay ones, you would be right. The need for the book is dramatically demonstrated by the results of a 2012 survey that revealed that, of the 300 kids participating, 95 percent had been taught nothing about gay sex as part of sex-education classes. This egregious gap has now been filled by Dawson's book, which is witty and wise and so packed with information it's hard to imagine a reader who won't learn something new. (Did you know a gay guy with a penchant for sportswear and man jewelry is called a scallie?) Illustrated with clever cartoon art, the book is generally upbeat while honestly acknowledging downsides of being LGBTQ, such as homophobia and bullying. Another plus is the careful and generous attention it gives to transgender people and topics. Originally published in Britain, the book is international in scope and, to its credit, evidences the universality of the LGBTQ experience.

A trans guidebook brings Dawson's signature breezy style to this nonfiction text. Like most books about the topic, it includes a brief, global history of gender diversity from a White, Western viewpoint; a sampling of medical procedures available for those wishing to physically transition; and advice on dating and coming out. While geared toward teenagers, the voice feels grounded in an adult’s perspective, littered with multiple references to the 2011 song “Born This Way” rather than exploring the new ways youth are understanding gender. Regular use of African American Vernacular English, present in the partially explained title itself, repackages queer Black culture in uncomfortable ways. At times Dawson reveals the limitations of her perspective: She encourages readers to report transphobic violence to the police, baselessly assures them that it’s “very, very rare” to receive a negative reaction after coming out, and calls being triggered “a more polite way of saying ‘pissed off.’ ” The Transgender Hall of Fame mini-profiles and interludes from other trans people attempt to inject a diversity of thought, though they skew heavily toward models and actresses; Caitlyn Jenner is called a “Reality Royal” who’s “occasionally controversial.” Andry’s cartoonlike illustrations are lively, frequently amusing, and depict people with diverse skin tones. Light in tone and covering much familiar ground. (resources, reading list, glossary, references, index)

This nonfiction graphic novel packs a lot of useful information into a slim volume. Iggy, a snail, imparts terminology, concepts, and advice to other snails observing a campfire gathering of queer humans. Iggy begins by helpfully answering “What is queer?” and then considers topics such as gender identity and expression, dysphoria, and asexuality. The authors, through Iggy, make clear that gender identity and sexual preference can have vastly differing meanings and expressions. Two final chapters—on relationship basics and coming out—offer useful, reassuring guidelines centered on what individuals find comfortable and safe. The cartoony snails and humans are depicted in pastel pinks and purples, while brief interstitials follow cool-colored “sproutlings,” friendly plant/animal beings whose forms and identities vary widely. An introduction notes that “these identities and labels are meant to serve the individual rather than purely classify them”; with this compact volume, the creators serve readers well, including those exploring gender identity and those who love them.

World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals -- and you've never heard of many of them. Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 23 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn't make it into your history books, these true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.

An ice dancer shares her journey toward self-discovery and love, offering words of encouragement and reflective insight on relationships, mental health, and competitive skating culture. From the first time Manta set foot on the ice as a small child in Arizona, she fell in love with skating, a love that awoke her ambition to excel in the sport. Beginning with a comforting spoiler—a promise of a happy ending for an untethered, Uruguayan American, bisexual girl longing to find herself—Manta glides through the narrative of her competitive career, from adolescent figure skating to ice dancing for Team USA. Along the way, she visits memories that reveal her struggles with self-worth, intrusive anxiety, and friendship. Connection and community empower her to keep seeking herself and offer sweet dreams for a better future. Often speaking directly to her readers, Manta guides the conversational flow of her prose with honesty and gentleness. When she transitions into stories about her eating disorder, she pauses to give a tender warning and express understanding. Her exploration of sexuality validates the experiences of questioning and searching that expand beyond an isolated moment of coming out. At the same time, she holds herself accountable for her treatment of others. Similarly, as she questions and challenges the exclusivity of her sport, Manta acknowledges her own participation in these dynamics. Resolute and hopeful, this memoir swells with emotion. Raw, kind, and close to the heart.

Divided into sections about coming out, homophobia, what it means to be queer, dating, and sex, this guidebook offers upfront advice and information for teens who think they may be (or know they are) lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. The authors are equally open in asides drawn from their own experience (including disastrous dates and coming out to parents and friends), and additional sidebars explore LGBT pioneers like Harvey Milk and Christine Jorgensen, as well as current topics such as gay athletes and gay marriage. The tone of the book is consistently accessible, pop culture–savvy, and supportive ("Dating can often be awkward and stressful no matter your age sexual orientation.... But as a queer teen, you've got a few more challenges on your plate"). An extensive list of resources, including Web sites, organizations, and books, is included.

Criswell’s debut graphic novel blends memoir with minibiographies of global LGBTQ+ changemakers. Rather than attempting a comprehensive history, the illustrated biographical sketches provide a well-researched, if slightly disjointed, catalog of 10 queer people the author finds especially inspirational. This broad selection offers a starting place for readers seeking meaningful connections with the past. As White, nonbinary college student Criswell wanders around San Antonio, Texas, they unpack the complexities of Southern identity and begin to research, draw, and discuss significant icons with friends. Accompanying them on this journey, readers meet history-makers who are often overlooked by mainstream U.S. sources—people who broaden Criswell’s understanding of the difficulties facing those who have fought for LGBTQ+ justice around the world. This approach effectively anchors contemporary life to these influencers. At times the transitions and interjections are a bit stiff, but what is lacking in flow is countered by Criswell’s crisp drawings and eye for details. The choice of subjects reflects diverse perspectives—Nancy Cárdenas, Ifti Nasim, We’wha, and Dr. Pauli Murray, among others—and the biographies address how intersectional identities ground the subjects’ experiences of injustice. As this is a narrative of individual awakening and learning, the framing of the narrator’s reactions to their discoveries sometimes feels naïve, and readers may wish Criswell included more reflection on aspects of their own identity. The tight scope and clear, sequential illustrations will appeal to many who are seeking a window into LGBTQ+ histories. A positive, highly personal addition to the body of LGBTQ+ stories.

Centers the experiences, desires, and agency of a queer black boy navigating his evolving selfhood and the challenges of society's conditional love for his truthful existence. Queer black existence has been here forever, and yet rarely has that experience been spotlighted within literature aimed at black boyhood. This is the context in which this "memoir-manifesto" begins, as Johnson, a still relatively young 33-year-old journalist and activist, debuts his unfolding life story within a vacuum of representation. These stories wrestle with "joy and pain...triumph and tragedy" across many heavy topics—gender policing, sexual abuse, institutional violence—but with a view to freedom on the horizon. Through the witnessing of Johnson's intimate accounts, beginning with his middle-class New Jersey childhood and continuing through his attendance at a historically black university in Virginia, readers are invited on their own paths to healing, self-care, and living one's truth. Those who see themselves outside the standpoint of being black and queer are called in toward accountability, clarifying an understanding of the history, language, and actions needed to transform the world—not in pity for the oppressed but in the liberation of themselves. This title opens new doors, as the author insists that we don't have to anchor stories such as his to tragic ends: "Many of us are still here. Still living and waiting for our stories to be told—to tell them ourselves."A critical, captivating, merciful mirror for growing up black and queer today.

Through engrossing narratives, letters, drawings, poems, and more, the book encourages young readers, of all identities, to feel pride at the accomplishments of the LGBTQ people who came before them and to use history as a guide to the future. The stories he shares include those of: Thomas Morton, who celebrated same-sex love in Boston's Puritan community in the 1620s; Albert D.J. Cashier, an Irish immigrant and Civil War hero, who was born in the body of a woman but lived as a man for over a half century; Gladys Bentley, an African American blues singer who challenged cross-dressing laws in 1920s Harlem; Bayard Rustin, Martin Luther King Jr.'s close friend, civil rights organizer, and an openly gay man; Sylvia Rivera, who along with Marsha P. Johnson, founded the first transgender political group in the United States in 1970; Harvey Milk, a community organizer and the first openly gay politician to win an election in California; Jamie Nabozny, a teen who brought national attention to the issue of LGBTQ bullying by bringing his case to the Supreme Court in the 1990s. With over 60 illustrations and photos, a glossary, and a corresponding curriculum, A Queer History of the United States for Young People will be vital for teachers who want to introduce a new perspective to America's story.

Gender is an intensely personal, yet universal, facet of humanity. In this vibrant book, queer author and artist Iris Gottlieb visually explores gender in all of its complexities, answering questions and providing guidance while also mining history and pop culture for the stories and people who have shaped the conversation on gender.

"Your authenticity is your superpower." That's the motto that professional skateboarder Leo Baker lives by and champions. But like any hero's journey, learning about their power didn't come easy. In this installment of the Pocket Change Collective, Baker takes the reader on a complicated, powerful journey through the world of skate and competitive sport as a non-binary athlete... Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today's leading activists and artists.

An all-inclusive, uncensored guide for teens who are transgender, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming, or gender-fluid. TRANS+ answers all your questions, easy and hard, about gender and covers mental health, physical health and reproduction, transitioning, relationships, sex, and life as a trans or nonbinary individual. Full of essential information and includes real-life stories from teens.

Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence. The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change.

Here and Queer is a helpful, friendly guide full of support and advice about living your best queer life, written for girls. This vibrant, inclusive guide, designed for all kinds of girls, is designed to help you be the strongest, proudest, happiest version of yourself! A celebration of the gift of queerness, it's packed full of heartfelt advice, comforting stories, and stylish illustrations, and will give you the tools you need to explore your own identity, on your own terms. Author and YouTuber Rowan Ellis uses her personal experience to take you through queer life, from coming out and dealing with tough stuff, right through to finding friendships and celebrating Pride. There are also brilliant guest essays from contributors across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.