[How it Works](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/how-it-works/) [Bookshop](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/books/bindery/) [Publishing](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/publishing/) [Team](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/team/) [Contact](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/contact/) Log in or Sign up Gender Queer: A Memoir Maia Kobabe Save to Your Books [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/92944/9781549304002) 100% of affiliate revenue supports Fairly Queer Books 2020 ALA Alex Award Winner 2020 Stonewall—Israel Fishman Non-fiction Award Honor Book. In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, _Gender Queer_ is here. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, _Gender Queer_ is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere. > “It’s also a great resource for those who identify as nonbinary or asexual as well as for those who know someone who identifies that way and wish to better understand.” — SLJ (starred review) Show more Get the Bindery app * * * Posts about this title from Fairly Queer Books [Fairly Queer Books\\ \\ Fareeha\\ \\ • Jun 20 2024](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/) [Each of these recommendations have either made me feel seen personally or has inspired me as an artist and writer. I added some short blurbs next to each one briefly describing when I read the comic/book and why it's made it to this list. Longer reviews live over on storygraph. If any of these are your favs (or you totally hate one) let me know in the comments!\\ \\ \\ \\ ​\\ \\ \\ \\ ​\\ \\ \\ \\ ​\\ \\ \\ \\ You can click on any of these books tagged on the post below and check out my bookshop.org page to support me and grab a copy of any of these titles. <3\\ \\ Special thank you to my new subscribers here on Bindery. I have tons of posts & videos planned for this space. I hope you enjoyed this post, I'll catch you on the next one!](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/item/cJDusFDG12s913zxvSAG/) [8 of My Favorite Queer Stories](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/item/cJDusFDG12s913zxvSAG/) Happy summer solstice! ☀️Here's a list of my favorite queer stories ranging from manga, short story collections, fantasy, and comics. * * * 7 books Posts about this book from across Bindery [Not A Phase Books\\ \\ Sawyer Cole Hobson\\ \\ • Jun 4](https://notaphase.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Happy Trans Joy Thursday!\\ \\ Today, I wanted to highlight 10 books that have not only brought me joy, but also made me feel seen, heard, validated and others that just... altered my brain in the best possible way. By no means are these like my all time favorites, but they come pretty damn close, and I find myself recommending them over and over again. I chose 5 nonfiction books, and 5 fiction books.\\ \\ Before we get to the lists, though, I wanted to remind you that if you're local to Green Bay, Wisconsin, I'll be vending my first ever big Pride event at Proud Out Loud at Stage Ten Seventeen from 12-8pm. I will be a vendor indoors. I'll have Pride exclusives and tons of merch to shop, in addition to my book, of course. Here are the details if you're curious:\\ \\ \\ \\ I hope I see you all there! One more house keeping thing, we have finalized our Quarter 3 Book Club Pick _and_ our _Behind The Book_ chat! We will be reading _Hijab Butch Blues_ by Lamya H(she/they), and will ALSO be talking with them July 31st from 7-8 pm CST/8-9pm EST. Quarter 3 will be July, August and September. So, we'll have 3 months to dive in and discuss this book along the way. I will also be holding a giveaway for the paperback UK edition. More details on that coming in July. \\ \\ But Sawyer, you told us last time we are speaking with DeAndra Davis in July for the _Beyond The Rainbow_ chat!? YES! We're talking to **BOTH OF THEM IN JULY**. And I'm so pumped. More details coming later this week.\\ \\ **NOW**. For the books that changed my brain chemistry. Here are my Top 5 Nonfiction Reads:\\ \\ \\ \\ In no particular order, these are my Top 5 Nonfiction books:\\ \\ 1. **_The Rainbow Ain't Never Been Enuf: On The Myth of LGBTQ+ Solidarity_ by Dr. Kaila Story**. This book gave me so much material to digest, I not only listened to the audiobook, I bought a physical copy to immediately reread to annotate. (I don't typically reread books. Let alone in the same month.) Dr. Kaila Story will also be with us Tuesday, June 16th from 12-1pm CST/1-2 pm EST to discuss this book, Pride, and everything in between. Zoom information coming soon.\\ \\ 2. **_Falling Back In Love With Being Human: Letters To Lost Souls_ by Kai Cheng Thom.** This book was like reading a book of forgiveness to those that have wronged you. The book itself is broken up into different formats - poems, prayers, spells, letters, etc. Truly an eye opening book and one that has sat with me since it's release.\\ \\ 3. **_Black Boy Out Of Time_ by Hari Ziyad**. Y'all. I had an e-copy of this book, purchased the audiobook, and still have yet to purchase the physical copy. But the way Ziyad writes letters to his younger self throughout the book, healed something inside of me. Ziyad discusses growing up as a queer Black kid with a religious upbringing and how he navigated that. It's a masterpiece that should be required reading.\\ \\ 4. **_Hijab Butch Blues_ by Lamya H**. Seeing as how this book is our Q3 book club selection, it should come as no surprise that it also made my top 5 list. Growing up in an extremely (cultish) religious upbringing, I related to Lamya's stories about herself in relation to the Qur'an. Truly a must read if you can relate to navigating religion or religious trauma.\\ \\ 5. **_Gender Queer_ by Maia Kobabe**. This book gave my adult self the ability to put words to my gender and identity that I was searching for. Truly a book that needs to be read by youth and adults alike. (The annotated edition was also just released in May, and I _need_ it.)\\ \\ \\ Just typing out those 5 books, I thought of like 5 more I could've added. lol. Here are the Top 5 Fiction books that altered my brain:\\ \\ \\ \\ I absolutely stay in my nonfiction bag, so branching out to fiction is way too hard for me. But when I do read fiction, it's usually queer books. These top 5 fiction books left me feeling some type of way about the characters, the plot, the storyline - they just left parts of me feeling seen. Looking at this list, I believe all but one of them are considered YA - I so wish I had these books in my youth. What a difference it could've made. I'm so thankful the kids today have access to stories that reflect them. Here are my Top 5 Fiction Books, in no particular order:\\ \\ 1. **_Love & Other Disasters_ by Anita Kelly**. A book about a recent divorcee and a nonbinary individual? Sounds like Kelly wrote about me and Alisha. To the point Alisha called me London for a brief moment in time due to my shared awkwardness with the character. I will read Kelly's grocery lists. Their books just _never_ miss. Ever.\\ \\ 2. **_Can't Take That Away_ by Steven Salvatore.** Fun fact: This was the first book I ever won in a giveaway on Bookstagram. This book is about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to speak up for themselves and equality to their school administration. And honestly? Still applicable today. A must read for not only parents, but every single kid to know that their voice matters.\\ \\ 3. **_I Wish You All The Best_ by Mason Deaver**. This book hit a little close to home, as it is about a nonbinary teen who got kicked out of their home after coming out to their parents. It follows Ben as they navigate school. anxiety, crushes, and the complexities of being a queer teenager. Deaver is also another author that just never misses.\\ \\ 4. **_Felix Ever After_ by Kacen Callender**. Another fun fact: We named one of the cats Felix after this book. This book follows Felix, a Black, queer, trans teen who is attending an art program in NYC. The overall themes include self-discovery, loving yourself, and accepting the fact that you are deserving of love. Such a beautiful book. \\ \\ 5. **_Cemetery Boys_ by Aiden Thomas**. I have also read this book twice. (I'm sensing a correlation of books reread and my top 5. lol) I love the fact that this book explores coming out as trans and navigating it with family and belonging. Such a tender book. I cannot wait until Thomas releases the sequel, _Espiritu_, later this year.\\ \\ \\ And there you have it. My top 10 nonfiction/fiction books. I still could have added more books to both lists the more I sit here and think about them. But now I'm curious, if you could **_ONLY_** (yes, only) pick 5 books in each category, which books would you choose? Meet me in our Discord to tell me, or drop them in a comment below.\\ \\ I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday and a very happy day 4 of Pride.\\ \\ With all my trans joy,\\ \\ Sawyer Cole\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://notaphase.binderybooks.com/item/BDFO0nPtONTDtLT4S47P/) [Trans Joy Thursday](https://notaphase.binderybooks.com/item/BDFO0nPtONTDtLT4S47P/) * * * 11 books 3 [Not A Phase Books\\ \\ Sawyer Cole Hobson\\ \\ • May 17](https://notaphase.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Hi friends and happy Sunday!\\ \\ It's March 17th, so it's also _International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia,_ also known as IHOBIT.\\ \\ I'm writing this from my desk, as it's my long weekend to work, and also, it's a rainy, dreary day here in Green Bay, WI, which always causes for a little more reflection from me.\\ \\ With the current administration in office attacking and stripping away gender-affirming healthcare from trans youth, calling "pro-transgender" people terrorists, and the recent news of the murder of 19-year-old Juniper Blessing - all within a week - I wanted to highlight trans joy. Which seems to be a moot point right now, as rights are being taken away left and right, we're getting murdered for doing our laundry, and the overall state of _gestures broadly_ the world, it's important - now more than ever - that we celebrate _US_ \- our wins, our gender-affirming care, our lives, our voices, our stories.\\ \\ Most of you that follow me on Bookstagram, have followed my journey with recently receiving gender-affirming care in the shape of top surgery January 7th of this year; and while I knew it would alter my life, I don't think I realized just _how much_. I find myself rubbing my chest in awe frequently throughout the day - like, this is really mine. Proud recipient of the no titty committee, at your service. This is real life. And it is mine. In all its trans glory.\\ \\ That's joy. It brings me joy every time I touch my chest. Or take a shower and see my reflection staring back at me in the mirror - I get to live authentically; out loud, every day. And to think that the current administration is taking that opportunity away from our trans youth - that worries me, both as a mental health professional, and as a trans adult that suffered finding my own way out of those "formative years" alive.\\ \\ In writing this, I wanted to bring along some books, just a few that popped into my mind, that screamed _Trans Joy_ to me. There's so many amazing trans books out there right now, but these I have read and they all hold a special place in my heart. I hope you will read them and love them as much as I do:\\ \\ \\ \\ The books, in no particular order, are as follows:\\ \\ - _Love & Other Disasters_ by Anita Kelly\\ \\ - _Gender Queer_ by Maia Kobabe\\ \\ - _Cemetery Boys_ by Aiden Thomas\\ \\ - _Falling Back In Love With Being Human_ by Kai Cheng Thom\\ \\ - _Felix Ever After_ by Kacen Callender\\ \\ - _Sylvia And Marsha Start A Revolution_ by Joy Ellison & Teshika Silver\\ \\ - _I Wish You All The Best_ by Mason Deaver\\ \\ - _Trans History_ by Alex L. Combs & Andrew Eakett\\ \\ \\ Again, I know there are literal dozens upon dozens of trans books that center joy, and this list is very much subjective, and I left so many out, but I wanted to highlight them because at the end of the day, it's important we share trans joy in the face of adversity. It's important we continue to speak up so as not to be silenced into fear. \\ \\ I hope you immerse yourselves in joy today - in whatever form that looks like to you. \\ \\ With all my trans joy,\\ \\ Sawyer Cole\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://notaphase.binderybooks.com/item/6g0Sljs5Yo0sQtVFu3Fi/) [Trans Joy](https://notaphase.binderybooks.com/item/6g0Sljs5Yo0sQtVFu3Fi/) * * * 8 books 3 [Reading Fools\\ \\ Marston Quinn\\ \\ • Mar 12](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [****Banned Books Central List**** \\ \\ As many of you already know, I have a real thing for **banned books**. Specifically, I like to read them and explain why they _shouldn’t_ be banned.\\ \\ Although recent book banning has focused on targeting marginalized groups, especially the LGBTQIA and black communities, there’s a long history of censorship that stretches back throughout human history, has affected every group, _and_ been perpetrated by every group.\\ \\ I’m currently working on a video series in which I read and discuss banned books. As I update that series, I’ll indicate which books I’ve read and which books I plan to read here. **Note: I source my banned books from lists compiled by the GOATs on this subject, the** **American Library Association** **and** **PEN America** **.**\\ \\ **Banned Books I’ve Read for the Series**\\ \\ - **Gender Queer: A Memoir**, Maia Kobabe, Graphic Memoir; watch on Instagram, TikTok, & YouTube\\ \\ - **Flamer**, Mike Curato, YA Graphic Novel; watch on Instagram, TikTok, & YouTube\\ \\ - **Sold**, Patricia McCormick, YA Fiction (verse novel); video coming soon.\\ \\ \\ **Additional Banned Books (unranked and unsorted)**\\ \\ - **The Bluest Eye**, Toni Morrison, Literary Fiction\\ \\ - **The Perks of Being a Wallflower**, Stephen Chbosky, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Looking for Alaska**, John Green, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **All Boys Aren't Blue**, George M. Johnson, Memoir/Essays\\ \\ - **Tricks**, Ellen Hopkins, YA Fiction (verse novel)\\ \\ - **Me and Earl and the Dying Girl**, Jesse Andrews, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Crank**, Ellen Hopkins, YA Fiction (verse novel)\\ \\ - **Nineteen Minutes**, Jodi Picoult, Fiction/Thriller\\ \\ - **Thirteen Reasons Why**, Jay Asher, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **The Handmaid's Tale**, Margaret Atwood, Dystopian Fiction\\ \\ - **Water for Elephants**, Sara Gruen, Historical Fiction\\ \\ - **The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian**, Sherman Alexie, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **The Kite Runner**, Khaled Hosseini, Literary Fiction\\ \\ - **A Court of Mist and Fury**, Sarah J. Maas, Fantasy/Romance\\ \\ - **Identical**, Ellen Hopkins, YA Fiction (verse novel)\\ \\ - **Out of Darkness**, Ashley Hope Pérez, YA Historical Fiction\\ \\ - **A Court of Wings and Ruin**, Sarah J. Maas, Fantasy/Romance\\ \\ - **The Hate U Give**, Angie Thomas, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **A Court of Frost and Starlight**, Sarah J. Maas, Fantasy/Romance\\ \\ - **Lucky**, Alice Sebold, Memoir\\ \\ - **Tilt**, Ellen Hopkins, YA Fiction (verse novel)\\ \\ - **Beloved**, Toni Morrison, Literary Fiction\\ \\ - **Living Dead Girl**, Elizabeth Scott, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Forever…**, Judy Blume, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Damsel**, Elana K. Arnold, YA Fantasy\\ \\ - **I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter**, Erika L. Sánchez, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Last Night at the Telegraph Club**, Malinda Lo, YA Historical Fiction\\ \\ - **Speak**, Laurie Halse Anderson, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Breathless**, Jennifer Niven, YA Romance\\ \\ - **The Color Purple**, Alice Walker, Literary Fiction\\ \\ - **Monday's Not Coming**, Tiffany D. Jackson, YA Mystery/Thriller\\ \\ - **The Haters**, Jesse Andrews, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Beyond Magenta**, Susan Kuklin, YA Nonfiction\\ \\ - **Milk and Honey**, Rupi Kaur, Poetry\\ \\ - **Perfect**, Ellen Hopkins, YA Fiction (verse novel)\\ \\ - **Fallout**, Ellen Hopkins, YA Fiction (verse novel)\\ \\ - **Slaughterhouse-Five**, Kurt Vonnegut, Literary Fiction/Satire\\ \\ - **What Girls Are Made Of**, Elana K. Arnold, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Drama: A Graphic Novel**, Raina Telgemeier, Middle Grade Graphic Novel\\ \\ - **The Carnival at Bray**, Jessie Ann Foley, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Wicked**, Gregory Maguire, Fantasy\\ \\ - **Impulse**, Ellen Hopkins, YA Fiction (verse novel)\\ \\ - **Shine**, Lauren Myracle, YA Mystery\\ \\ - **The Sun and Her Flowers**, Rupi Kaur, Poetry\\ \\ - **I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings**, Maya Angelou, Autobiography\\ \\ - **A Clockwork Orange**, Anthony Burgess, Dystopian Fiction/Satire\\ \\ - **The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend**, Kody Keplinger, YA Fiction\\ \\ - **Storm and Fury**, Jennifer L. Armentrout, YA Fantasy/Romance](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/item/GmSfGjDh8qrCJC3F7pqi/) [Banned Books Central List](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/item/GmSfGjDh8qrCJC3F7pqi/) * * * 3 books 2 [Reading Fools\\ \\ Marston Quinn\\ \\ • Mar 1](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [> February was a mix of genre fiction, literary fiction, memoir, and steamy romance with some banned books thrown in.\\ \\ **_The Devils_**(Amazon/Bookshop) by Joe Abercrombie. February’s pick for my boys book club. It reads like a well-executed Dungeons & Dragons campaign, which is a good thing. A _Suicide Squad_-like group of ne’er-do-wells are press-ganged into service by a fictionalized, women-led Catholic Church in a fantasy medieval Europe where Carthage’s witchdoctors built Venice, the Pope is a ten-year-old girl (and the most gifted magic user in her generation), and human-eating elves have taken over the Holy Land. I laughed more during this book than any other read in recent memory.\\ \\ **_Kitchen Confidential_**(Amazon/Bookshop) by Anthony Bourdain. One of my favorite memoirs and also the rare book that perhaps works even better as an audiobook, delivered of course by the inimitable Bourdain. The book captures Bourdain’s life as a chef before he became a global phenomenon, and if you’re unfamiliar with that period of his life, I highly recommend giving it a read (or listen!).\\ \\ **_The Edge of Sadness_**(Amazon) by Edwin O’Connor. I read this book with TikTok’s excellent Panic\_Kyle as part of his ongoing series in which he is reading all the Pulitzer Prize-winning novels. This winner from 1962 follows an Irish-American Catholic priest who finds himself unexpectedly entangled with a sprawling family from his past. I loved this book, which has been largely forgotten, and I highly encourage you to give the description a read and see if you might like it too.\\ \\ **_Ejaculate Responsibly_**(Amazon/Bookshop) by Gabrielle Blair. This book should be taught in schools. Truly, you can read it in under an hour and—in particular—I think it will change the way men look at certain responsibilities.\\ \\ _More_ **_Heated Rivalry_** _, specifically_ **_Game Changer_**(Amazon/Bookshop) and **_The Long Game_**(Amazon/Bookshop) by Rachel Reid. What can I say? They’re fun brain candy to listen to while I’m doing dishes. I do a lot of dishes. _Game Changer_ is actually the first book in the series, although it’s adapted into Season 1 of _Heated Rivalry_ as a sub-plot, and _The Long Game_ is the sixth book, but the most direct continuation of Ilya & Shane’s story. Having listened to it, I’m ready for _Heated Rivalry_ season two!\\ \\ **_The Snowy Day_**(Amazon/Bookshop) by Ezra Jack Keats. Apparently everyone on Earth _except_ me knew about this beloved 1962 children’s classic, following a young boy named Peter during an unexpected snow day in the city. I found out about it during a visit to the New York Public Library’s Polonsky Treasures exhibition, where the most checked out copy is on display, because _The Snowy Day_ is **the most checked out book in the history of the NYPL**.\\ \\ **_Gender Queer_**(Amazon/Bookshop) by Maia Kobabe. I’ve started a regular series reading and discussing banned books over on social media and I kicked it off with this graphic novel, which has become one of the most banned books in America. Kobabe is nonbinary and uses e/eir pronouns. _Gender Queer_ is eir memoir of coming to terms with eir identity and is about as harmless as can be. I also happen to think it’s a great introduction to aspects of the gender spectrum many people might not have a lot of familiarity with.\\ \\ **_Flamer_**(Amazon/Bookshop) by Mike Curato. The second banned book we looked at, _Flamer_ is a semi-autobiographical story influenced by Curato’s own experiences as a closeted teen with a Catholic upbringing and his experiences with the Boy Scouts in the summer of 1995. Another quick, great read which doesn’t deserve any of the pushback it’s gotten.](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/item/WsbnxPEGajhBE4EanDxz/) [February Reading Roundup](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/item/WsbnxPEGajhBE4EanDxz/) * * * 9 books 3 [Reading Fools\\ \\ Marston Quinn\\ \\ • Feb 20](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Reading Updates & Impending Launch!](https://readingfools.binderybooks.com/item/kNhu8WyIHJkz6XVGl5Sw/) The Snowy Day is probably the most checked out book in United States history, and I never knew! You can see this copy at the @nypl #books #childrensbooks #library #blackhistorymonth #bookstagram * * * 5 books 5 [2-Spirit Bookshelf\\ \\ (@Indigenousbookshelf)\\ \\ • Nov 20 2025](https://2spiritbookshelf.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Holding space on this TDoR with love, gentleness, and stillness.\\ \\ Sending strength and tenderness to those mourning, to those carrying weight.\\ \\ You are held and loved beyond measure.\\ \\ You matter\\ \\ You belong\\ \\ Your survival is revolution. \\ \\ Those in your orbit are changed by your existence. May we meet that gift with protection, with solidarity, with care that breaks systems open. Our liberation is tied to one another, our paths woven together. I will always show up for those who are fighting to stay whole.\\ \\ Today, I am out on the land with my furry pal, connecting with the old growth trees while honouring our grief, our memories, our love in action 🫂🫀\\ \\ Join for free or login](https://2spiritbookshelf.binderybooks.com/item/vJtJa4utNd4skdwvzDV1/) [Trans Day of Remembrance 🍓🫐🏳️‍⚧️](https://2spiritbookshelf.binderybooks.com/item/vJtJa4utNd4skdwvzDV1/) * * * 20 books 1 [Peppered Ink\\ \\ Mary\\ \\ • Oct 9 2025](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Banned Books Week 2025](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/VA32KkOEuIxRwOi2JmK9/) Some of my favorites (and a few more). * * * 5 books 3 [Wanderland Reads\\ \\ Sayer\\ \\ • Apr 7 2025](https://wanderlandreads.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Banned and Challenged Books](https://wanderlandreads.binderybooks.com/item/bfNDaqCOUHSl3WxY2lsQ/) 📚✨ Join me as I kick off our ongoing series on Banned Books! These are must-read titles that challenge censorship and spark meaningful conversations. These books often face banning for their themes of social justice, sexuality, and political dissent. Let’s celebrate our freedom together! What’s your favorite banned book? Share your suggestions for our library! #BannedBooks #FreedomToRead #LiteraryAwareness #representationmatters #wanderlandreads * * * 65 books [Queer as Books\\ \\ José\\ \\ • Mar 20 2025](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [🏳️‍⚧️ Trans Book Recs 📚](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/item/HAFW7kiE3nvZvc7TZ3Dn/) Perfect for the Trans Rights Readathon starting on March 21st! * * * 15 books 1 [Queer as Books\\ \\ José\\ \\ • Mar 18 2025](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/item/vhqijAdnPuxT9tj12CAl/) [🚀 Early Access 🚀 Trans Book Recs 🏳️‍⚧️ 📚](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/item/vhqijAdnPuxT9tj12CAl/) Perfect for the Trans Rights Readathon that starts on March 21st and all year! * * * 15 books 1 [Peppered Ink\\ \\ Mary\\ \\ • Feb 6 2025](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Happy Hour and Book Bans](https://marysmanybooks.binderybooks.com/item/bPZieNkuvgfH2ZoaQ8HV/) Let's talk HB-710 and a few other ridiculous measures we ought to be challenging. * * * 10 books 3 [Boneyard Picnic\\ \\ Natalie Meagan\\ \\ • Dec 31 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [My Best, Worst and Most Disappointing Reads of 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/item/O6pkD7Nb4aRa4Fsf1XKc/) Please enjoy my list of the best, worst and most disappointing books I read in 2024! * * * 11 books 2 [Boneyard Picnic\\ \\ Natalie Meagan\\ \\ • Dec 1 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [My Top 10 Reads of 2024](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/item/bQm6lRMyWVda8mDtRGGB/) I read a lot of great books this year, but these 10 are the best of the best! * * * 11 books 4 [2](https://boneyardpicnic.binderybooks.com/item/bQm6lRMyWVda8mDtRGGB/#comments) [Queer as Books\\ \\ José\\ \\ • Nov 20 2024](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Queer Graphic Novel Recommendations](https://queerasbooks.binderybooks.com/item/88hGKViwVQNUHkV7m9RU/) * * * 15 books [Sapph-Lit\\ \\ Nina\\ \\ • Nov 7 2024](https://sapphlit.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [If you’ve been on BookTok in the last few days, I’m sure you’ve seen the several few accounts talking about how we should keep politics out of the BookTok space. I won’t give you their account names, their full arguments, because frankly they don’t deserve the time of day, but I want to be crystal _fucking_ clear: **Reading is political. It has always been political.**\\ \\ Anti-literacy laws made it illegal for enslaved and free people of color to read or write. Between 1740 to 1867, it was illegal to even teach POC to read or write.\\ \\ Why? Because to read is to inform. To learn. To uplift and expand. To liberate. **Literacy and education was, and still is, a threat to white heteropatriarchy.**\\ \\ In 2023 alone, the American Library Association (ALA) tracked 4,240 unique titles of books that faced censorship attempts, a 92% increase from the year prior. This does not include what’s called “soft censorship,” where “books are purchased but placed in restricted areas, not used in library displays, or otherwise hidden or kept off limits due to fear of challenges illustrate the impact of organized censorship campaigns on students’ and readers’ freedom to read.” This is just the tip of the iceberg, because many book challenges are not even reported to the ALA.\\ \\ **Of these 4,240 books, “titles representing the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47% of those targeted in censorship attempts.”**\\ \\ 47% PERCENT. The most challenged reportedly being the incredible memoir Gender Queer by Maia Kebab.\\ \\ **Project 2025 holds extreme views about book bans.** It is an extension of arguments we've already se en: that all LGBTQ content is pornography; that all the people who make it are pedophiles; that the teachers and librarians who allow kids access to LGBTQ books are groomers. This is where those arguments lead. First Amendment rights will not apply, meaning we will no longer have freedom of speech to protect us.\\ \\ According to the New York Times, researchers surveyed 1,300 U.S. library workers in 2022, who reported that they had "experienced more than 8,000 incidents that the researchers labeled traumatic, such as threats, assault or harassment. The library workers also cited other stressors that made their jobs more difficult, including conflicts with library administrators, aging buildings and **the fallout over book bans."**\\ \*\*Libraries are meant to be a safe space, but because of book bans and budget cuts (hello Eric Adams!) our libraries are threatened. \*\*Brooklyn Public Library founded Books Unbanned in 2022 to support the rights of teens nationwide to read what they like, form their own opinions, and work together with peers across the nation to defend and expand the freedom to read. Student aged (13-26) U.S. residents can get digital library card full access to a number of libraries so they can read banned books no matter where they live.\\ \\ **_**In publishing Sapph-Lit books, in sharing sapphic stories and celebrating queer joy and supporting LGBTQIA+ authors, we are engaging in a political act.**_** \\ \\ Below are some of my favorite banned books. _**Which is your favorite?**_\\ \\ 01. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison\\ 02. Beloved by Toni Morrison\\ 03. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky\\ 04. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George Johnson\\ 05. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls\\ 06. Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien\\ 07. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins\\ 08. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silver\\ 09. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini\\ 10. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel\\ 11. The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones\\ 12. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel\\ 13. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender\\ 14. Critical Race Theory by Kimberle Crenshaw\\ 15. Persepolis by Maryjane Satrapi\\ 16. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison\\ 17. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou\\ 18. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo\\ 19. Red at the Bone by Jaqueline Woodson\\ 20. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas](https://sapphlit.binderybooks.com/item/wfqhdsRRcwvRV0uAc5gQ/) [Reading is Political](https://sapphlit.binderybooks.com/item/wfqhdsRRcwvRV0uAc5gQ/) Duh. But especially now that I run a sapphic publishing imprint. * * * 8 books 11 [Fairly Queer Books\\ \\ Fareeha\\ \\ • Jun 20 2024](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/) [8 of My Favorite Queer Stories](https://fairlyqueer.binderybooks.com/item/cJDusFDG12s913zxvSAG/) Happy summer solstice! ☀️Here's a list of my favorite queer stories ranging from manga, short story collections, fantasy, and comics. * * * 7 books [Mood Reads\\ \\ Hannah\\ \\ • Mar 19 2024](https://moodreads.binderybooks.com/) Join for free \\ \\ Upgrade for $5 or login](https://moodreads.binderybooks.com/item/5mMpkFtL08QSe9Q4ngNj/) [My Favorite Graphic Memoirs (Part 1)](https://moodreads.binderybooks.com/item/5mMpkFtL08QSe9Q4ngNj/) The best of both worlds for comic book and memoir lovers! * * * 4 books 3 [The Inky Phoenix\\ \\ Kathryn Budig\\ \\ • Oct 2 2023](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [READ BANNED BOOKS](https://inkyphoenix.binderybooks.com/item/eDPbPch0vKdM61YiKzZw/) It’s #BannedBooksWeek : now is the time to be loud about the freedom to read and create a world where everyone can see themselves in the pages of a book. Here’s a list to get you going. #theinkyphoenix #inkyphoenixpress #booktok #bannedbookshelf #bannedbooks * * * [Violetear Books\\ \\ Kevin\\ \\ • Mar 20 2023](https://violetear.binderybooks.com/) Join for free [Have you read any of these books yet?! I have not read all books featured in this video, so if my research was incorrect in compiling this list. I apologize in advance and ask that you kindly correct me! I am so excired to see so many of my fellow creators participating in their own ways. There is no right way and this is not a competition. We are here to uplift one another and diversify what we read. Please check out some of the creators I tagged for more book recommendations and information on the Trans Rights Readathon 🥰. #books #lgbtqbooks #transbooks #gaybookrecommendation #booktok](https://violetear.binderybooks.com/item/4jKzQuA9rDxeM55cr2St/) Have you read any of these books yet?! I have not read all books featured in this video, so if my research was incorrect in compiling this list. I apologize in advance and ask that you kindly correct me! I am so excired to see so many of my fellow creators participating in their own ways. There is no right way and this is not a competition. We are here to uplift one another and diversify what we read. Please check out some of the creators I tagged for more book recommendations and information on the Trans Rights Readathon 🥰. #books #lgbtqbooks #transbooks #gaybookrecommendation #booktok * * * 10 books