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YA LGBTQ Novels Where the Focus Isn't Coming Out

When I was a young babygay, many of the LGBT YA novels I found were all about the angst and trials of coming out. Which is all well and good, but those can’t be the only narratives queer people see themselves in. So, I compiled this list.

I had three criteria:

Coming Out could be a part of the plot but could not be the whole focus (which is why Ask the Passengers, even though it’s good, isn’t on here, before you ask)

The protagonist/MC had to identify as queer/LGBT. No sidekick stories here.

The story could not be known to be biphobic or transphobic (which is why The Bermudez Triangle isn’t on here, also before you ask. Also bisexual-books has a great response to that book in particular, but this is not the place for that discussion.)

If you believe a novel on this list falls into the categories of bi- or transphobic or otherwise, please message me and I’ll look into it/remove it.

This is by no means a comprehensive list–feel free to message me with suggestions so I can keep updating!

The List is also on Goodreads!!

-Nita

Realistic Fiction: Lesbian MC

The Summer I Wasn’t Me by Jess Verdi

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

Scars by Cheryl Rainfield (huge trigger warning for self harm and sexual abuse for this book, FYI. It is a wonderful book, though.)

If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

Starting from Here by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner

Gravel Queen by Tea Bendhun

Fat Angie by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo

Lies My Girlfriend Told Me by Julie Anne Peters

What We Left Behind by Robin Talley (also contains genderqueer MC)

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Realistic Fiction: Gay MC

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Gone Gone Gone by Hannah Moskowitz

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

Sprout by Dale Peck

One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva

Here’s to You, Zeb Pike by Johanna Parkhurst

Realistic Fiction: Transgender MC

Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kristin Cronn-Mills

Just Girls by Rachael Gold

Realistic Fiction: Bisexual MC

Far from You by Tess Sharpe

Empress of the World by Sara Ryan

Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz

Speculative Fiction: Lesbian MC

Huntress by Malinda Lo

Bleeding Earth by Kaitlin Ward

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Speculative Fiction: Bisexual MC

Love In the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

The Island of Excess Love by Francesca Lia Block

Ash by Malinda Lo

Adaptation by Malinda Lo

Inheritance by Malinda Lo

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Coda by Emma Trevayne

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

Pantomime by Laura Lam

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Speculative Fiction: Gay MC

Proxy by Alex London

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

More Happy than Not by Adam Silvera

Chicken by Chase Night

Historical Fiction: Lesbian MC

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Silhouette of a Sparrow by Molly Beth Griffin

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

Queer/Not Otherwise Specified MC:

The Mermaid in Chelsea Creek by Michelle Tea - Speculative Fiction

Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Cary -

Brooklyn Burning - Steve Brezenoff

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Listen to Ryan Lill- He Keeps Me Warm (Mary Lambert Cover) by Ryanlillmusic Such a great cover

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Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick react to Daniel Radcliffe’s story about Donald Trump giving him talk show advice.

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This is hella important!

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thank you for being who you are. thank you for standing up for lgbtq+ rights and just for everything that you believe in. i’m so proud of you and of how far you’ve come in the past few years and i’ll be forever thankful for the fact that i’m able to say that i was here to see you grow. you’ve inspired thousands of people, you’ve helped me so much and i just.. i don’t even know how i can ever fully explain to you what you’ve done for me, just thank you! i hope you have an amazing and super fun birthday and a year full of happiness. i love you so much and i’m so grateful to be one of your people.