“The Family Outing” Is a Vivid Memoir of Neglect, Secrets, and the Power of Family
Over the course of five years, Jessi Hempel came out as a lesbian; her dad then came out as gay, her sister as bisexual, and her brother as trans.
Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya on Writing a Lesbian Horror Protagonist Who Has Been to Therapy
Autostraddle Managing Editor Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya’s debut book — Helen House, a queer horror novelette — comes out October 18.
Rainbow Reading: We Fell in Love (With Some Rad New Books) in October
When someone declared on Twitter “october is an inherently gay month” — they were right.
Cecilia Gentili’s “Faltas” Is One of the Best Memoirs I’ve Ever Read
Faltas: Letters to Everyone in My Hometown Who Isn’t My Rapist is an exciting and, at times, breathtaking addition to the canon of works about “messy trans lives.”
“It Came From the Closet” Gave Me New Appreciation for the Horror Genre
Because we’re so frequently othered, many LGBTQ+ people find ourselves in horror film monsters.
Malinda Lo’s New Coming-of-Age Queer Novel “A Scatter of Light” Shines Brilliantly
Lo’s newest offering is beautifully composed, often feeling like a peek into your best friend’s hot (queer) girl summer.
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha’s “The Future Is Disabled” Should Be Required Reading
After reading The Future is Disabled, I feel more hopeful, and I think you will, too.
Gender Nonconformity Has Always Existed
Trans activist and historian Kit Heyam’s new book Before We Were Trans: A New History of Gender examines gender nonconformity throughout history.
Life Is Not a Novel
I’ve always had a very active daydream life.
Eight Queer Books Set in Los Angeles About the Movie Industry
A solid half of these are romance, which is entirely unintentional — but you’re welcome if queer celesbian romance is your jam.
Queer Naija Lit: Akwaeke Emezi’s “Pet” and “Bitter” Explore the Costs of a Different World
A new world isn’t possible without people believing it is.
In Queer Horror Anthology “It Came From the Closet,” Carmen Maria Machado Considers Jennifer’s Body
On queerbaiting, bisexuality, and Jennifer’s Body. This essay is an exclusive excerpt from the queer horror anthology It Came From the Closet, on sale next week.
Rainbow Reading: Book Hangovers Are Real and I Have One
The latest LGBTQ+ book releases are full of queer dark academia vibes.
In “Nona the Ninth,” Tamsyn Muir Zooms In on Her Goth Puzzle Box World
If you want to feel the dazzling space-goth world of Gideon and Harrow within reach, to pull it close enough to see its day-to-day details, then Nona will feel like a veritable feast.
Author Melanie Bell on her YA Novel “Chasing Harmony” and the Messy Process of Growing Up Queer
“The people I met who were identified as musical prodigies had long journeys involving conflict between their abilities and personal needs and finding who they were beyond the weight of expectations. When I was younger, successes and failures felt huge, and this is the case for Anna too.”
Things I Read That I Love #328: You Never Called That Girl Back Even Though You Were Dating
Topics include the mall, Tinder, Gabby Petito, the abuse scandal at an acclaimed L.A high school, Choose Your Own Adventure books, Crime Junkie, amusement parks, dog breeds and more!
“I’m the Girl” Is a Harrowing, Complex Story of Abuse That’s Difficult To Read
Courtney Summers’ latest thriller tries to hold our culture accountable for its crimes against teen girls. Does it succeed?
Rainbow Reading: Book Recommendations From Hot People Just Hit Different
It’s a great time to immerse yourself in some LGBTQ+ sci-fi and genre fiction.
A+ Read a Fucking Book Club Q&A with Sarah Thankam Mathews
This time, we’re reading All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews, a book our Managing Editor Kayla called “so good I dreaded finishing it.”
Queer Graphic Novel “Coven” Will Fill the Buffy-Shaped Hole in Your Heart
Do you like witches, gays, and found family, and fictional teen angst? Is there a Buffy- or Baby-Sitter’s Club- or Motherland: Fort Salem-shaped hole in your heart? Good news, this one’s for you!