5 Books All Queer Teens Should Read
by Isabella Zollner
No matter your age you can find comfort in a good book. For queer teens who feel isolated in their identity this is especially true. Stories of people (both real and fictional) who came out give us the solace and company we all long for. These five books are stories I think every queer teen should read to help them find their place in the world.
Simon Versus the Homosapien’s Agenda
Before the monumental movie Love, Simon and the up and coming TV show there was the book Simon Versus the Homosapien’s Agenda, written by Becky Albertalli. In Simon Versus the Homosapien’s Agenda, Martin, a distant friend of Simon’s, discovers Simon’s emails with his crush and threatens to expose them; Simon must navigate high school on the brink of being outed. Thousands of queer teens across the world immediately fell in love with this iconic novel. Simon’s struggles with coming out, combined with high school dynamics that every teenager knows well, put hundreds of shared experiences into words. Simon Versus the Homosapien’s Agenda will resonate for any queer teen who is struggling to come out to family or friends and is a great introductory into the Love, Simon fandom.
Leah on the Offbeat
When fans begged for a sequel to Simon Versus the Homosapien’s Agenda, author Becky Albertalli listened and published Leah on the Offbeat. Two characters from Simon Versus the Homosapien’s Agenda, who had clear romantic tension in the first book, developed a strong WLW relationship. While Leah on the Offbeat didn’t get quite the hype the first novel did, it was a monumental step for the queer community. The Love, Simon books have proven there is a marketspace for youth in queer media. These books are also important because they are one of the few popular queer books that don’t end in tragedy. In a world that is often difficult for young queer people, books like Simon Versus the Homosapien’s Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat provide a much needed release.
Boy Erased
For anyone who wants to learn about the history and culture of LGTBQ+ people, Boy Erased is your book. Boy Erased is a memoir written by Jared Eamons that recounts his survivorship of conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is a psuedoscience that uses physical, emotional, and sexual abuse to ‘cure’ someone of their sexuality or gender identity. Despite the numerous studies proving that conversion therapy doesn’t work, it is still in practice in America. Jared Eamons tells his story of being outed, subsequently sent to conversion therapy, and his life afterwards. Boy Erased is a beautifully told and filled to the brim with LGBTQ+ culture. Boy Erased and memoirs like it provide queer teens the opportunity to learn about an important aspect of their history.
Being Jazz
Being Jazz is an autobiography by teen advocate Jazz Jennings. Jazz Jennings was named one of “The 25 Most Influential Teens” by the New York Times for her work with the transgender community. Being Jazz reflects on how her very public life as a transgender teenager has affected her. Jazz was one of the first teens to take the stage of advocacy and come out publicly. Being Jazz and the picture book I Am Jazz put Jazz in the spotlight because the material in the book was so relatable for transgender teens. Being Jazz is the go to book for queer teens to feel validated in their experiences.
This Book is Gay
For someone seeking information on any queer topic This Book is Gay will definitely have what you’re looking for. This Book is Gay is a book of resources for queer or questioning teens. It is full of helpful tips about the LGBTQ+ community and general education on LGBTQ+ topics. Unlike other novels and memoirs This Book is Gay won’t give you an intense plot or sense of identity, instead it is loaded with knowledge and a detailed history of the LGBTQ+ community. The book discusses the AIDS epidemic, how to avoid STDs, coming out, the Stonewall Riots, and other components of being queer that you may not be able to talk about with an adult. Learning about LGBTQ+ culture can provide LGBTQ+ teens just as much of a sense of community as a good book.
About the Author:
After being subjected to homophobic harassment in the classroom, Isabella decided to try and use her writing to encourage others to stand up for each other and themselves. Isabella is a high school student in Lafayette, IN.
