In the first of our LGBT+ History Month posts, we have a look at some of the current literature that is out there. It’s important to know our history, look at some of the challenges that we face and continue to face, and look at how we can make the future better for LGBT+ people. We’ve compiled a selection of resources that help inform, engage and celebrate.

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker & Jules Scheele

Presented in an engaging and funny way, this portrait of queer thinking is uniquely represented as a non-fiction graphic novel.

‘Could totally change the way you think about sex and gender … an utterly un-dusty tome that questions everything from the way we categorise our sexual desire to the foundations of happiness.’ – VICE 

The Stonewall Reader by Jason Baumann

Marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, an anthology chronicling the tumultuous fight for LGBTQ rights in the 1960s and the activists who spearheaded it. The Stonewall Reader is a collection of accounts, diaries and articles from magazines and newspapers that documented both the years leading up to and the years following the riots. 

“A compilation of first-person accounts and diary entries from activists and participants, along with news articles, essays and more, this work tells the story of events that surrounded the 1969 Stonewall riots, largely seen as the start of the nation’s LGBT civil rights movement.” – CNN.com

Loud and Proud by Tea Uglow & Peter Tatchell

LGBTQ+ speeches that empower and inspire from the LGBTQ+ community and allies. Contributions include Harvey Milk; Munroe Bergdorf; Sir Elton John; Sir Ian McKellen and Olly Alexander.

“The power of words is in full force in this diverse compilation of speeches from LGBTQ people who have changed the conversation and, indeed, the world. A must-have for your queer bookshelf.” – Attitude Magazine

Trans Britain by Christine Burns
Trans Britain documents the journey over recent years through focus on more prominent presence – from TV to politics whilst reflecting on the heritage of the trans community.

‘One of the most interesting books I read this year’ – Guardian Best Books 

Pride : The Story of the LGBTQ Equality Movement by Matthew Todd

This collection of essays by contributors including David Furnish, Nan Goldin, Paris Lees, Jake Shears, Judy Shepard and Will Young. Pride is a unique celebration of LGBTQ culture, an account of the ongoing challenges facing the community, and a testament to the equal rights that have been won for many as a result of the passion and determination of this mass movement. 

‘Wow! This book is absolutely stunning. Powerful, emotional, raw, insightful. This would make the perfect gift, coffee table book, educational guide or most loved possession for anyone who cares about the history of pride and the LGBTQIA+ movement. I can’t express how truly beautiful it is, I almost shed a tear.’

We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer liberation by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown 
An inclusive account of the fight for queer freedom and equality, We Are Everywhere is a beautifully designed photographic journey from queer activism’s roots in late 19th Century Europe, through the Stonewall riots and up to present day politics.

‘The photos in this large book are wonderful. Really gives the reader a taste of all the different facets of the Gay Liberation Movement now the LGBTQ 🌈 civil rights movement. Captivating.’

Queer Intentions – A (Personal) Journey Through LGBTQ+ Culture by Amelia Abraham
Journalist Amelia Abraham takes the temperature of contemporary queer culture, journeying from drag performances in LA to Turkish underground clubs in this insightful and wide-ranging discovery of LGBTQ life as it is lived.  A vibrant, wide ranging exploration of what it means to be queer now, Queer Intentions also asks who is being left behind and where we go from here as a global community.

‘An intersectional and insightful journey through the vast nuances of the queer experience’ – Munroe Bergdorf