10 banned books by LGBTQ+ authors you shouldn’t miss

Freedom to read is essential to our democracy, but that hasn’t stopped people from wanting to ban books; yes, in 2024—and long before that. The American Library Association (ALA) has noted an increase in censorship attempts in public libraries and schools in recent years, with some groups calling for certain titles to be removed from circulation and curricula across the country.

If a book contains LGBTQ+ content, it’s probably banned somewhere. According to ALA data, “titles that represented the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC people made up 47 percent of titles targeted by censorship attempts.” And not surprisingly, research shows that these bans can harm the communities most affected.

Fortunately, there are many efforts to help readers of all ages engage with literature and materials that expand their horizons and make them feel seen. Several libraries offer free digital library cards to readers ages 13-21, regardless of where they live, through the Books Unbanned Project. The Queer Liberation Library also offers online access to numerous e-books.

Since there are unfortunately efforts to bury these books, here are some titles by LGBTQ+ authors that are banned in some places but are worth adding to your reading list.

One of the most banned books of 2023, this 2020 collection of essays by activist George M. Johnson chronicles the beauty and challenges of her upbringing, focusing on what it’s like to grow up as a queer black child in America.

Another oft-questioned title, this award-winning 2020 graphic memoir is an autobiography of adolescence and coming out from author Kobabe. The nonbinary illustrator shares his life experience with nuance and humor through teen crushes and difficult family dialogues.

James Baldwin is one of America’s most important literary icons of the 20th century. But that doesn’t stop institutions from banning the works of the black, gay author. His first novel, published in 1953, tells the story of the stepson of a Pentecostal preacher on a particular Saturday in Harlem in 1935.

Lo won the 2021 National Book Award for this novel, but that hasn’t stopped fanatics from banning this thrilling young adult novel for all ages. Set in 1950s America, the story centers on two young women who fall in love after passing each other under the neon sign of a lesbian bar, the Telegraph Club.

Pretty much anything that involves sexuality and religion is controversial, but that didn’t stop author Sonora Reyes, who has been outspoken about the impact of book bans on her readers. The novel is about Yami, one of the few Mexican students at a wealthy Catholic school, and how she deals with her identity, queerness and teenage life.

An iconic part of the lesbian canon, this autobiographical graphic memoir by Dikes you should be wary of Comic artist Alison Bechdel (known for the Bechdel test) is a quick and fascinating read. The comic strips depict her childhood in a broken family, specifically in a funeral home. In 2013, the story was adapted as a musical and ran successfully on Broadway for several years.

This powerful memoir by Lamya H. about growing up as a devout Muslim abroad and discovering her sexuality after moving to the United States was written anonymously for security reasons. Although the author has won several awards for the controversial book, her name has not been mentioned publicly, even at book events or lectures. This is all the more reason to hear Lamya’s voice in the pages of the controversial book.

What could be more dangerous than for teenagers to hear from their peers? This now 10-year-old nonfiction book, in which the author and photographer portrays transgender and nonbinary youth who talk about their life experiences, is often on the list of banned books.

This 1999 classic about a teenage outsider was once on many school curricula, but today it is one of the most banned books in America, despite its relatively harmless queer content and overall positive message. It’s not hard to find a used copy: The best-seller about protagonist Charlie’s coming of age has sold millions of copies over the years and was made into a movie in 2012.

Set in Cuba in 1998, this literary novel is about an Afro-Cuban orphan who joins a counter-revolutionary activist group, grapples with the AIDS crisis, and tries to survive on the fringes of society.

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