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Trans Community

Trans Community

Last updated: April 18, 2025

    The best books on Queer History, recommended by Benno Gammerl

  • Read
    The best books on Queer History - Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution by Susan Stryker

    1

    Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution
    by Susan Stryker

  • Read
    The best books on Queer History - Queer London by Matt Houlbrook

    2

    Queer London
    by Matt Houlbrook

  • Read
    The best books on Queer History - Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy & Madeline D. Davis

    3

    Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community
    by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy & Madeline D. Davis

  • Read
    The best books on Queer History - Not Straight, Not White: Black Gay Men from the March on Washington to the AIDS Crisis by Kevin Mumford

    4

    Not Straight, Not White: Black Gay Men from the March on Washington to the AIDS Crisis
    by Kevin Mumford

  • Read
    The best books on Queer History - How Soon is Now? Medieval Texts, Amateur Readers and the Queerness of Time by Carolyn Dinshaw

    5

    How Soon is Now? Medieval Texts, Amateur Readers and the Queerness of Time
    by Carolyn Dinshaw

  • Queer history is not simply about exploring the historical incidence of non-heteronormative sexual desire and experience. It is also a way of looking at the past and of placing gender and sexuality at the heart of historical change. Here, Benno Gammerl, professor of Gender and Sexuality at the European University Institute, explains.

  • The best books on Queer History - Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution by Susan Stryker
  • The best books on Queer History - Queer London by Matt Houlbrook
  • The best books on Queer History - Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy & Madeline D. Davis
  • The best books on Queer History - Not Straight, Not White: Black Gay Men from the March on Washington to the AIDS Crisis by Kevin Mumford
  • The best books on Queer History - How Soon is Now? Medieval Texts, Amateur Readers and the Queerness of Time by Carolyn Dinshaw

The best books on Queer History, recommended by Benno Gammerl

Queer history is not simply about exploring the historical incidence of non-heteronormative sexual desire and experience. It is also a way of looking at the past and of placing gender and sexuality at the heart of historical change. Here, Benno Gammerl, professor of Gender and Sexuality at the European University Institute, explains.

The best books on Queer History, recommended by Benno Gammerl

    Landmark LGBTQI books, recommended by Rosie Wilby

  • Read
    Landmark LGBTQI books - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

    1

    Tipping the Velvet
    by Sarah Waters

  • Read
    Landmark LGBTQI books - Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin

    2

    Tales of the City
    by Armistead Maupin

  • Read
    Landmark LGBTQI books - Out of the Woods by Luke Turner

    3

    Out of the Woods
    by Luke Turner

  • Read
    Landmark LGBTQI books - Detransition, Baby: A Novel by Torrey Peters

    4

    Detransition, Baby: A Novel
    by Torrey Peters

  • Read
    Landmark LGBTQI books - Golden Boy: A Novel by Abigail Tarttelin

    5

    Golden Boy: A Novel
    by Abigail Tarttelin

  • Queer readers have had to transpose themselves into heteronormative stories for most of their lives, says the comedian and writer Rosie Wilby. That's one of the reasons why straight, cis- readers should make time to read books from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex community. Here she highlights five landmark books by LGBTQI writers that everyone should read.  

  • Landmark LGBTQI books - Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
  • Landmark LGBTQI books - Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
  • Landmark LGBTQI books - Out of the Woods by Luke Turner
  • Landmark LGBTQI books - Detransition, Baby: A Novel by Torrey Peters
  • Landmark LGBTQI books - Golden Boy: A Novel by Abigail Tarttelin

Landmark LGBTQI books, recommended by Rosie Wilby

Queer readers have had to transpose themselves into heteronormative stories for most of their lives, says the comedian and writer Rosie Wilby. That’s one of the reasons why straight, cis- readers should make time to read books from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex community. Here she highlights five landmark books by LGBTQI writers that everyone should read.  

Landmark LGBTQI books, recommended by Rosie Wilby

    The Best of Trans Literature, recommended by Susan Stryker

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg

    1

    Confessions of the Fox
    by Jordy Rosenberg

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - I've Got a Time Bomb by Sybil Lamb

    2

    I've Got a Time Bomb
    by Sybil Lamb

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C Riley Snorton

    3

    Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity
    by C Riley Snorton

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Histories of the Transgender Child by Julian Gill-Peterson

    4

    Histories of the Transgender Child
    by Julian Gill-Peterson

  • Read
    The Best of Trans Literature - Trap Door: Trans Cultural Production and the Politics of Visibility edited by Reina Gossett, Eric A Stanley and Johanna Burton

    5

    Trap Door: Trans Cultural Production and the Politics of Visibility
    edited by Reina Gossett, Eric A Stanley and Johanna Burton

  • Many of the current controversies over trans rights and identities derive from false beliefs, explains the author and academic Susan Stryker. Here she selects five excellent contemporary trans titles with depth, complexity and heart, to help us reframe what has all too often become a toxic debate

  • The Best of Trans Literature - Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg
  • The Best of Trans Literature - I've Got a Time Bomb by Sybil Lamb
  • The Best of Trans Literature - Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C Riley Snorton
  • The Best of Trans Literature - Histories of the Transgender Child by Julian Gill-Peterson
  • The Best of Trans Literature - Trap Door: Trans Cultural Production and the Politics of Visibility edited by Reina Gossett, Eric A Stanley and Johanna Burton

The Best of Trans Literature, recommended by Susan Stryker

Many of the current controversies over trans rights and identities derive from false beliefs, explains the author and academic Susan Stryker. Here she selects five excellent contemporary trans titles with depth, complexity and heart, to help us reframe what has all too often become a toxic debate

The Best of Trans Literature, recommended by Susan Stryker

    The Best Autofiction, recommended by Juliet Jacques

  • Read
    The Best Autofiction - Trawl by B. S. Johnson

    1

    Trawl
    by B. S. Johnson

  • Read
    The Best Autofiction - Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg

    2

    Stone Butch Blues
    by Leslie Feinberg

  • Read
    The Best Autofiction - I Love Dick by Chris Kraus

    3

    I Love Dick
    by Chris Kraus

  • Read
    The Best Autofiction - How Should A Person Be? by Sheila Heti

    4

    How Should A Person Be?
    by Sheila Heti

  • Read
    The Best Autofiction - I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Lagercrantz

    5

    I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic
    by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Lagercrantz

  • Autofiction is writing that blurs the boundaries between autobiography and fiction. The writer of Trans: A Memoir, Juliet Jacques, picks her top five examples of the genre.

  • The Best Autofiction - Trawl by B. S. Johnson
  • The Best Autofiction - Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
  • The Best Autofiction - I Love Dick by Chris Kraus
  • The Best Autofiction - How Should A Person Be? by Sheila Heti
  • The Best Autofiction - I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Lagercrantz

The Best Autofiction, recommended by Juliet Jacques

Autofiction is writing that blurs the boundaries between autobiography and fiction. The writer of Trans: A Memoir, Juliet Jacques, picks her top five examples of the genre.

The Best Autofiction, recommended by Juliet Jacques

    The best books on Gender Outlaws, recommended by Kate Bornstein

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Outlaws - Mother Camp by Esther Newton

    1

    Mother Camp
    by Esther Newton

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Outlaws - Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg

    2

    Stone Butch Blues
    by Leslie Feinberg

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Outlaws - The Sandman by Dirk Maggs (audiobook adaptation), Full Cast & Neil Gaiman

    3

    The Sandman
    by Dirk Maggs (audiobook adaptation), Full Cast & Neil Gaiman

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Outlaws - Whipping Girl by Julia Serano

    4

    Whipping Girl
    by Julia Serano

  • Read
    The best books on Gender Outlaws - Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation by Kate Bornstein and S Bear Bergman (editors)

    5

    Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation
    by Kate Bornstein and S Bear Bergman (editors)

  • The author, gender theorist and self-described “SM femme tranny dyke” tells us why gender isn’t binary, and recommends books that give long-suppressed voice to the transgender community

  • The best books on Gender Outlaws - Mother Camp by Esther Newton
  • The best books on Gender Outlaws - Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
  • The best books on Gender Outlaws - The Sandman by Dirk Maggs (audiobook adaptation), Full Cast & Neil Gaiman
  • The best books on Gender Outlaws - Whipping Girl by Julia Serano
  • The best books on Gender Outlaws - Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation by Kate Bornstein and S Bear Bergman (editors)

The best books on Gender Outlaws, recommended by Kate Bornstein

The author, gender theorist and self-described “SM femme tranny dyke” tells us why gender isn’t binary, and recommends books that give long-suppressed voice to the transgender community

The best books on Gender Outlaws, recommended by Kate Bornstein

About

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

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