Across Texas and the nation, the far-right is engaged in a coordinated campaign to erase LGBTQIA+ stories and identities by banning books from schools and libraries. According to a PEN America report, Texas had the second-highest number of book-banning instances during the 2022-23 school year. 30% of the books banned across the U.S. had LGBTQIA+ characters or themes, and 6% of the targeted books featured transgender characters — a disproportionately high number, especially knowing that trans stories and authors are already underrepresented on shelves.
TFN believes that erasing stories will never erase people. Transgender people exist — they always have, and they always will — and their stories deserve to be told. The voices, narratives, and humanity of trans and gender non-conforming young people deserve to be recognized and celebrated, not suppressed. One of the most powerful ways to uplift our loved ones in the transgender community is to read books that authentically depict their experiences, challenge societal biases, and allow trans youth to see themselves reflected in the pages.
Fight back against censorship by elevating transgender stories and reading banned books with pride! We’ve highlighted a few books by transgender and queer authors to get you started.
TFN believes that erasing stories will never erase people. Transgender people exist — they always have, and they always will — and their stories deserve to be told.
For Young Children
Not He or She, I’m Me – A. M. Wild (they/them)
Transgender character: ✅
Transgender author: ✅
Perfect for storytime, Not He or She, I’m Me teaches empathy and self-love through a simple, delightful day in the life of a nonbinary child. It’s great for discussing gender and respecting people’s identities with children in a developmentally appropriate way.
For Young Adult Fiction Fans
The Sunbearer Trials – Aiden Thomas (he/they)
Transgender character: ✅
Transgender author: ✅
In this Mexican-inspired fantasy featuring a trans protagonist, teen semidioses (demigods) compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes. Author Aiden Thomas describes it as “Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson and Gay Titanic in Space.” If that doesn’t inspire you to pick it up, we don’t know what will!
For Romance Lovers
A Lady for a Duke – Alexis Hall (any pronouns)
Transgender character: ✅
LGBTQIA+ author: ✅
Romance readers rejoice! A Lady for a Duke is a historical romance featuring a transgender heroine and a disabled hero. It has well-developed characters — and a thoughtful plot that does not revolve around the main character’s transness — which can be surprisingly hard to come by.
For Sci-fi and Fantasy Bookworms
Meanwhile, Elsewhere: Science Fiction & Fantasy from Transgender Writers – Editors Cat Fitzpatrick (she/her) and Casey Plett (she/her)
Transgender characters: ✅
Transgender authors: ✅
25 transgender writers imagine different worlds in this sci-fi/fantasy anthology. This review from Truthout speaks for itself: “Meanwhile, Elsewhere is good, weird, out of this world, and occasionally trashy. But more importantly, it defies the singular trans story of the mainstream media and shows how visionary and interesting trans writers are when they have the chance to write stories they really want to tell.”
For Allies of Nonbinary Loved Ones
How to Support Your Non-Binary Family Member – Alyssa Giannini (they/them)
Transgender author: ✅
A short, welcoming, and accessible zine for parents of nonbinary kids and anyone else who wants to better understand nonbinary gender. It’s split into three sections: Processing, Understanding, and Support — and offers practical and straightforward tips and explanations to help you be the best ally you can be.
We’ve only scratched the surface with the stories we’ve shared here. There are countless other books, zines, comics, and graphic novels with trans representation and talented queer and trans authors, waiting for you to crack them open.
Dive deeper into LGBTQIA+ stories and fight far-right book-banning
Children deserve to see themselves represented in their school lessons and in the books they read. As part of their scheme to control and dismantle public education, Texas’s fearful far-right leaders are targeting librarians and teachers, and trying to snatch LGBTQIA+ stories out of the hands of the students who need them. Join TFN’s Teach the Truth campaign to protect all students’ access to an honest, accurate education and to fight against classroom censorship. Together, we can protect a future for our families and our freedoms. Don’t forget to check out these blogs to learn more about the issues.
