When it comes to nonfiction, perhaps none is more personal, more vulnerable than memoir. Below you'll find incredible writers who push the boundaries of nonfiction to explore all the ways you can exist in this world, authentically and honestly. From graphic narratives about mothers and gender queerness to nonfictional prose about intergenerational families and disability, these memoirs present some of the most potent examples of LGBTQ+ memoir today.
The Prince of Los Cocuyos
by Richard Blanco
Royalty among the fireflies (the English translation of los cocuyos), Richard “Riqui” Blanco grew up with a loving, if sometimes overbearing Cuban-American family amidst the heat of Miami, Florida. A young queer kid who grew up between two different worlds, Blanco was caught between the memories of his family’s nostalgia for pre-revolution Cuba and the aspirations of their American dream. Written by the first Latino and openly gay inaugural poet, The Prince of Los Cocuyos is a lovely exploration of the life that made one of America’s greatest poets. If you’re looking for a tender voice and contemplative exploration of queer Cuban-American identity, look no further than Richard Blanco.
Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama
by Alison Bechdel
How well do you know your mother? Alison Bechdel asks this question herself, searching through art and memory to answer this question of her relationship to her mother, a brilliant but complicated woman. Tied together by a deep love for creative expression and familial trauma, Alison explores the way she and her mother are clearly alike, and the ways their personal differences have pushed them off on their own paths. Combining personal psychological analysis, through the works of D.W. Winnicott, with queer literary scholarship and personal memory excavation, Are You My Mother? draws a deeply provoking text, exploring the depth of a unique relationship between mother and daughter.
Other Boys
by Damian Alexander
It’s tough to be a kid. Things can be even tougher when you grow up without a mom and prefer playing with barbies versus G.I. Joes. At least, that’s what life is like for young Damian, raised by his grandparents after a vicious tragedy and teased by other kids for being “different.” Damian Alexander’s voice as an artist is empathetic and honest, his comic evoking a call to all other readers who have ever felt scared and alone. It's drawn with tender sensitivity and a thoughtful eye for color. May all readers who need a kind read find their way to this beautiful graphic novel.
Spinning
by Tillie Walden
Day in and day out, young Tillie practiced figure skating, growing up under the glowing, but harsh spotlight of competitive figure-skating. Though the ice has defined her, she soon begins to wonder if maybe there’s a world beyond the rink, one where her “passion” doesn't completely dominate her life. Confronting the sacrifices required of a life dedicated to sport, Tillie Walden draws a thoughtful coming-of-age story, exploring her memories of coming out and growing up beyond her skates.
A Cup of Water Under My Bed
by Daisy Hernández
Language, family, faith, love. Acclaimed writer Daisy Hernández explores all these things in her stunning memoir, A Cup of Water Under My Bed. Tracing her life back to her childhood, navigating Spanish and English in school, and later the language of queerness, Hernández’s tale is a relatable story of navigating one’s identity among the confusing chaos of life and family. Honoring her family’s Colombian-Cuban roots, A Cup of Water Under My Bed is a provoking memoir exploring race, class, and queerness.
The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pictures
by ND Stevenson
Creator of the award-winning comics, Nimona and Lumberjanes, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, all by the age of 27, ND Stevenson definitely made a name for themselves early on. But what’s on the flip side of all the achievement and success? The Fire Never Goes Out explores the burning passion behind one particular artist’s journey while navigating mental health and coming out. If you’re an artist looking to give yourself permission to slow down and breathe, then I definitely recommend checking out this graphic memoir.
Gender Queer: A Memoir
by Maia Kobabe
In the beginning of this memoir, we start with Maia Kobabe as a student in art school vowing to draw something so personal as eir gender. Luckily, as it turns out, that promise was soon broken, and definitely for the better. Gender Queer is a gorgeously drawn memoir exploring the creator’s journey towards understanding eir gender and sexuality while growing into eir powerful artistic expression. Stories like Kobabe’s are needed now more than ever, so next time you stop by the bookstore or local library, definitely pick up a copy!
Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story
by Jacob Tobia
Before they knew what genderqueer and nonbinary meant, sissy was the only word young Jacob knew to describe “difference.” While other kids seemed content playing sports and going with the status quo, Tobia loved playing with dolls and fashion, always seeming to break the binary. Growing into a passionate activist and thoughtful academic, Tobia advocates for a world where we get to “play” with gender, to move towards a world less based on toxic gender stereotypes and more on gentle self-actualization. Iconic activist and fashion icon, Jacob Tobia’s Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story is a well-renowned memoir about the power of owning one’s truth, and being fabulous along the way.
In the Dream House
by Carmen Maria Machado
What happens when the familiar becomes the nightmare? When home is no longer haven but a haunted house? When Machado finds themselves moving into a beautiful house with a brilliant, passionate woman, they thought they were entering their own fairytale. Unfortunately, as the real history of fairytales show, not all “happy endings” are guaranteed, and sometimes the apple, however sweet it looks, turns out to be poisoned. Documenting the little-known (but present) reality of same-sex domestic abuse, innovative storyteller Carmen Maria Machado plays with the literary conventions normally associated with horror to explore memory and love in this breathtaking memoir.
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More
by Janet Mock
Before she became the legendary woman and pop culture game changer she is today, Janet Mock was a feminine young child learning how to navigate the world that did not recognize her womanhood. Recalling her memories growing up in the tropical (not-so-paradise) of Hawaii, Mock outlines her life as a BIPOC trans woman, navigating sex-work and later the worlds of academia and entertainment. A important voice in the canon of trans literature, Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More is a necessary read.
Mean Little Deaf Queer: A Memoir
by Terry Galloway
A military brat with boxy hearing aids and Coke-bottle glasses, Terry Galloway definitely stood out from the other kids at her school. But as fortune favors the bold, she took the attention and turned it into art, becoming a performing artist who integrated her disability and queerness into her world. A self-described “deaf, lesbian writer and performer who writes and performs,” Terry Galloway’s memoir, Mean Little Deaf Queer, is a refreshingly honest take on life, love, and theater.
All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto
by George M. Johnson
What if the world simply wasn’t boy or girl, pink or blue? Writer George M. Johnson raised important questions in their acclaimed memoir, All Boys Aren't Blue. Growing up as an AMAB Black kid in America, Johnson was no stranger to the cruelty of entwined forces of homophobia and racism. Yet there is also tenderness and love in this book, a dedication to Black joy and survival. All Boys Aren't Blue is an intense and considerate contemplation on gender, family, abuse, and pride.
Flamer
by Mike Curato
When Aiden Navarro goes to summer camp, he is definitely not prepared for what’s going to happen. Navigating change is trial by fire, especially when you’re a teenager questioning your sexuality. One’s heart breaks for Aiden, fighting for air in a world filled with bullies, while still finding hope in a story that allows kids like Aiden to find humor and love in unexpected places. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult Literature, Mike Curato is an artistic force to be reckoned with.
The Times I Knew I Was Gay
by Eleanor Crewes
Life is meant for questions. And Ellie has questions, especially about how “straight” she thinks she is. A brilliant artist from the UK, Eleanor Crewes recollects all the times she recognized her own queerness despite the overwhelming force of compulsory heterosexuality. Drawn with a unique and enjoyable art style, The Times I Knew I Was Gay is a compassionate story about learning self-acceptance and having fun along the way. If you haven’t already read this, please read it now.
Continuum
by Chella Man
A short but sweet book on the power and joy that can be found in celebrating all the truths that exist on continuums. Growing up deaf, mixed-race, and nonbinary isn’t always easy, especially when you lack representation for who you are. But as the author says, sometimes you can become your own mirror. Written by deaf, genderqueer/nonbinary, Chinese-Jewish American activist and artist Chella Man, Continuum demonstrates how identity truly is a range of spectrums.