2SLGBTQIA+ Resources

Speaking to the intersectional identities of blackness and transness, Snorton details the historical marginalization of Black Transgender individuals while recognizing how anti trans and anti black policies work to perpetuate systemic discrimination and violence against black trans bodies in the present day. Emphasizing on the gendered norms present within the 19th century, Snorton also explores how the complex power dynamics exists and functions within the intersections of race, gender and sexuality. 2020 has seen a surge in awareness and support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement as well as a drastic increase in violence against trans women and gender non conforming individuals of colour. This book is a great educational resource as it helps readers understand how this intersectional struggle has persisted throughout history.

Toxic masculinity takes many insidious forms, from misogyny and sexual harassment to homophobia, transphobia, and bullying. Vivek Shraya has first-hand experience with nearly all of them. As a transwomen she grew up experiencing aggression for displaying femininity, and is haunted by the violence of men. I'm Afraid of Men is a culmination of the years Vivek spent observing men and creating her own version of manhood. Through deeply personal reflection, she offers a rare and multifaceted perspective on gender and a hopeful reimagining of masculinity at a time when it's needed more than ever.

This honest, heartbreaking yet hopeful collection of essays and poems by Kai ChengThom explores the ways in which people deal with trauma, transphobia and racism while stepping into their role as activists and partaking in social justice movements. The book is not afraid to project the damaged reality of the world through the themes of violence, vengeance and political polarisation. But at the same time calls for healing, love and forgiveness. Kai Cheng Thom’s writing is guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart.

"Poignant and important." --Refinery29 "A bright and sparkly celebration of love and self-acceptance." --Kirkus Reviews Judy Blume meets RuPaul's Drag Race in this funny, feel-good debut novel about a queer teen who navigates questions of identity and self-acceptance while discovering the magical world of drag. Perpetually awkward Nima Kumara-Clark is bored with her insular community of Bridgeton, in love with her straight girlfriend, and trying to move past her mother's unexpected departure. After a bewildering encounter at a local festival, Nima finds herself suddenly immersed in the drag scene on the other side of town. Macho drag kings, magical queens, new love interests, and surprising allies propel Nima both painfully and hilariously closer to a self she never knew she could be--one that can confidently express and accept love. But she'll have to learn to accept lost love to get there. From debut author Tanya Boteju comes a poignant, laugh-out-loud tale of acceptance, self-expression, and the colorful worlds that await when we're brave enough to look.

From the author of the Lambda Literary Award-winning story collection A Safe Girl to Love, Wendy Reimer is a thirty-year-old trans woman in Winnipeg who comes across evidence that her late grandfather - a devout Mennonite farmer - might have been transgender himself. At first she dismisses this revelation, but as she and her friends struggle to cope with the challenges of their increasingly volatile lives - which range from alcoholism, to sex work, to suicide - Wendy is drawn to the lost pieces of her grandfather's life, becoming determined to unravel the mystery of his truth.

"So while the assumption when I was born was that I was or would grow up to be a neurotypical heterosexual boy, that whole idea didn't really pan out long term." In this candid, first-of-its-kind memoir, Laura Kate Dale recounts what life is like growing up as a gay trans woman on the autism spectrum. From struggling with sensory processing, managing socially demanding situations and learning social cues and feminine presentation, through to coming out as trans during an autistic meltdown, Laura draws on her personal experiences from life prior to transition and diagnosis, and moving on to the years of self-discovery, to give a unique insight into the nuances of sexuality, gender and autism, and how they intersect. Charting the ups and downs of being autistic and on the LGBT spectrum with searing honesty and humour, this is an empowering, life-affirming read for anyone who's felt they don't fit in.