Celebrate Pride Month: 10 Banned LGBTQ+ Books You Need to Read Now!

Take a look at some informative and enlightening banned books to help you honor Pride Month.

June is Pride Month, a great opportunity to celebrate LGBTQ+ literature! Despite the progress made in recent years, many books featuring LGBTQ+ characters are still banned in certain schools. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't read them. Here are ten banned LGBTQ+ books you need to read now to celebrate Pride Month and the freedom of expression!

Fiction Books

Drama: A Graphic Novel by Raina Telgemeier

This book was banned due to LGBTQ+ content. It's about a girl, Callie, who has a passion for theatre. With a small budget and her cute brothers, the cast and crew are challenged to find a way to work together.

Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman and Laura Cornell

Someone asks Heather about her dad when she starts school, but Heather doesn't have one. She realized something amazing when her classmates drew pictures of their families—they were all different! This updated story by Lesléa Newman makes this an edition for a new generation of young readers.

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Nonfiction Books

Are You LGBTQ? by Jeanne Nagle

LGBTQ—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning—each has its own unique meaning and associated communities. This text is great for both research and personal use, giving teens the answers they're looking for and helping to create a discourse in which they can learn to accept one another and themselves.

Confronting LGBTQ+ Discrimination by Avery Elizabeth Hurt

This book is a great way to empower readers to fight against such discrimination. It provides useful advice on how to handle an often unfriendly environment where not everyone believes that LGBTQ+ individuals deserve the same rights as other people.

Double Challenge: Being LGBTQ and a Minority by Rebecca Kaplan and Avery Kaplan

The Kaplans dispel the myths and stereotypes surrounding being queer or questioning and provide advice and resources specifically for LGBTQ people of color. They celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ community with one overarching message: There's a place for everyone to be queer and be themselves, no matter who they are.

LGBT Families by Leanne K. Currie-McGhee

It's estimated that in the US, between two and four million young people now have an LGBT parent. This book gives an honest look at how American families are evolving and helps teenagers understand what it's like to be part of an LGBT family.

LGBTQ+ Athletes Claim the Field: Striving for Equality by Kirstin Cronn-Mills and Alex Jackson Nelson

The year 2015 was revolutionary in sports, with Abby Wambach kissing her wife at the US Women's World Cup, Caitlyn Jenner revealing she was transgender, and David Denson coming out as gay. This book is about how athletes, educators, and fans strive to ensure equal opportunities are available to everyone in sports, no matter their identity.

Coming Out and Seeking Support by Robert Rodi and Laura Ross

Read about two coming-out stories and find out how those who've gone through the process can get the help they need. It's a process that can be difficult, but there's plenty of support out there. Never go through it alone!

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Teen Guides

Queer: The Ultimate LGBT Guide for Teens by Kathy Belge and Marke Bieschke

This guide is an amazing and educational experience for LGBT youth. Filled with advice on how to come out, socialize with queer people, handle queerphobia, and practice safe sex, this book is a must-have for any teen questioning their sexuality or anyone who knows someone who is.

LGBTQ Families: The Ultimate Teen Guide by Eva Apelqvist

This book looks at the troubles adolescents experience as part of a household with one or more members who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, or queer/questioning. It provides support, wisdom, and resources to assist them in managing and cherishing the idiosyncrasies of their family life.

Share these banned books with your friends and family and see how the LGBTQ+ community shouldn't be forbidden but rather embraced!

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