LGBTQ+
Jimmy's blues
James Baldwin
Known for his relentless honesty and startlingly prophetic insights on issues of race, gender, class, and poverty, Baldwin is just as enlightening and bold in his poetry as in his famous novels and essays. The poems range from the extended dramatic narratives of “Staggerlee wonders” and “Gypsy” to the lyrical beauty of “Some days,” which has been set to music and interpreted by such acclaimed artists as Audra McDonald. Nikky Finney’s introductory essay reveals the importance, relevance, and rich rewards of these little-known works. Baldwin’s many devotees will find much to celebrate in these pages.
Complete poems of Hart Crane
Hart Crane
This edition features a new introduction by Harold Bloom as a centenary tribute to the visionary of White Buildings (1926) and The Bridge (1930). Hart Crane, prodigiously gifted and tragically doom-eager, was the American peer of Shelley, Rimbaud, and Lorca. Born in Garrettsville, Ohio, on July 21, 1899, Crane died at sea on April 27, 1932, an apparent suicide. A born poet, totally devoted to his art, Crane suffered his warring parents as well as long periods of a hand-to-mouth existence. He suffered also from his honesty as a homosexual poet and lover during a period in American life unsympathetic to his sexual orientation. Despite much critical misunderstanding and neglect, in his own time and in ours, Crane achieved a superb poetic style, idiosyncratic yet central to American tradition. His visionary epic, The Bridge, is the most ambitious and accomplished long poem since Walt Whitman's Song of Myself. Marc Simon's text is accepted as the most authoritative presentation of Hart Crane's work available to us. For this centennial edition, Harold Bloom, who was introduced to poetry by falling in love with Crane's work while still a child, has contributed a new introduction.
Added by Melody
Collected poems
Constantine Cavafy
C.P. Cavafy (1863-1933) lived in relative obscurity in Alexandria, and a collected edition of his poems was not published until after his death. Now, however, he is regarded as the most important figure in twentieth-century Greek poetry, and his poems are considered among the most powerful in modern european literature. Here is an extensively revised edition of the acclaimed translations of Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard, which capture Cavafy's mixture of formal and idiomatic use of language and preserve the immediacy of his frank treatment of homosexual themes, his brilliant re-creation of history, and his astute political ironies. The resetting of this entire edition has permitted the translators to review each poem and to make alterations where appropriate. George Savidis has revised and amplified the notes in keeping with his latest edition of the Greek text of Cavafy.
Added by Melody
She, he, they, me : For the sisters, misters, and binary resisters
Robyn Ryle
305.3/Ryle
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+
In this unusual, useful resource, sociology professor Ryle (Questioning Gender: A Sociological Exploration) explores the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, culture, and history in the form of a choose-your-own-adventure book. Each chapter presents a different aspect of a gender-based experience; as readers make their way through, they might choose to see what happens when one is born intersex or discovers they are nonbinary or transgender. Ryle defines such terms as compulsory heterosexuality and gender socialization, explaining why some people might not be accepting of deviations from the gender binary: "For some people, gender matters a lot. It is a system that they're deeply invested in, and a set of rules they believe everyone should follow, including children like you." Ryle explores various cultures' genders, discussing the South Asian third gender label hijra, the "sworn virgins" of the Balkans, and masculine archetypes of 18th-century America. She argues that a rigid binary gender system hurts everyone. Though the chapters are short, often about a page, together they form an expansive account of gender that reflects exhaustive research. With its unique format and accessible language, the text is perfect for readers of any age who are questioning their genders, generally curious about gender, or interested in better understanding a loved one's identity.
A unique choose-your-own-adventure styled guide to the various genders. Choose a path to see what experiences one might have when identifying as a certain gender, taking into account variables such as race and culture. Fun and very informative. -Candice
Coping with gender dysphoria
Ellen McGrody
616.8583 /McGrody
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
For transgender youth, the process of exploring gender can be exciting, but also difficult and painful. This book discusses the challenges of living with gender dysphoria, offering young adult readers resources and strategies for coping in different contexts: at home, at school, out in public, and in seeking medical care. Each chapter defines relevant terms, shares relatable anecdotes, and features easy-to-read informational sidebars, addressing the experiences and needs of youth with a variety of gender identities and social locations. Beyond merely helping them deal with transphobia, this book offers transgender teens support and advice for navigating life and thriving.
Coming of age and dealing with sexuality can be a scary thing for anyone, but for those who are questioning their gender it can be a particularly stressful and frightening. This book aims to answer questions and clarify issues that might come up, as well as provide advice and tools for navigating certain situations. -Candice
The pride guide : a guide to sexual and social health for LGBTQ youth
Jo Langford
306.76 /Langford
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
Jo Langford offers a complete guide to sexual and social development, safety, and health for LGBTQ youth and those who love and support them. Written from a practical perspective, the author explores the realities of teen sexuality, particularly that of trans teens, and provides guidance and understanding for parents and kids alike.
A thoughtful, well-written, and comprehensive guide to all things LGBTQ+ that is aimed at young adults (but could be very useful for anyone). Covers an array of topics and is written from an educated and authoritative standpoint (author is a therapist and sex educator), but with heart and empathy. -Candice
A quick & easy guide to they/them pronouns
Archie Bongiovanni
425.55 /Bongiovanni
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+
"Archie, a snarky genderqueer artist, is tired of people not understanding gender-neutral pronouns. Tristan, a cisgender dude, is looking for an easy way to introduce gender-neutral pronouns to his increasingly diverse workplace. The longtime best friends team up in this short and fun comic guide that explains what pronouns are, why they matter, and how to use them. They also include what to do if you make a mistake, and some tips-and-tricks for those who identify outside of the binary to keep themselves safe in this binary-centric world." -- Publisher's description
One thing that has come out of the new gender culture, and that affects many people, is the use of gender-neutral pronouns and gender-specific terms. This illustrated guide is both useful and important in that it helps to clarify the 'what' and the 'why' of the issue. -Candice
Becoming an ally to the gender-expansive child : a guide for parents and carers
Anna Bianchi
306.768 /Bianchi
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+
When Anna Bianchi's grandchild asked, "Nanny, you do know I'm a girl, don't you?", Anna recognised this as a pivotal, and daunting, moment in their relationship. She knew that to answer her grandchild, who had been assigned male at birth, her own attitudes, assumptions and beliefs about gender would need to be examined. With reassuring honesty and openness, Anna draws deeply on four areas: her own experience, current research, interviews with children and their families, and a discussion of power, both in society and between children and adults. She shows how the inner journey of the adult inevitably impacts on the outer journey of the child and, given the significance of this, offers a step-by-step guide to becoming an ally to the gender-expansive child.
A sensitive and knowing look at how adults can arm themselves with information and understanding in order to help those they know who are nonconforming and/or questioning. -Candice
Trans like me : conversations for all of us
C. N. Lester
306.768 /Lester
Nonfiction, LGBTQ+
A personal and culture-driven exploration of the most pressing questions facing the transgender community today, from a leading activist, musician, and academic. In Trans Like Me, CN Lester takes readers on a measured, thoughtful, intelligent yet approachable tour through the most important and high-profile narratives around the trans community, turning them inside out and examining where we really are in terms of progress. From the impact of the media's wording in covering trans people and issues, to the way parenting gender variant children is portrayed, Lester brings their charged personal narrative to every topic and expertly lays out the work left to be done. Trans Like Me explores the ways that we are all defined by ideas of gender--whether we live as he, she, or they--and how we can strive for authenticity in a world that forces limiting labels.
A collection of essays that illuminate many of the issues faced by those in the trans community. Lester covers a variety of topics, often drawing on their own personal history as a nonbinary person to lend credence and subjectivity, in a way that is both informational and elucidating. -Candice
How (not) to ask a boy to prom
S. J. Goslee
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Goslee S. J.
LGBTQ+, Young Adult
Nolan Grant is sixteen, gay, and very, very single. He's never had a boyfriend, or even been kissed. It's not like Penn Valley is exactly brimming with prospects. Nolan plans to ride out the rest of his junior year drawing narwhals, working at the greenhouse, and avoiding anything that involves an ounce of school spirit. Unfortunately for him, his adoptive big sister has other ideas. Ideas that involve too-tight pants, a baggie full of purple glitter, and worst of all: a Junior-Senior prom ticket.
Added by Brian
Added by Melody