As part of my best of all time series, I’m sharing some nonfiction educational books that I personally loved and benefitted from!
Strong disclaimer that this list only includes books I’ve actually read, and is clearly influenced by my own lived experiences and preferences! The plan is to update this annually during pride month to allow for a living, breathing, ever changing document to the best queer nonfiction.
7. The Ex-Girlfriend of My Ex-Girlfriend is My Girlfriend: Advice on Queer Dating, Love, and Friendship
Author: Maddy Court
Illustrator: Kelsey Wroten
Release Date: May 18th, 2021
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Review
The Ex-Girlfriend of My Ex-Girlfriend is My Ex-Girlfriend is an advice column compiled into book form. It features reader submitted questions which Maddy Court (@xenaworrierprincess on Instagram and on Substack) and occasional guest authors answer. I think Court did a great job of giving original advice that dove a bit deeper than most advice on the internet does, and that made this book worth the read.
6. Who Does That Bitch Think She Is?: Doris Fish and the Rise of Drag
Author: Craig Seligman
Release Date: February 28th, 2023
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Review
Who Does That Bitch Think She Is chronicles the life of ’70s drag queen Doris Fish, an Australian gay man who moved to San Francisco and became a niche celebrity before ultimately passing away from AIDS. Seligman is Fish’s post-mortem biographer, but he had the unique privilege of getting to interview him in person for a magazine article before his death. This, combined with the many interviews Seligman did with Fish’s surviving friends, made for a rich story filled with perspectives and life.
5. Tumblr Porn
Author: Ana Valens
Release Date: December 1st, 2020
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Review
The internet is such an important place for queer people to find themselves and find other people who are like them, and Tumblr was a core tenant of that, especially for fetishists, sex workers, and trans people. Not meant to be exclusively for the LGBTQ+ community, this short book focuses on the way the internet shaped our sexuality, and the way our sexuality shaped Tumblr.
4. Radical Intimacy
Author: Sophie K. Rosa
Release Date: March 20th, 2022
Goodreads | StoryGraph
While this book isn’t explicitly only for queer people, abolishing the traditional concept of intimacy and approaching it from a more radical, communal standpoint is a fundamental aspect of queer culture. Rosa is a queer person, and that comes through in the writing. Nothing has ever captured my thoughts on what I want in the future and how I feel about relationships (both romantic and friendship) as well as Radical Intimacy.
3. I Am Ace: Advice on Living Your Best Asexual Self
Author: Cody Daigle-Orians
Release Date: January 21st, 2023
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Review
Cody Daigle-Orians did an absolutely incredible job of writing an introductory guide to asexuality that’s accessible for both young asexual people, and people who just want to learn more about what it’s like to be asexual. If you’re going to read one book on the subject, I highly recommend this one. Daigle-Orians is an educational TikToker, and his ability to create engaging content is on full display in this book.
2. Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America
Author: Lillian Faderman
Release Date: January 1st, 1991
Goodreads | StoryGraph
This book was an incredibly comprehensive guide to lesbianism through the end of the 1900s. While it was published quite a while ago now, and is thus in some ways out of date, it is incredibly well researched and covers the origins of homosexuality in women incredibly well. I learned so much from reading this book despite already being fairly knowledgable about lesbianism, especially when it came to homoromantic friendships from centuries ago.
1. Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality
Author: Julia Shaw
Release Date: May 1st, 2022
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Review
Bi is one of the most accessible, easy to understand books that still manages to dive into the nuances of sexuality. Shaw cites studies, historical references, and her own personal experiences to create a comprehensive guide to bisexuality in both the past and the present. You don’t need to know anything going into this book, but even if you already know a lot about bisexuality, you’ll learn from and enjoy this book.
What educational queer books would you recommend?
