A rich history and legacy of resistance
By Laurie Wolfe (she/her) | shades Contributing Writer
During Pride month we recognize and celebrate the beautiful diversity of gender and sexual identity.
Unfortunately, there are many who ask, “Why?”
As the National LGBTQ Task Force points out, even though the diverse mix of Queer communities have a rich history and legacy of resistance – carried from generations of queer ancestors – members of these communities still live in a country where Queer people are often shamed for being who they are.
One way we are honoring Pride 2026 is by offering this curated list of books: A selection of novels and short stories at the intersection of LGBTQIA+ female or nonbinary Authors of Color, which contain at least some LGBTQIA + representation.
And once again, shades Contributor Laurie Wolfe offers another peek into her extensive catalog of books she has enjoyed reading over the past several years.
The Color Purple
By Alice Walker (identifies as LGBTQI “curious” and advocate)
Mariner Books (original publish date 1982, 304 pages
Most people are familiar with “The Color Purple.” You may have seen one or both of the movie adaptations from 1985 and/or 2023, and you may even be familiar with the Tony-Award winning stage musical, which began its first run in 2005. If you have not read the award-winning book, because you thought you knew the story already, or thought the story was outdated, you may find you’re wrong on both fronts.
The story of Celie, a young woman in the South, begins in 1909 and is told through letters to God and to her sister over the course of several decades. The themes of systemic oppression, sexism, racism, colonialism, religion and self-discovery still resonate today. I highly recommend giving it a read … It is not to be missed! And the audiobook is well narrated.
– Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
By Deeshaw Philyaw (identifies as Queer)
West Virginia University Press (2020), 192 pages
“The Secret Lives of Church Ladies” is a debut selection of short stories about “good church women” exploring their sexuality, with a healthy dose of humor.
If you don’t think you like short stories, this book might change your mind. I enjoyed it in audio format, but was sometimes caught unaware when one story ended and the next began.
– National Book Award Finalist
This Is How You Lose the Time War
By Anal El-Mohtar (Canadian-Lebanese woman, identifies as bisexual) and Max Gladstone (a white ally)
Simon & Schuster/Saga Press (2025), 208 pages
This genre-bending, sci-fi, romantic, epistolary, poetic novella “follows Red and Blue, two rival time-traveling agents who fall in love while attempting to sabotage each other’s empires across time and space.”
I read this book in print, and recommend that format.
– Hugo Award for Best Novella
– Nebula Award for Best Novella
– Locus Award for Best Novella
Girl, Woman, Other
By Bernadine Evaristo (identifies as LGBTQIA+)
Grove Atlantic (2019), 464 pages
This collection of linked stories about 12 British “mostly black, mostly women,” several of whom are Queer, covers the lives of these individuals from their viewpoints.
The writing style is somewhat challenging without punctuation and traditional structure, but the stories are full of powerful, diverse characters, themes of class, colonial history, diverse representation and struggles. I recommend reading this one in print.
– Winner of the Booker Prize
– A Barack Obama favorite and recipient of many other awards
Legendborn
By Tracy Deonn (identifies as Queer/ Pansexual)
Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books (2022), 544 pages
This first book in a three-part series is a fantastical, modern young adult novel, which reimagines “The Tales of King Arthur.” The book introduces readers to Bree – a 16-year-old African American protagonist who after her mother’s death, enrolls in an early college program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Adventures ensue after she witnesses a magical demon attack and learns of an ancient, secret society.
LGBTQIA+ characters are well represented in the large cast of supporting characters, as are diverse cultures and intergenerational trauma. I read it as an audio book and recommend this format.
– A GMA Young Adult Book Club Pick
– Winner of the Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award
Check, Please!
By Ngozi Ukazu (identifies as a Queer woman)
MacMillan Publishers/First Second (2018), 288 pages
The first in a two-part series, Ukazu tells the story of Bitty – a gay figure skater who becomes a college hockey player as a freshman.
This sweet tale began as a webcomic, which the author later expanded into a set of two charming young adult graphic novels.
– The Boston Globe – Best YA of the Year (and other awards)
Laurie Wolfe (she/her)is a book lover and social activist who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is an occasional guest on shades Magazine’s #RealTalkPlus podcast show on Clubhouse.