Chambana Sun

Illinois State University’s Assistant Professor Mallory Jallas and Senior Library Specialist Elizabeth Babin draw upon Milner Library’s collections for recommendations on readings to celebrate Pride Month.  

“This list is only a starting point for the materials available at Milner Library,” said Jallas. “We hope our community will take some time to explore and enjoy LGBTQIA2S+ literature and stories during Pride month and all year round.”

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex 

In Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex, Angela Chen discusses understanding her own asexuality while providing perspectives of disabled, BIPOC, and gender-nonconforming aces. An encompassing read discussing topics like society’s obsession with sexual attraction, common assumptions and misconceptions, whitewashing, and important terms surrounding the ace community, this book appeals to readers of any orientation seeking a greater understanding of human sexuality. 

All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto 

All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto is a collection of essays by George M. Johnson that explores his journey of growing up in New Jersey and Virginia and presents insights into the experiences of black queer boys. In 2021, All Boys Aren’t Blue, was the third-most challenged book in libraries, schools, and universities in the United States. Often challenged for the LGBTQIA + content, profanity, and sexual content, the book has been a part of a cultural conversation about censorship and the erasure of LGBTQIA+ stories. Jallas noted challenged or banned books in libraries and schools are often cited for their LGBTQIA+ content.  

Gender Queer: A Memoir

Gender Queer: A Memoir written by Maia Kobabe (e/em/eir), a Stonewall Book Award recipient in 2020, was the most banned and challenged book in the U.S. in 2021. An autobiographical graphic novel, Maia shares eir journey through self-identity. Eir journey touches on the confusion of adolescence, coming out, sex and sexuality, bonding, and trauma. Not only a personal memoir, but a guide and support on navigating gender identity for individuals, advocates, and any person seeking understanding. This book challenges readers to think beyond whirlwind bans and support stories with queer representation. 

Detransition, Baby

Torrey Peters’ debut novel, Detransition, Baby, is garnering a lot of praise and showing up on many of the “best books” lists for the year. The book was recently named a Lambda Literary Award finalist in the Transgender Fiction category, and it was a recent selection for Roxane Gay’s Audacious Book Club. Detransition, Baby is a story of both cis and trans womanhood. The book engages readers to consider and expand traditional notions of parenthood and gender. 

Behind the Mask: Gender Hybridity in a Zapotec Community 

Behind the Mask: Gender Hybridity in a Zapotec Community by Alfredo Mirandé examines Mexico’s acceptance of Los Muxes and challenges the patriarchal gender binary through interviews, ethnographic field research, and historical analysis. Mirandé, a 1963 graduate from Illinois State University, is a celebrated scholar in Chicano-Latino studies who has given many keynotes, including one at ISU’s Center for Visual Arts in 2018. The book inspires revelations of historical cultural acceptance and provokes readers to discover diversity within their roots. 

A Comprehensive Guide to Intersex 

Jay Kyle Petersen’s book, A Comprehensive Guide to Intersex, equips readers with various topics to help them navigate understanding of intersex individuals. A great starting point for professionals and general readers interested in learning about and supporting intersex people; this truly is a comprehensive resource including definitions, variations, global history, and an assortment of perspectives all in support of intersex peoples. As a scholar and intersex man, Petersen answers the question, “What is intersex?”   

No Tea, No Shade: New Writings in Black Queer Studies 

This 2016 edited collection of essays from Duke University Press expands the field of black queer studies by exploring topics from the black diaspora and drag to social media, gentrification, and more. All readers can find something to learn and engage in within the collection. The editor, Dr. E. Patrick Johnson, is the dean of the Northwestern University School of Communication and has authored and edited several works that foreground the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, and performance. Several of his titles, Blacktino Queer Performance, Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South, and the Black Queer Studies: A Critical Anthology, are available also from Milner Library. 

Original source can be found here.