Memoirs/Personal Narratives: LGBTQ+

A memoir of American LGBT rights activist and political figure Sarah McBride that weaves political and cultural milestones into her personal journey as a transgender woman.

A graphic memoir about growing up with a remote dad who managed a funeral home while hiding his homosexuality.

A memoir of the author's relationship with a pair of beloved canine companions is a tribute to their irrepressible personalities, their life-changing impact on the author and his family, and their role in how the author came to understand loss and grief.

Seventeen-year-old Arin Andrews shares all the hilarious, painful, and poignant details of undergoing gender reassignment as a high school student in this teen memoir.

Autobiography of Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas telling of his life as a writer and a homosexual.

A brave firsthand account of author Alex Bertie's life, struggles, and victories as a transgender teen, and a guide for transitioning teens.

A raw, unflinching, and inspirational memoir by a former United States Marine Captain describing her journey from dutiful daughter of immigrants to wide-eyed recruit to radical activist dedicated to effecting historic policy reform in the military. After a lifetime of buckling to the demands of her strict Indian parents, Anuradha Bhagwati abandons her grad school career at Harvard University to join the Marines. It's the fiercest, most violent, most masculine branch of the military: the perfect place for her to prove that she's the ultimate Cool Girl, someone who can brawl with the boys in every sense of the word. Or at least that's what she thinks. From the moment training begins, Anuradha's G.I. Jane fantasy is punctured. As a bisexual woman of color in the military, she faces adversity and underestimation at every stage, confronting misogyny, racism, abuse, and astonishing injustice perpetrated by those in power. Pushing herself beyond her limits to prove her ability, she is forced to wrestle with what exactly drove her to pursue such punishment and violence in the first place. Once her service concludes in 2004, instead of retreating and putting it all behind her, she decides to do the exact opposite: take to task the leaders and outmoded conventions that she found so objectionable and even dangerous. Full of strength, courage, and heroic resilience, Unbecoming is about one woman who learned to believe in herself in spite of everything; it is the kind of story that will light a fire beneath you, and that will inspire our next generation of fierce female heroes to always persist.

The author chronicles his life from age twelve to sixteen, living in the bizarre home of his mother's psychiatrist, where he was sexually abused by the doctor's thirty-three-year-old adopted son.

An account by a survivor of a church-supported sexual orientation conversion therapy facility that claimed to 'cure' homosexuality describes its intense Bible study program and the daily threats of his abandonment by family, friends and God, an experience that transformed the author's relationships and self-understandings.

Discovering George Michael's Faith confirmed for David Crabb what every bully already knew: he was gay. What saved him from high school was finding a group of outlandish friends who reveled in being outsiders. David found himself enmeshed with misfits: wearing black, cutting class, staying out all night, drinking, tripping, chain-smoking, idolizing the Pet Shop Boys--and learning lessons about life and love along the way. David Crabb's journey through adolescence captures the essence of every person's struggle to understand his or her true self.

In this new collection of original personal essays, Shane Dawson goes even deeper, sharing never-before-revealed stories from his life, giving readers a no-holds-barred look at moments both bizarre and relatable, from cult-like Christian after-school activities, dressing in drag, and losing his virginity, to hiring a psychic, clashes with celebrities, and coming to terms with his bisexuality.

This memoir from a rising comedy star tackles issues of gender, sexuality, feminism, and the Catholic childhood that prepared her for a career as an outspoken lesbian comedian.

Samra Habib, a queer Muslim searches for the language to express her truest self, making peace with her sexuality, her family, and Islam.

Aaron Hartzler discusses his life as a Christian boy who was always expecting the Rapture and slowly realizing that he had different beliefs.

Daniel Hernandez, Jr., describes the accomplishments of his young life, including going to U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords' aid when she was shot in 2011.

Nineteen-year-old Katie Hill a transgender girl shares her personal journey of growing up as a boy and then undergoing gender reassignment during her teens.

In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.

The author describes how he moonlighted as a drag queen performing in nightclubs and his relationship with his crack-addicted, male-escort boyfriend.

The author shares her life coming of age as a queer, biracial teenager in a city full of prejudice. Explores her journey discovering herself without the help of her drug addicted parents.

As a small boy in remote Alberta, Darrel J. McLeod is immersed in his Cree family's history, passed down in the stories of his mother, Bertha. But after a series of tragic losses, Bertha turns wild and unstable, and their home life becomes chaotic. Meanwhile, he begins to question and grapple with his sexual identity--a reckoning complicated by the repercussions of his abuse and his sibling's own gender transition. Thrillingly written in a series of fractured vignettes, and unflinchingly honest, Mamaskatch--"It's a wonder!" in Cree--is a heartbreaking account of how traumas are passed down from one generation to the next, and an uplifting story of one individual who broke the cycle in pursuit of a fulfilling and adventurous life.

In his memoir, Isaac delves into his lifelong battles with weight, insomnia, and depression. He tells what it was like to be an out gay man in a homophobic age and to witness the ravaging effects of the AIDS epidemic.

Look at the life of American figure skater, Adam Rippon.

David Sedaris describes the struggles he has had in life due to his voice problems, discussing how his voice has affected his personal relationships, his career, and his family life.

Presents a collection of humorous autobiographical essays by National Public Radio commentator, David Sedaris, in which he discusses his nervous tic, hitchhiking trips, odd jobs, and strange relationships.

Presents the diary writings from 1977 through 2002 by American humorist, comedian, and author, David Sedaries.

A graphic novel memoir depicting the author's teenage experiences at summer camp where she fell in love with an older girl.

A graphic novel memoir depicting the author's experiences with teenage depression and how a search for her missing cat becomes a search for herself.

Contains a collection of twenty-seven essays by author David Sedaris as he reflects upon his childhood and presents stories of family characters, the embarrassments of adolescence, and some of the difficulties he had growing up.

A collection of essays in which David Sedaris reflects on some of the more humorous and memorable events of his life.

Trans woman Precious Brady-Davis recalls her childhood growing up in the Omaha foster care system and Pentecostal faith as a biracial, gender-nonconforming child.

A memoir in essays about so many things--growing up in an abusive cult, coming of age as a lesbian in the military, forced out by homophobia, living on the margins as a working class woman and what it's like to grow into the person you are meant to be.

A memoir of Karina Manta, the first female member of USA Figure Skating to come out as queer.

A memoir of Black non-binary writer and activist George M. Johnson's childhood in New Jersey, growing up with their brother and two cousins, all under the supervision of their larger-than-life grandmother.