Given the deluge of anti-trans and anti-queer legislation that the federal government has flushed through the nation – including executive orders mandating the existence of only two genders and the deletion of critical scientific and medical research from federal websites – it no longer feels like enough to celebrate a couple trans holidays throughout the year and call it a day.
While the annual observance of something like Transgender Day of Remembrance honors the memory of trans folks whose lives have been lost to acts of anti-trans violence (which only continues to increase), queer folks and allies can take simple actions to support the transgender people who are very much still alive, including reading books by transgender and nonbinary authors.
From beautifully illustrated collections of poetry to compelling fiction novels and poignant memoirs, this list has something any reader at any level can enjoy. We’ve included well-loved titles from pioneering trans authors as well as a few new works that we’re looking forward to reading when they come out this year.
Regardless of what a few powerful people at the top have to say about gender, these books are a reminder that there are infinite ways to express your identity, and infinite reasons to celebrate just that.
– Additional reporting by Lena Felton and Emma Glassman-Hughes
