LGBTQ

  • Book Bingo 2024: LGBTQIA+ Poetry and Essays

    “…and when we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard nor welcomed but when we are silent we are still afraid” Excerpt from “A Litany for Survival” by lesbian poet and activist Audre Lorde Fiction is a powerful method for sharing the joys and struggles of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,… Continue reading

  • Bisexuality Visibility Day Picks

    Bisexuality Visibility Day Picks

    Bisexuality Visibility Day, celebrated annually on September 23, is a chance to bring awareness to bi people around the world. A diverse and vast community, bi authors create works to educate, entertain, and acknowledge the existence and experiences of this identity. Here are some recent titles to check out! In Robin Gow’s Ode to My First… Continue reading

  • Read with Isaac from Heartstopper, Season 2!

    Read with Isaac from Heartstopper, Season 2!

    Have you had a chance to watch Heartstopper, Season 2? The tender, heartwarming coming-of-age screen adaptation of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series has captured the hearts of fans of all ages, and perhaps no character is as dear to librarians as the ever-reading Isaac. Here is a sampling of the many books Isaac is seen… Continue reading

  • Celebrate Pride with the latest LGBTQIA+ Fiction.

    June is here: let’s celebrate the start of Pride month by dipping into various great LGBTQIA+ Summer fiction. Here are just a few highlights drawn from our big new list of LGBTQIA+ titles in the catalog.  The Unbroken, by C.L. Clark.  Treachery and tolerance, loyalty and love clash in this action-packed queernorm epic fantasy debut… Continue reading

  • Queering Historical Fiction & Historical Fantasy

    Queer literature is booming right now, with more and better representation of LGBTQIA+ characters every year. Here are some recent historical novels and historical/alternate history fantasy to check out. First, some historical novels with queer protagonists: The Best Bad Things by Katrina Carrasco is one gritty historical debut. It has a pretty fast-paced bent, introducing… Continue reading

  • Unmuted Spotlights the Connective Power of Personal Storytelling

    Seattle-based memoir author and writing coach Ingrid Ricks recently led a personal storywriting workshop for LGBTQIA seniors and their allies at Seattle’s GenPRIDE center. The workshop built a community of writers and generated an intriguing anthology of fourteen stories entitled Unmuted: Stories of Courage and Resilience from the GenPRIDE Community, released in October to celebrate… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: LGBT Comics

    While many of us tend to associate the graphic novel and comic book genre with superheroes, in a cultural market dominated by companies like Marvel and DC that produce blockbuster movies based in on graphic novels every year, there are plenty of other types of comic books out there that are available to you with… Continue reading

  • In Case You Missed It: Juneteenth Book Fest

    The beauty of our present moment where more of our lives are convening on screens is that you can catch more author events and panels than ever before. On Juneteenth this year an incredible array of Black authors for readers of all ages met as a part of the Juneteenth Book Fest to discuss their… Continue reading

  • Cinema for the “Queerantine” from Kanopy and Hoopla

    In a time when we are physically disconnected from one another, maybe even from ourselves, watching a film can be a great way to reconnect with the world. For queer folks who feel isolated, watching an LGBTQ+ film can help alleviate that sense of loneliness and reignite a connection to community. And what better time… Continue reading

  • 2019 Lambda Literary Awards: LGBTQ Titles for Children and Young Adults

    The 2019 Lammy Award finalists were announced earlier this month, and there are eight contenders in the LGBTQ Children’s/Young Adult category.  Among them are some of our favorite recent titles, including last year’s National Book Award Winner The Poet X and both(!) of Kheryn Callender’s novels.  We were especially pleased at the diversity of both… Continue reading

  • Celebrating Trans Lives

    November is Transgender Awareness Month! Seattle Public Library is excited to honor this celebration of transgender folks through events, book displays, and this book recommendation list of books by trans people. The first book I would recommend reading this month is Transgender History by Susan Stryker, because the transgender community wouldn’t be where we are… Continue reading

  • The Other Side of the Rainbow: Homeless GLBTQ Youth

    Follow us throughout the fall for posts which highlight library resources and information that supports the Tiny: Streetwise Revisited exhibit at the Central Library and its community programming. This is my second year on the Rainbow Book List Committee whose charge is: “To select from the year’s publications, books that reflect gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans-gendered/queer-questioning (glbtq) experience for young… Continue reading

  • Show your Pride! Support Local LGBT Businesses

    June is LGBT Pride Month! There’s no need to wait for the gay pride parade to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Check out one of these local LGBT owned businesses! On May 26th, the Puget Sound Business Journal (PSBJ) recognized the “2016 Outstanding Voices” for individuals and companies committed to workplace equality. Additionally, in partnership… Continue reading

  • Embracing Gender Diversity

    ~posted by Micah K. Here at Seattle Public Library we think a lot about how we can be a more inclusive resource for our communities. When the American Dialect Society announced in January that the singular “they” was the word of 2015, we started discussing in more depth the benefits of using gender neutral language… Continue reading

  • Banned! Books in Drag is BACK

    ~by Misha  Banned! Books in Drag is coming right up at Neighbours Nightclub on Saturday, September 26th from 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. This free, 21+ event will feature an amazing array of local talent including Aleksa Manila, La Saveona Hunt, Charlie Menace, Robbie Turner, Atasha Manila and more. David Schmader will be the MC for the… Continue reading

  • Romantic Wednesdays: Love for Friends

    Valentine’s Day is just a few days away! In order to shake things up a bit though I thought I would offer some books that focus on the bonds of friendship rather than romantic relationships. After all, friends are the ones who are there for you before, during and, if it doesn’t work out, after… Continue reading

  • Malinda Lo at the Lake City Branch!

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  • Meet Drag King Ernie Von Schmaltz at Banned! Books in Drag

    For our Banned! Books in Drag event at Neighbours Nightclub hosted by David Schmader this Saturday, Sept. 27 (6:30-9:00 p.m.), we asked Drag King Ernie Von Schmaltz, about his first LGBTQ book:   A pivotal LGBTQ book I remember reading and re-reading is Leslie Fienberg’s Stone Butch Blues.  I first read it 10+ years ago when I… Continue reading