Style by Chelsea M. Cameron
Out on Good Behavior by Dahlia Adler
Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown
Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
As I Descended by Robin Talley
How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake
Dear Me by Robin Alexander
Training Ground by Kate Christie
Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton
The Gravity Between Us by Kristen Zimmer
Taking Flight by Siera Maley
The Road to Her by K.E. Payne
Suddenly by M.E. Tudor
Time It Right by Siera Maley
Because of Her by K.E. Payne
Dirty London by Kelley York
About a Girl by Joanne Horniman
I Don’t Remember You by Stephanie Lennox
It’s Our Prom (So Deal With It) by Julie Anne Peters
Gravity by Leanne Lieberman
Finding H.F. by Julia Watts
Breathing Underwater by Lu Vickers
Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peters
Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle
Far from Xanadu by Julie Anne Peters
Love & Lies: Marisol’s Story by Ellen Wittlinger
M+O 4EVR by Tonya Cherie Hegamin
The Sky Always Hears Me: And the Hills Don’t Mind by Kirstin Cronn-Mills
a lot of young teen lesbians on tumblr r aligning with the terf ideology without knowing properly what it stands for. so as an Older Lesbian with some 6 years of Being Out Experience i wanna clarify some things for you.
nobody is forcing you to be attracted to anyone
nobody is saying that if you aren’t attracted to [insert a trans woman name], you’re automatically transphobic and a terf. nobody is saying you have to have sex with trans girls if you aren’t attracted to them. just as nobody is saying you have to be attracted to every cis woman. and nobody is saying you have to have sex with gay girls you aren’t attracted to.
we are only asking you to respect trans women as women
and that’s really the least you could do! trans women (trans lesbians and wlw in particular) are just other girls out here trying to survive in this hetero world. and it’s hard being a lesbian already - but being a trans lesbian is so much harder. don’t make these girls feel even more alienated, don’t contribute to the hate that is turned against them.
“but i don’t wanna have sex with someone with a penis”
if you end up never sleeping with anyone w a penis, that’s okay. being a lesbian isn’t just about who you have sex with. it’s also about who you love, who you’re attracted to and who you date. and one day you might find yourself falling in love with a trans girl.
if that happens, just like in any relationship, you can negotiate your limits in sex. there’s no point in saying “i am not attracted to trans women” - because it makes it seem like trans women are inherently so much different from cis women, makes you sound like you think all trans women look/are the same and like you think of women as walking genitals. which is pretty misogynist!
so please just don’t listen to terfs. protect your trans sisters because they need it and they will always be there to support you if you support them too.
im always scared terfs will follow me. am i loud enough about hating terfs? can you ever be loud enough about hating terfs?
if ur a terf unfollo me
….unpopular opinion but I really wish others in the LGBT community wouldn’t be like “I love dick/pussy” when they mean they are attracted to men or women
It really….makes trans people like me feel othered and hurt because you’re excluding us from the mix and emphasizing the transphobic belief that all men have dicks and all girls have vaginas
I see stuff like this all the time and especially from my own community it feels like a knife in the heart
pride month seems like a decent time to reblog this again
lgbtq+ book recs
there are so many other good lgbtq+ books out there, but here are the ones that i read and loved! please feel free to add to this list as i would love to get some recommendations myself. <3
- beauty queens, by libba bray. (side-characters)
- blue is the warmest colour, by julie maroh. (protagonist)
- conviction, by kelly loy gilbert. (side-character + homophobia tw)
- far from you, by tess sharpe. (protagonist)
- hero, by perry moore. (protagonist)
- labyrinth lost, by zoraida córdova. (protagonist)
- more than this, by patrick ness. (protagonist)
- not your sidekick, by c.b. lee. (protagonist)
- peter darling, by austin chant. (protagonist)
- red queen series, by victoria aveyard. (side-characters + not until the third book)
- shades of magic series, by v.e. schwab. (side-characters + not until the second book)
- six of crows duology, by leigh bardugo. (protagonists)
- we are the ants, by shaun david hutchinson. (protagonist)
- when the moon was ours, by anna-marie mclemore. (protagonist + side-character)
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde (protagonist + side character)
We Awaken by Calista Lynne (protagonist + side character)
The Princess Affair by Nell Stark (2 protagonists, nsfw)
The Diplomat by Sophia French (protagonist + side character, nsfw)
Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler (protagonist + side character, somewhat nsfw)
Everything Leads to You by Nina Lacour (protagonist + side character)
Ash by Malinda Lo (protagonist + side character)
Now You See Me by S.Y. Thompson (protagonists, nsfw)
The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer (protagonist+ side characters, rape tw)
My Lady King by Kayla Bashe (protagonists + side characters)
carry on by rainbow rowell (protagonists + side characters)
strange the dreamer by laini taylor (side characters)
the diviners series by libba bray (side characters in first book/protagonist and side character in second book; homophobia tw)
annie on my mind by nancy garden (protagonists and side characters; homophobia tw) **big influence on lgbt community bc it was published in 1990s
the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater (protagonists)
the grisha trilogy by leigh bardugo (side characters)
the rest of us just live here by patrick ness (protagonists)
more happy than not by adam silvera (protagonists; homophobia tw)
georgia peaches and other forbidden fruit by jaye robin brown (protagonists; homophobia tw)
my most excellent year by steve kluger (protagonist and side character; there’s no direct homophobia but there’s “gaydar”)
magnus chase and the gods of asgard by rick riordan (the mc and a nonbinary side character introduced in the second book have a romance but it hasn’t been developed yet)
the winner’s trilogy by marie rutkoski (protagonist introduced in second book)
huntress by malinda lo (protagonists)
the trials of apollo by rick riordan (protagonist, side characters, protagonists introduced in second book, antagonist introduced in second book) this series has a ton of lgbt+ rep there are even gay geysers
the heroes of olympus by rick riordan (side character that later becomes main character and a side character in the last book; some homophobia)
juliet takes a breath by gabby rivera (a LOT of lgbt+ characters; some homophobia; it’s also very educational for people that are new to the lgbt+ community)
simon vs the homo sapiens agenda by becky albertalli (protagonists; homophobia tw)
the young elites by marie lu (protagonists)
the secret history by donna tartt (haven’t read; heard some protagonists are lgbt)
the wicked and the divine: rising action by kieron gillen (haven’t read; heard some protagonists are lgbt)
boy meets boy by david levithan (protagonists)
two boys kissing by david levithan (protagonists; homophobia tw; i believe there’s trans rep)
symptoms of being human by jeff garvin (haven’t read but protagonist is nonbinary)
lies we tell ourselves by robin talley (haven’t read but protagonists are lgbt; homophobia tw; racism tw)
maurice by e.m. forster (haven’t read but there are lgbt protagonists; there might be homophobia) **WRITTEN IN 1913-1914, THOUGHT TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST LGBT BOOKS WITH A HAPPY ENDING
the miseducation of cameron post by emily m. danforth (lgbt protagonists; homophobia tw)aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
when the moon was ours by anna-maria mclemore
a little life by hanya yanagihara (warning: trigger inducing. a tough read)
i’ll give you the sun by jandy nelson
the song of achilles by madeline miller
the color purple by alice walker
the millennium trilogy by stieg larsson
you can find my comprehensive (but probably not exhaustive) list of trigger warnings for a little life by hanya yanagihara (recc’d above), below the cut to avoid spoilers. sorry, mobile users; scroll fast?
would further suggest the autobiographical born on a blue day by daniel tammet, a gay autistic savant
also the watchmaker of filigree street by natasha pulley <3
from someone who has read the secret history, it’s not a huge plot point but one main character is gay, tw for homophobia
Since it’s pride month, I thought I’d share some of my favorite wlw movies (with a focus on lesbian movies since I’m a lesbian) and summaries/thoughts about them. Movies with a * next to them have a director or writer who is a wlw, or are inspired by source material created by a wlw.
1. *But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) dir. Jamie Babbit: This is on every “top lesbian films” list for a reason. It’s about a cheerleader named Megan who is sent away to a conversion therapy camp because her friends and family think she’s a lesbian. Though it deals with a dark subject, the movie is satirical, fun, and campy. It has a happy ending and is super cute! It’s my favorite movie of all time and one of the first lesbian movies I watched.
2. *The Watermelon Woman (1996) dir. Cheryl Dunye: “Cheryl, a young black lesbian, works a day job in a video store while trying to make a film about a black actress from the 1930s known for playing the stereotypical “mammy” roles relegated to black actresses during the period. It was the first feature film directed by a black lesbian.” (Summary from letterboxd.com). The movie alternates between clips of Cheryl’s documentary and her life. It’s super interesting, features butch characters, has a neutral ending, and was an instant favorite of mine.
3. *Carol (2015) dir. Todd Haynes: A shop girl and photographer named Therese falls for Carol who is in the process of divorcing her husband. 1950s New York City, features a road trip, great costumes and cinematography, robbed of an Oscar imlo (in my lesbian opinion), has a hopeful ending, idk what more you could want. It’s one of the few movies I’ve seen multiple times in theaters. Also part of it takes place around Christmas time so it can technically count as a Christmas movie. It was based on the book The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, which was the first lesbian pulp novel without a tragic ending.
4. *The Handmaiden (2016) dir. Chan-wook Park: One of the headlines about this movie called it, “The Korean Gothic Lesbian Revenge Thriller That’s Captivated Cannes,” and honestly that’s the best way to describe it. It also has great costumes and cinematography and a happy ending. It is inspired by the book Fingersmith by Sara Waters.
5. *D.E.B.S. (2004) dir. Angela Robinson: A high ranking spy and a super villain fall in love. It has a Disney Channel original movie vibe to it, except it’s super gay and more on the PG-13 side. Like if you’re tired of wlw movies being to depressing or serious, please watch this, it’s probably the most cheesy and fun movie on this list and possibly ever. The short this movie expanded on is also worth checking out.
6. *Saving Face (2004) dir. Alice Wu: Wil is a closeted lesbian who dates a woman named Vivian who is openly gay. The movie explores Wil and Vivian’s relationship, but has a greater focus on Vivian’s relationship with her mother and how she balances being gay with the values of her family and community. It’s super cute and has a happy ending. The film was inspired by the writer/director’s own experiences coming out as a lesbian in the Chinese American community.
7. *Pariah (2011) dir. Dee Rees: A movie about a black, butch lesbian named Alike, who’s parents (especially her mother) disapprove of her sexuality and gender expression. Great cinematography. The ending is sad because her parents are unaccepting, but it is implied that Alike is now on her own path in life and will have a better future.
8. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) dir. Jon Avnet: A housewife named Evelyn visits a woman at a nursing home, who tells her stories about her sister-in-law Idgie who owned a cafe in Alabama in the 1920s. Idgie has a close relationship with a woman named Ruth, and they raise a child together. Idgie and Ruth aren’t shown kissing/being physically intimate/etc in the movie, but it’s still fairly obvious that they are in love. The ending is sad, but the movie is still worth watching imo because the story is interesting and Idgie is just that amazing of a character. The book this movie is based on, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flag, is gayer than the movie.
9. Imagine Me & You (2005) dir. Ol Parker: During Rachel’s wedding ceremony to a man, she is drawn to the florist, Luce. Luce is an out lesbian, and as Rachel and Luce become closer friends, Rachel starts to question her sexuality. This movie has a typical romcom vibe and a happy ending.
10. *Desert Hearts (1985) dir. Donna Deitch: “The story of straight-edge literature professor Vivian who travels to Reno to get away from a relationship breakup when she falls in love with an attractive and unconventional girl named Cay.” (Summary from letterboxd.com). This movie is often cited as the first lesbian movie with a happy ending. Deitch also became the first lesbian director to have a sex scene between women seen by general movie theater audiences. The movie is loosely based on the book Desert of the Heart by Jane Rule.
11. Grandma (2015) dir. Paul Weitz: Lily Tomlin plays a widowed lesbian who helps her granddaughter raise money for an abortion. It’s great.
12. Dope (2015) dir. Rick Famuyiwa: High school senior Malcolm and his friends Jib and Diggy bond over 90s hip-hop and try to avoid the trouble that comes their way when a drug dealer fills Malcolm’s backpack with drugs at a party and Malcolm flees with his backpack, unaware of the drugs inside. Diggy is a lesbian and although she’s not the focus of the film, I’m putting Dope on this list anyway because I love her that much (and it’s a good film in general).
13. Boy Meets Girl (2014) dir. Eric Schaeffer: “21-year old Ricky is a transgender girl living in a small town in Kentucky with big dreams to move to New York and attend a school of fashion design. Ricky is working as a barista and spends most of her time hanging out with her only friend Robby who has been by her side for the past 15 years. One day while Ricky is at work, a girl from town named Francesca walks in, a friendship unexpectedly blossoms, which then turns into an affair.” (Summary from Wikipedia). Ricky has relationships with both men and women, so she is most likely bi. This is also one of the only films (if not the only film) that I know of with a trans wlw character. There are definitely still some issues with the movie, but it is a lot better than most portrayals of trans characters in media, and Ricky is played by a trans actress.
14. All Cheerleaders Die (2013) dir. Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson: A horror/comedy about cheerleaders getting revenge on the boys on the football team featuring wlw and supernatural elements. Honestly I’m not even sure how to explain this effectively, but it’s wild.
15. Pride (2014) dir. Matthew Warchus: “Realizing that they share common foes in Margaret Thatcher, the police and the conservative press, London-based gays and lesbians lend their support to striking coal miners in 1984 Wales.” (Summary from Google).
For other wlw movies that I’ve seen you can check my wlw list on letterboxd, which I’m still adding to. Happy pride month!
I love all my trans friends rb if u also love ur trans friends
seeing gay ppl in public being Gay and talking abt being gay & being confident & unashamed & Out is honestly the most healing thing there is
reasons to read the upside of unrequited:
- the main het romance and the side wlw romance are really, really sweet
- like tooth-rottingly sweet, i can’t even think about them without grinning
- the protag is straight, but pretty much every important person in her life is a queer woman. there’s seriously SO MUCH wlw representation. lesbians, bi women and pan women! queer women of colour! teen wlw and older wlw! wlw as mothers and wives and girlfriends! queer characters & relationships completely normalised and accepted by everyone!
- also so many jewish characters, including a jewish protagonist and a jewish love interest
- a fat protagonist who isn’t defined by her fatness
- a really beautiful relationship between two sisters which explores the heartbreaking process of growing up and losing that closeness siblings have when they’re young
- the most painfully realistic portrayal of what it’s like to be young and scared of rejection that i’ve ever read
- cameo appearances by characters from becky’s first book! (which is all kinds of awesome and should also definitely be on your radar but it’s not necessary to read it first.)
- the main character’s love interest says that kissing her was the best thing that has ever happened to his mouth, including cadbury mini eggs and honestly that’s the most romantic thing i’ve ever read
- i mean the whole book is this adorable it’s nauseatingly cute and you should read it asap
reminder trans men aren’t just cute, they’re also handsome and hot as hell
you can rb this if you’re cis btw trans men deserve to know these Facts
🏳️🌈We are witnessing history as my country becomes the first country in Asia to grant everyone the right to marry who they love, regardless of gender.
You have not suffered in vain. You have not died in vain. The battle is won. 05/24/17
