Books, Music, and Podcasts that are PROUD to be LGBTQ+
This piece is a part of the Harry Potter Alliance’s series for Pride 2017, exploring issues and perspectives from the LGBTQ+ community related to Pride. To find out more about the Harry Potter Alliance and how to get involved, visit thehpalliance.org.
Happy Pride-Beyond-Pride-Month, my magical noble land mermaids!
As many of us in the LGBTQ+ community know too well, we don’t have the luxury of seeing ourselves represented in the media on a regular basis. For those who need a practical example:
But fear not! I’ve got your back. I’ve made a recommendation list of books, music, and podcast where there is no shortage of LGBTQ+ representation. Stick with me, and soon, EVERYTHING you read, listen to, and watch will be really gay.
Books:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
This has to be, hands down, my favorite book of all time. Benjamin Alire Sáenz has the most magical talent of taking seemingly simple words and arranging them in a way that makes your heart happy and sad and mystified all at once. This book follows two boys living in El Paso trying to figure out their place in the world. The relationships in this book — between Ari and Dante, their families, and their personal relationships to their own identities — are so beautifully constructed. Through these relationships, the reader explores themes such as the power of words, the consequences of our actions, and the surprising satisfaction of following an unknown path.
You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour & David Levithan
This is one of my favorite LGBTQ+ YA books to recommend to people because it shows a perspective that I don’t think is explored often enough: a guy and a girl who both identify as gay who become best friends in the process of helping each other pursue their respective crushes. If that’s not the cutest thing you’ve ever heard, we need to talk. Also, Nina LaCour & David Levithan have written some of my favorite books on their own — like Everything Leads To You and Everyday respectively — so reading a book they did together (with alternative perspectives) enhanced my love for them to a level I didn’t know could exist. Also, no spoilers, but there’s this one line in the book written by David Levithan that says “he’s a date, but you’re my calendar” and I still think about it ALL. THE. TIME.
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
My Goodreads review for this book just says “HELL YEAH” and I’d say that’s pretty accurate. The world created by C.B. Lee is one in which superpowers are common, but Jessica Tran — the daughter of two of the most famous superheroes — is coming to terms with the fact she didn’t inherit any. Jessica’s story explores what happens when a seemingly ordinary person is caught up in the evil plan that could affect so many people she cares about. I love that C.B. Lee so effortlessly highlights these characters as LGBTQ+ without it being their main signifier. I mean…SUPERHEROS. QUEER SUPERHEROES. It’s amazing.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
This story made me fall in love with Becky Albertalli! Simon is in a secret email relationship with an unknown character named Blue, and his emails fall into the wrong hands…obviously, I was hooked from the beginning. I love the way Simon decides to tackle the pressing decision of coming out, who to come out to and when, all while dealing with the everyday struggles and pressures of high school. Plus, as the reader, you can really feel that the correspondence between Simon and Blue was so effortless, and I could instantly sense the nature of these two personalities and how perfectly they matched. Plus, if you’re the type of person who likes to read the book before seeing the movie (!!!!!), I highly recommend you read it ASAP!
Music:
https://open.spotify.com/user/jessicarozycki/playlist/5jrhDXgtJ8fC8NNHKjYLDp
This playlist includes some of my favorite queer artists, as well as a few queer allies and Broadway productions with queer themes. Here are some highlights!
Troye Sivan
I remember when Troye’s first EP was released, not too long after he posted his coming out video on YouTube. One of my favorite queer YouTubers releasing music made me REALLY excited, especially when I heard the song “Gasoline”. He was (and still is) a very young kid who has a major platform, so hearing him share a song with male pronouns made me feel like such a proud mom.
MUNA
A band comprised of three incredibly talented queer women, MUNA’s debut album had such a big impact on me. Specifically, the song “I Know A Place” stuck with me after I read an article about how it was written in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando last year. Seeing these women make such a splash in the music world with their first album is so inspiring, as they help create a wider space for queer artists to excel in the business and share their talents.
Mary Lambert
Most people will remember Mary Lambert as the featured voice on Macklemore’s “Same Love”, but her own solo music explores so much of her talent as an artist. Especially her latest video for the song “Know Your Name” — the squad she has assembled is quite possibly the dictionary definition of goals. We see people of all different genders, sexualities, races, and abilities having fun and highlighting the importance of intersectional representation in LGBTQ+ media.
Tyler Glenn
Tyler’s first solo album Excommunication is a testament to his strength as he navigated his journey toward the queer community while being dismissed from the Mormon community he grew up in. Listening to this album gives me such a clear image of a young kid whose identity is being constantly questioned by those around him, yet he still wants to explore the truth that he knows has always lived inside of him.
Podcasts:
Never Before with Janet Mock
If you’re looking for a podcast that discusses feminism, LGBTQ+ issues, activism, and so much more, I recommend Never Before with Janet Mock! This brand new podcast features conversations with some of our favorite people in the media who are speaking out against injustices and using their platform to inspire change. Guests discuss who they are, what decisions made them, what mistakes shaped them, who influenced them, and why they do what they do. I recently listened to the episode with one of my favorite young activists, Rowan Blanchard, and the conversation was a brilliant vehicle for sharing insights and experiences, while also giving listeners the opportunity to learn and explore the important topics of gender, sexuality, and all of the intersections that come along with them.
Transmission
Each episode of this podcast by Jackson Bird (the HPA’s very own Director of Wizard-Muggle Relations!) features a chat with a fellow trans person about their experiences living in the new age of heightened trans visibility. One of my favorite aspects of Transmission is the opportunity for listeners to learn about the trans community directly from the trans community. Jack’s guests all come from different experiences, giving listeners the conversations, education, and perspectives that we are not seeing in other media.
Nancy
Kathy Tu and Tobin Low describe themselves as super queer and super fun BFFs — and from listening to their podcast, I can attest that this is 100% true. Their show does a great job exploring LGBTQ+ experiences and diversity within the community through very relatable topics, ranging from pop culture to labels to relationship dynamics. And for any fellow HP fans, I highly recommend Episode #5: There Are No Gay Wizards.
I hope you enjoy this super gay list of magical LGBTQ+ representation! In fact, I invite you to not only add to this list, but also to continue this journey far beyond Pride Month so that we can all enjoy queer representation year round. :)
Jessica’s current Muggle job is Communications & Marketing Associate at Point Foundation. Find this Hufflepuff on the internet at @jessicarozycki.

