So, I'm a huge fan of lgbt movies (particularly lesbian films, seeing as I can relate to those the most aha), but I've never really discovered many lgbt themed books. Any suggestions?
I think my favorite LGBT book so far is "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" by Jeanette Winterson. It's a great read; I definitely recommend it! "The Rubyfruit Jungle" by Rita Mae Brown and "The Well of Loneliness" by Radclyffe Hall are both lesbian classics, but I haven't read the former so I can't necessarily vouch for how good it is. The latter was written in the 1920s and is interesting, if just for the fact that it was one of the first well-known lesbian novels. But it can be sort of a downer (as you might expect) and is of course quite outdated in the way it deals with the lesbian identity. Sorry, I realize my recommendations were very lesbian-centric, just because those are what I personally gravitate toward; anyone else have other suggestions?
I'm hoping for fiction, but I'm open to anything you think is good tbh, I'm also really into autobiographies aha x
I don't read a lot of fiction, although I keep teling myself that I should, just to get away from all the books on politics that keep me up at night. But anyway, I read a wonderful work of fiction by Andrew Binks (Canadian) titled "The Summer Between." It was just a really sweet book about a twelve-year-old struggling with his sexual identity in an environmemt of racism and homophobia, while realizing his parents relationship is falling apart, and trying to understand his feelings for a summertime play friend. The book just tugs at your heart because the young boy is so naive yet hopeful that things will work out. It really moved me because it was so well written.
Fiction: About A Girl, starring a bisexual girl of color who has a trans best friend! Non-fiction: Diary of Anne Frank (not about her sexuality, but she does have a few entries where she discusses her same-sex attractions)
You could check out Velvet Rage. It's written from a gay mans stance, but I think it could easily apply to lesbians as well. You could also check out MP Johnson's books. She is a transgender writer that is published thru Bizarro Books. I met her at Crypticon this year in St. Joe. A good book of hers is Dungeons & Drag Queens. Obviously she is a fiction writer, which is my personal favorite type of stories.
365 days by KE Payne is a good book set in England. The sequel entitled Another 365 days was also pretty good.Just Juliet by Charlotte Reagan was also interesting. Rosemary and Juliet by Judy MacLean featured one girl who was forced in to aversion therapy by her super religious father. Annabel and I by Chris Anne Wolfe is a sweet story that spans several years but was really good. They are all lesbian fiction it's all I really read.
Caitlin R. Kiernan is a trans author from Alabama. Her stuff isn't really LGBT focused, more goth centered, but I find it very beautiful and inspiring. She does a great job a showing emotions.
If you are interested in delving into the dark side of the human psyche to the point of insanity, read one author: Edgar Allen Poe.
I recently discovered a few great lesbian fiction books. Ash and Huntress by Malinda Lo are both fantastic. Ash is a lesbian retelling of Cinderella (what more could you want in a book) and Huntress is a kind-of prequel set in the same universe. The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie is also excellent. it's got sea monsters, pirates, and lesbian pirates. cannot recommend highly enough. it's also got a sequel, The Edge of the Abyss these are both fantasy/ sci-fi, which I'm not certain if you're interested in. but they're both great!
Stranger than Fanfiction isn't really LGBT themed, but I think it's a good thing that it doesn't just focus on the LGBT characters. 2 of the 5 main characters are LGBT.