Trans Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is observed annually on November 20 to commemorate trans, Two-Spirit, non-binary, and gender-diverse peoples that have lost their lives to transphobia. In Canada, up to a third of gender-diverse people report facing violence and/or harassment in the past year, with transfeminine and Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) gender-diverse people facing even higher rates of violence and injustice. These recommendations reflect on the violence, harassment, and transphobia faced by gender-diverse people and celebrate their history, resilience, and ingenuity.
Sylvia And Marsha Start A Revolution!: The Story Of The Trans Women Of Color Who Made LGBTQ+ History by Joy Michael Ellison and Teshika Silver
Learn about early trans activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, best friends who were instrumental in starting the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and formed an organization to help trans girls facing homelessness. Includes discussion questions, activities, and an LGBTQ2+ terminology guide. For readers aged 4-8.
Fierce Femmes And Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom
Fans of magical realism and urban fairy tales will love this fantastical satirization of contemporary trans life. In the magical "Street of Miracles," where a vigilante gang of transfeminine warriors avenge murdered trans women, Cheng Thom turns the memoir on its head in this surrealist novel based on her real-life experiences. For readers 16 and up.
The Beginner's Guide to Being a Trans Ally by Christina Whittlesey
What is gender identity? What does "cisgender" mean? Whittlesey's guide answers the most common questions about gender identity and aids current and future allies in standing up against transphobia and creating inclusive spaces.
Disintegrate/Dissociate by Arielle Twist
Winner of both the Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ Emerging Writers and the Indigenous Voices Award, Twist's debut poetry collection weaves a tapestry of loss and rebirth as she deftly explores transmisogyny, trauma, grief, and colonial violence alongside desire, kinship, and hope.
Black On Both Sides: A Racial History Of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton
Through an exploration of anti-black and anti-trans policy and violence from the 19th century to today, Snorton examines the connections between the formation of blackness and trans identity in Western society. A timely study for readers interested in the inter-related history of transness and racialization and how these historical oppressions continue today.
Death Threat by Vivek Shraya and Ness Lee
Celebrated multi-disciplinary artist Vivek Shraya teams up with illustrator Ness Lee in this graphic novel that uses the transphobic hate mail sent to Shraya from a stranger, and her responses back, to illustrate the dangers of online hate. You cannot help but feel for Shraya, as Lee's evocative illustrations bring to life Shraya's ability to turn these strange and chilling missives into art.
Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez
Fans of The Marrow Thieves will love Hernandez's follow-up to the praise-worthy Scarborough. Set in a dystopian future where climate catastrophe leads to a white supremacist prime minister who targets people of colour, LGBTQ2+ people and people with disabilities, this book follows a rag-tag group on the run as they evade capture and team up to resist a fascist regime.
Reclaiming Two-Spirits: Sexuality, Spiritual Renewal & Sovereignty in Native America by Gregory D. Smithers
Using primary source research and oral history, Smithers illuminates the history of Two-Spirit people, their vital role in their communities, and how colonizers targeted them over centuries of genocide and violence. A critical read to understand the impacts of imperialism on Indigenous cultural roles, how Two-Spirit people kept their traditions alive, and how they continue to serve as Knowledge Keepers in their nations and communities.
The House Of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara
Fans of Pose will love Cassara's novel about the House of Xtravaganza, the real-life, all-Latinx ballroom house made famous by the documentary Paris is Burning. Set in Harlem at the height of the AIDS crisis, you cannot help but feel for the characters as they form a found family amidst an underground world of sex work, drugs, and the ball scene.
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
A difficult but necessary read, Feinberg's seminal novel explores the everyday oppression and violence faced by Jess Goldberg, a working-class butch, as they navigate their transition and unionizing their workplace in the pre-Stonewall era. Originally published in 1993, this book is a cult classic and considered one of the most essential LGBTQ2+ books of all time.
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Zombie fans will relish Felker-Martin's debut novel about what happens when an epidemic turns men into murderous cannibals. Comparable to Zone One or the Newsflesh series, this book sees two trans women fight their way through transphobes and cannibals alike to survive.
Gender Euphoria: Stories Of Joy From Trans, Non-Binary And Intersex Writers edited by Laura Kate Dale
Video game journalist and activist Laura Kate Dale edits this volume about the joy of gender transition and affirmation. Readers looking for an uplifting break will enjoy these tales from trans, non-binary, and intersex authors finding their bliss.
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