The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde (chosen by Lucy)
This book is a classic for a reason. As the Irish playwright Oscar Wilde’s only foray into the world of prose fiction, this short novel stands out as one of few works from the late Victorian era that features a demonstratively queer character. The book follows Dorian Gray as he sinks ever deeper into hedonism, all the while retaining his youthful beauty despite a grossly indulgent lifestyle. Dorian’s secret? A hidden portrait of himself which bears detailed records of every evil the real Dorian commits. This unique premise, alongside Wilde’s rich evocation of Dorian’s luxurious lifestyle, has brought the novel global popularity. If you’ve finished the book and can’t get enough of the story, I would definitely recommend also checking out Oliver Parker’s wonderful film adaptation starring Ben Barnes. Oscar Wilde himself is also often considered among the pioneers of LGBTQ+ rights in the United Kingdom, when he pleaded not guilty to ‘gross indecency’ at his highly publicised trial for homosexual activity in 1895. His other – and arguably more famous – work, the comic play The Importance of Being Earnest is also a great read, and although it is not as notably queer as Dorian Gray, the work’s playfulness allows for a lot of bending of traditional gender norms of the era.
Girl, Woman, Other – Bernadine Evaristo (chosen by Lucy)
Girl, Woman, Other features 12 distinct but expertly interwoven narratives about a range of Black British women and one non-binary person. This is the first and, thus far, only book that I have read featuring a character who uses they/them pronouns. I found it refreshing to see an author tackle the project of writing with these pronouns, and to do so with flying colours, as Evaristo achieves with her portrayal of Morgan, a teenager who struggles with the binary nature of a patriarchal system. Throughout the course of this monumental novel, readers also meet Bummi and Dominique, whose stories give Evaristo the opportunity to discuss, respectively, the topics of shame and domestic abuse in same-sex female relationships. This book earned Evaristo the 2019 Booker Prize, which she shared alongside Margaret Atwood that year. It’s no surprise that Evaristo won multiple other awards for this novel too; it quickly became one of my favourite books after I read it in 2020, for Evaristo’s ability to paint such wide-ranging portraits representing various sectors of British society, and yet to also make each character so beautifully detailed and, most importantly, human. This intersectional tour-de-force should definitely be on your LGBTQ+ History Month reading list.
If I Was Your Girl – Meredith Russo (chosen by Sophie)
There are many romance tales on the shelves of bookshops, but one of my favourites is also my favourite queer fiction story as well. If I Was Your Girl is about Amanda, a young girl who goes to live with her dad in a new town, and so begins at a new school, where she falls in love with Grant. But there’s a small secret she hasn’t shared with anyone – she’s transgender. No one knows about her former identity, but will she be able to tell anyone, especially in the close-knit environment of a southern American town? This story is largely an absolutely predictable teenage love story, in the same way a lot of Young Adult fiction is. But the added dimension of a Trans+ identity into the mix gives this story such a unique perspective and deals with a lot of issues that Trans+ people face, including discrimination, misunderstanding, gender dysphoria and the constant struggle as to who they can and can’t share their identity with. It is a beautiful, easy read and definitely one I recommend picking up this LGBTQ+ History Month if you haven’t read it before!
None of The Above: Reflections on Life Beyond the Binary – Travis Alabanza
(chosen by Maisie)
‘I am trans because the world made me so not because I was born different… I once imagined a world where I would not have to know’
None of The Above by Travis Alabanza is an eye-opening insight into the realities of being trans. It unveils the damaging assumptions and binaries of gender, completely flipping the narrative and radically challenging the way we think. As a black, non-binary individual who grew up in a council flat, Travis’ memoir comes face to face with the contradictions and injustice in society. They capture raw emotion in heartbreaking anecdotes whilst balancing this with an essay-like analytical style. At times humorous and at times devastating, Travis’ writing exudes personality and traverses painful topics with poetic ease. It is a book that if everyone read it, the world would be an entirely different and better place; you can feel your outlook broadening as you read. Travis goes about the task of unpicking gender by centring their anecdotes and arguments around seven key phrases, where each represents a powerful moment in creating their experience of being trans. Whilst some are words of encouragement by friends encapsulating queer joy, others are the repetitive and offensive questions they hear from strangers. As a non-binary individual, the book also follows Travis’ reservations about whether they should transition to become female. They bring to light the impossibility of anyone being certain of their gender in a society where exploration is punished and the desire to fit in is ingrained. The book never resolves these questions as Travis battles to find their true identity despite the constant pressure from society to conform to a binary to survive. It leaves the reader with ambiguity but also hope for a world beyond gender where people don’t need definitions and boxes, but instead can exist in fluidity as their true selves.
