Celebrating Queer Authors

James Baldwin was a pioneer in American literature. He was not just a writer; he was a civil rights activist. He has written many critically acclaimed novels and essays, including Go Tell It on the Mountain, Giovanni’s Room, and If Beale Street Could Talk. Aside from his civil rights activism, his novels typically include gay and bisexual men, which at the time was extremely uncommon. Baldwin himself was a queer man who chose not to label himself as he felt it was too limiting.

Casey McQuiston is a very popular LGBTQ author, best known for their novel Red, White & Royal Blue, which was adapted into a movie! It follows a flirtatious relationship between the son of the president of the United States and the Prince of Wales. McQuiston’s other titles include One Last Stop, I Kissed Shara Wheeler, and The Pairing. What’s special about McQuiston’s works is that all of their novels feature queer characters and storylines. I highly recommend checking them out; I guarantee you will find a book for you!

Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer broke barriers by featuring a main character who identifies as being outside of the gender binary. It acts as a memoir for Kobabe, both the author and cartoonist of the story. Gender Queer was named the most challenged book in 2021, 2022, and 2023 by the ALA because it contains LGBTQ+ themes. I highly recommend looking into this story, as it provides a perspective and experience that is underrepresented in media today.

V.E. Schwab has an incredible catalogue of books to choose from. She has a multitude of series, such as Shades of Magic, stand-alones such as Near Witch and Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, and other interesting reads like her short stories and graphic novels. Schwab combines magic, action, and thrill in her books, and her novels often contain queer characters and storylines. Another interesting fact about Schwab is that she also has a novel released under a pseudonym, The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clark. Personally, I recommend her novel Vicious, and her most popular title, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

Ocean Vuong is an author you should check out if you’re in the mood for something sad. His most popular title is On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, which explores themes of family and race. Vuong is also a poet, having published collections titled Night Sky With Exit Wounds and Time is a Mother. Vuong also has another book published, titled The Emperor of Gladness. I highly recommend looking into his writing if you’re looking to get a little emotional!