Trans people have always existed. Transgender Day of Remembrance is Wednesday, November 20th. This is a day to mark the lives lost to violence in the transgender community. Here are some selected books from a longer, staff-created list that capture the history, complexity, and dynamism of the trans experience.
There are now more romances than ever featuring trans and nonbinary characters, offering stories that center queer love and swoon-worthy, happily-ever-afters. Try Casey McQuiston’s exquisite The Pairing, a European travel narrative that throws two ex-lovers together in a sexual conquest contest with mouth-watering descriptions of food and spirits. T. J. Alexander’s Second Chances in New Port Stephen is also a travel-themed romance where a trans man returns to his Florida hometown for Christmas and reconnects with an old flame. Don’t miss The Prospects by KT Hoffman, a romance novel about the first openly trans, openly gay professional baseball player, set in the PNW!
If you are looking for thought-provoking nonfiction, Kai Cheng Thom’s work deserves your attention, which is why there are two of her books on this list. Thom is a poet, counselor, and somatic coach whose work explores queer community, trauma, activism, and collective liberation. Try I Hope We Choose Love and Falling Back in Love With Being Human for Thom’s distinctive voice and intersectional lens on a variety of issues. Don’t miss the essay “How to Read a Trans Fem Writer” by Thom and Maya Deane.
There are so many memoirs to try. If you missed Elliot Page’s memoir, Pageboy, when it was a Peak Pick, now may be the time to pick it up. Trans beauty pageant queen Geena Rocero shares her experiences in the Philippines and the U.S. in her memoir, Horse Barbie. Danica Roem, the first transgender woman elected to the U.S. State legislature, shares her story of claiming space and advocating for community in Burn the Page.
Trans and nonbinary voices abound in so many different genres as well. Currently a Peak Pick, Model Home by Rivers Solomon is a haunted house story that explores themes of race and class. If you want a full-on horror story, Hailey Piper’s All the Hearts You Eat will leave you breathless. For fantasy, try Foz Meadows’ series starter, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, where two men fight to earn trust in an arranged marriage. If science fiction is your jam, Galaxy by Jadzia Axelrod is a graphic novel about an alien princess hiding in the body of a boy on planet Earth.
There are also lots of primers on how to honor the trans community by learning more about trans history and identity. Try What’s The T? By Juno Dawson, How to They/them by Stuart Getty, and Before We Were Trans by Kit Heyam to expand your horizons.
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