LGBTQ+ & Lifestyle:

BOOKS
 
Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution by Susan Stryker
A concise, accessible history of transgender life and activism in the United States. A great foundation for understanding how contemporary trans communities and movements developed.
 
Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton
An important history of Black trans identity that connects race, gender, sexuality, slavery, and the development of ideas about transness.
 
Female Husbands: A Trans History by Jen Manion
A fascinating look at people assigned female who lived as men or outside conventional gender roles in the 18th and 19th centuries. Especially interesting for understanding how today’s categories of trans, lesbian, butch, and gender nonconforming don’t always map neatly onto historical lives.
 
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
A contemporary novel about a trans lesbian navigating identity, relationships, and queer community. Not historical, but a modern trans lesbian classic.

A Safe Girl to Love by Casey Plett
A collection of short stories about trans women and girls, exploring relationships, friendship, sexuality, class, family, and everyday life.
 
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
A literary memoir about gender, sexuality, family, and queer relationships. More philosophical than historical, but excellent for thinking about gender outside rigid categories.
 
Gender Outlaw by Kate Bornstein
A classic of queer and trans writing that challenges binary ideas about gender and identity. Particularly good for someone interested in the messy space between categories.
 
Sapphistries: A Global History of Love Between Women by Leila J. Rupp
A broader history of relationships between women across cultures and time periods, providing a useful counterpoint to a primarily U.S.-focused queer history.
 
DOCUMENTARIES
 
The Stroll (2023)
A history of New York City’s Meatpacking District told through the experiences of transgender women who worked there, with a particular focus on Black and Latina trans women, sex work, policing, housing, and gentrification.
 
Kokomo City (2023)
An intimate, funny, and visually striking documentary centered on Black trans women sex workers. Very different from the usual trauma-focused portrayals of trans women.
 
Southern Comfort (2001)
Follows a group of trans people in the American South and explores community, healthcare, relationships, and trans life at the turn of the millennium. Heavy but historically significant.
 
FILMS
 
Tangerine (2015)
A funny, chaotic film about two trans women of color in Los Angeles. It centers friendship, community, and everyday life rather than making transition the entire story.
 
A Fantastic Woman (2017)
A Chilean film about a trans woman navigating grief, family, discrimination, and dignity after the death of her partner.
 
Veneno (2020)
A Spanish series based on the life of Cristina Ortiz, a Spanish trans woman, performer, and television personality. A great way to expand beyond U.S.-centered trans history.
 
LESBIAN /TRANS HISTORY RABBIT HOLES
These people are particularly interesting to look up because their lives sit directly at the intersection of trans and lesbian history.
 
Sally Douglas
A trans lesbian feminist and organizer involved in 1970s trans and lesbian communities. Her story is particularly interesting because it complicates the idea that trans women and lesbian feminism existed in completely separate worlds.

Beth Elliott
A trans lesbian musician and activist involved in the 1970s lesbian feminist movement. Her experiences with inclusion and exclusion within lesbian communities offer a fascinating look at the conflicts around trans women in lesbian spaces.
 
Stormé DeLarverie
A Black/biracial butch lesbian performer and important figure in queer nightlife and history. Her life is a great starting point for exploring the overlap between butch identity, gender presentation, lesbian culture, and trans history.
 
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy
A Black trans elder and longtime activist whose life spans the Stonewall era through contemporary trans liberation movements.
 
Sylvia Rivera
A Puerto Rican/Venezuelan trans activist and co-founder of STAR, the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. Her work with homeless and marginalized queer and trans youth is especially important.
 
Marsha P. Johnson
Black trans activist, sex worker, performer, and co-founder of STAR. Her story is essential to understanding the role of trans women of color in early LGBTQ liberation movements.
 
Kate Bornstein
Writer, performer, and gender theorist whose work challenges rigid definitions of gender and sexuality.
 
A FEW FUN / CULTURAL ADDITIONS
 
Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion by Eleanor Medhurst
A surprisingly fun way into lesbian history through clothing, gender presentation, butch/femme culture, gender nonconformity, and lesbian style. It spans historical and contemporary lesbian communities and includes trans lesbian perspectives.
 
Information Activism: A Queer History of Lesbian Media Technologies by Cait McKinney
A history of how lesbians created their own networks, newsletters, archives, hotlines, and information systems when mainstream media largely ignored them.

 
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
Black lesbian vampire fiction spanning several centuries. Queer, weird, romantic, and genuinely fun while still engaging with race, sexuality, community, survival, and chosen family.
 
If you can only pick a few:
 
Books:

• Nevada

• Transgender History

• Black on Both Sides

• A Safe Girl to Love

• Unsuitable

• Watch:

• The Stroll

• Kokomo City

• Tangerine

• Veneno

• Rabbit holes:

• Sally Douglas

• Beth Elliott

• Miss Major Griffin-Gracy

• Sylvia Rivera

• Marsha P. Johnson

• Stormé DeLarverie