The acronym LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) means many things, as it covers a wide spectrum of experiences and identities. These realities are as unique as they are widespread. LGBTQ identities of all kinds have existed for a long time, and they have all types of interesting and heartfelt stories to tell. This Pride Month, we take a look at notable figures from the past and present, to tell stories of resilience, acceptance, and openness! Check out one of these nonfiction books and get to know the stories and histories long kept in the closet.
Broken horses : a memoir by Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile was born into a musically gifted, impoverished family on the outskirts of Seattle and grew up in a constant state of change, moving from house to house, trailer to trailer, fourteen times in as many years. Though imperfect in every way, her dysfunctional childhood was as beautiful as it was strange, and as nurturing as it was difficult. In Broken Horses, Brandi Carlile takes readers through the events of her life that shaped her very raw art-from her start at a local singing competition where she performed Elton John’s “Honky Cat” in a bedazzled white polyester suit, to her first break opening for Dave Matthews Band, to many sleepless tours over fifteen years and six studio albums, all while raising two children with her wife, Catherine Shepherd. Evocative and piercingly honest, Broken Horses is at once an examination of faith through the eyes of a person rejected by the church’s basic tenets and a meditation on the moments and lyrics that have shaped the life of a creative mind, a brilliant artist, and a genuine empath on a mission to give back.
Patrick Hinds has somehow managed to bungle his way through to become the successful co-host of True Crime Obsessed–a podcast with more than 200 million downloads. Before that, Patrick’s life is a series of fiascos, missteps, and just plain bad ideas. An eternal optimist, he’s always thrown himself into everything he’s done, even when he probably shouldn’t have. He devoted himself to becoming an actor even though he was terrible, started a daycare even though he hated kids, and somehow had a disastrous time with Bea Arthur . . . even though he couldn’t be gayer. Both heartfelt and hilarious, Failure Is Not Not an Option lets Patrick’s signature storytelling style shine–and it’s also the only book to bravely and definitively declare: Failing simply means that you tried (and if you try enough, eventually success will be an option, too). By trying, and yes, failing at so many things, Patrick finally found his way–to a great career, a great husband, and a great family. Along the way, there were hurdles to jump, unexpected surprises, and no shortage of laughter.
The pink marine by Greg Cope White
When Greg Cope White’s best friend tells him he is spending his summer in Marine Corps boot camp, all Greg hears is “summer’ and “camp”. Despite dire warnings from his friend, Greg vows to join him in recruit training. He is eighteen, underweight, he’s never run a mile- and he is gay. The Pink Marine is the story- full of hilarity and heartbreak- of how a teenage boy who struggles with self-acceptance and doesn’t fit the traditional definition of masculinity finds acceptance and self-worth in Marine Corps boot camp.
Candace Parker is a living legend. Her storied career includes three WNBA titles, two Olympic gold medals, and countless MVP Awards. Her career accolades are endless and her impact on the WNBA beyond measure, but Candace is even more inspiring off the court. A proud wife and mother of three, whose love story resonated with the LGBTQ+ community around the world, Candace is fiercely purpose-driven, paving the way for the WNBA’s rise in American culture, and for female basketballers to have the impact and platform that used to be reserved for the NBA. But this success didn’t happen by accident. From the start, Candace turned her childhood nickname, Can-Do, into a daily mantra that helped her overcome enormous physical and mental hurdles while embracing her vulnerability. In her first-ever book, Candace breaks down that ultimate recipe for success, drawn from the experiences that made her a better person and player.
In a moving, emotional graphic memoir, the Star Trek actor, activist and social media star shares his personal journey from a closeted youth in the 1950s to coming out at 68, revealing how love, fear and activism shaped his identity.
Pageboy : a memoir by Elliot Page
Here he was on the precipice of discovering himself as a queer person, as a trans person. Getting closer to his desires, his dreams, himself, without the repression he’d carried for so long. But for Elliot, two steps forward had always come with one step back. With Juno’s massive success, Elliot became one of the world’s most beloved actors. His dreams were coming true, but the pressure to perform suffocated him. He was forced to play the part of the glossy young starlet, a role that made his skin crawl, on and off set. The career that had been an escape out of his reality and into a world of imagination was suddenly a nightmare. As he navigated criticism and abuse from some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, a past that snapped at his heels, and a society dead set on forcing him into a binary, Elliot often stayed silent, unsure of what to do, until enough was enough.
In the form of a question : the joys and rewards of a curious life by Amy Schneider
An inspirational and bold memoir from the most successful woman ever to compete on Jeopardy! -and an exploration of what it means to ask questions of the world and of yourself. ANSWER: Who Is Amy Schneider? In eighth grade, Amy was voted “Most likely to appear on Jeopardy!” by her classmates. Decades later, this trailblazer finally got her chance. Not only did she walk away with $1.3 million while captivating the world with her impressive forty-game winning streak, but she made history and won an even greater prize–the joy of being herself on national television and blazing a trail for openly queer and transgender people around the world. Now, she shares her singular journey that led to becoming an unlikely icon and hero to millions. Her super power: Boundless curiosity and fearless questioning. In the Form of a Question explores some of the innumerable topics that have fascinated Amy throughout her life: books and music, Tarot and astrology, popular culture and computers, sex and relationships–but they all share the same purpose: to illustrate, and celebrate, the results of a lifetime spent asking, why?
I have something to tell you : a memoir by Chasten Buttigieg
A moving, hopeful, and refreshingly candid memoir by the husband of former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg about growing up gay in his small Midwestern town, his relationship with Pete, and his hope for America’s future.
Gertrude Stein : an afterlife by Francesca Wade
Drawing on never-before-seen interviews, a richly researched, sweeping examination of one of the most influential and mythologized literary figures of the 20th century and her partner’s emergence from the shadows after her death, in the decades-long fight to ensure her legacy. Gertrude Stein’s salon at 27 rue de Fleurus in the 6th arrondissement of Paris is the stuff of literary legend. Many have tried to capture the spirit and glamour of the place that once entertained and fostered the likes of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, but perhaps none as determinedly, and self-consciously, as Stein herself. In this new biography of the polarizing, trailblazing author, collector, salonnière, and tastemaker, Francesca Wade rescues Stein from the tangle of contradictions that has characterized her legacy, expertly presenting us with this towering literary figure as we’ve never seen her before.
Award-winning historian Ethelene Whitmire unearthed a trove of Reed’s letters when she met one of his descendants at a lecture, awed that she’d heard so little of this charismatic man and his fascinating true story of love and war. In The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram, she introduces us to an unforgettable character who fled from country to country as fighting advanced, was captured by Nazis and outwitted them in a daring escape, and risked it all in a personal fight for a life of love, freedom, beauty and dignity in a world set against him.
Tells the true story of one of the most important — but largely forgotten — military leaders of the American Revolution, Baron von Steuben, who brought much-needed knowledge to the inexperienced and ill-prepared Continental Army. As its first Inspector General, von Steuben created an organizational framework for the US military, which included writing the Blue Book guide that became the standard for training American soldiers for more than a century.