Books Banned for LGBTQ+ Themes
218 books · 1238 total challenges
Gender Queer: A Memoir
Gender Queer is a graphic memoir by Maia Kobabe that explores eir journey with gender identity and sexuality. The book h...
It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health
It's Perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris is a comprehensive sex education book for young people. It has been one of the ...
Melissa (formerly George)
Alex Gino's middle-grade novel about a transgender fourth-grader, the most banned book in America from 2018 to 2020....
And Tango Makes Three
A children's picture book about two male penguins who raise a chick together, based on a true story from the Central Par...
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou's memoir of growing up Black in the Jim Crow South, challenged for its depiction of childhood sexual assaul...
Beyond Magenta
Beyond Magenta presents the stories of six transgender and nonbinary teens through interviews and photographs. It has be...
The Family Book
The Family Book by Todd Parr is a picture book celebrating all types of families. Banned in Illinois, Florida, and Texas...
The Nowhere Girls
The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed follows three misfit teenagers who take on their school's rape culture. Banned in multiple...
Shine
Shine by Lauren Myracle follows a teen girl investigating a hate crime against her gay best friend in a small Southern t...
Julián Is a Mermaid
While riding the subway with his abuela, Julian sees three women dressed as mermaids and is inspired to dress up as one ...
Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Set in 1950s San Francisco Chinatown, Last Night at the Telegraph Club follows Lily Hu as she discovers her attraction t...
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank's diary of hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam, challenged for passages about her body, sexuality, and romanti...
This One Summer
This One Summer is a graphic novel about Rose and Windy, two girls spending the summer at a lakeside town, navigating th...
Let's Talk About It
Let's Talk About It by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan is a graphic guide to sex, relationships, and bodies for teens. One ...
Impulse
Impulse follows three teenagers who meet in a psychiatric hospital after each has attempted suicide. It has been challen...
Perfect
Perfect follows four teenagers whose pursuit of perfection leads them into eating disorders, steroid abuse, drug addicti...
Saga (Volume 1)
Saga (Volume 1) by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples is an epic sci-fi/fantasy comic about star-crossed parents from wa...
Tilt
Tilt follows three teenagers whose lives intersect around love, sex, and identity, told in Ellen Hopkins's signature ver...
I'll Give You the Sun
I'll Give You the Sun follows twins Jude and Noah, whose bond is shattered by secrets, grief, and the discovery of Noah'...
Man o' War
Man o' War follows River, a nonbinary teen and competitive swimmer, navigating gender identity, first love, and family e...
This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story
This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story follows Nathan Bird, a film-obsessed teen who realizes he's in love with his best fri...
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch
Gregory Maguire's Wicked became a #1 NYT bestseller and Broadway megahit. It's received 17 new bans in 2024-25....
Like a Love Story
Like a Love Story follows three teenagers in 1989 New York City navigating love, identity, and the AIDS crisis. It has b...
More Happy Than Not
More Happy Than Not follows Aaron Soto, a Bronx teenager who considers a memory-altering procedure to forget his emergin...
The You I've Never Known
The You I've Never Known follows Ariel, a teen discovering her sexual orientation while uncovering the truth about her f...
We Are the Ants
We Are the Ants follows Henry Denton, a teen who has been periodically abducted by aliens and is now given a choice: pre...
The Upside of Unrequited
The Upside of Unrequited follows Molly Peskin-Suso, a plus-size teen with 26 unrequited crushes, as she navigates love a...
Jack of Hearts (and other parts)
Jack, an openly gay teen, starts an anonymous sex-advice column at his school and becomes the target of a dangerous stal...
Almost Perfect
Logan, a small-town Missouri football player, falls for Sage, a new girl at school, and struggles with his feelings when...
Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen
Jazz Jennings' memoir about growing up as one of the youngest publicly documented transgender children in America....
Real Live Boyfriends: Yes. Boyfriends, Plural. If My Life Weren't Complicated, I Wouldn't Be Ruby Oliver
The fourth Ruby Oliver novel, in which Ruby navigates multiple romantic interests, college anxiety, and the aftermath of...
Lily and Dunkin
Alternating perspectives between Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy with bipolar disorder, as they form an unli...
The Black Flamingo
A coming-of-age novel-in-verse about Michael, a mixed-race gay teen who finds his identity through drag performance at u...
Loveless
Loveless...
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
A picture book telling the story of Harvey Milk's fight for LGBTQ+ rights and Gilbert Baker's creation of the rainbow fl...
Queer: The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide for Teens
A comprehensive guide for LGBTQ+ teens covering identity, coming out, relationships, health, and finding community....
grl2grl
'grl2grl...
Nick and Charlie
Nick and Charlie...
Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World
'Queer, There and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World...
The Music of What Happens
'The Music of What Happens...
They Both Die at the End
'They Both Die at the End...
When Aidan Became a Brother
A picture book about Aidan, a transgender boy, who helps his parents prepare for a new baby sibling, making sure they ge...
As I Descended
'As I Descended...
Ash
'Ash...
Be Gay, Do Comics: Queer History, Memoir, and Satire
A comics anthology collecting queer history, memoir, satire, and criticism from a wide range of LGBTQ creators....
Felix Ever After
'Felix Ever After...
Invisible Monsters
Invisible Monsters...
The Prince and the Dressmaker
'The Prince and the Dressmaker...
Trans Mission: My Quest to a Beard
'Trans Mission: My Quest to a Beard...
Birthday
'Birthday...
Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story (Will Grayson, Will Grayson Series)
'Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story (Will Grayson, Will Grayson Series)...
If I Was Your Girl
'If I Was Your Girl...
Rick
Rick enters middle school questioning his sexual orientation after his best friend Jeff becomes increasingly aggressive ...
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
'Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda...
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Simonverse Series)
'Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Simonverse Series)...
The Bridge
'The Bridge...
The Gender Quest Workbook: A Guide for Teens and Young Adults Exploring Gender Identity
'The Gender Quest Workbook: A Guide for Teens and Young Adults Exploring Gender Identity...
The Great American Whatever
'The Great American Whatever...
What If It's Us (What If It's Us Series)
'What If It's Us (What If It's Us Series)...
A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities
'A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities...
Call Me Max (Max and Friends Series)
A picture book about Max, a transgender boy, who tells his teacher and classmates his real name and finds acceptance.'Ca...
Each of Us a Desert
'Each of Us a Desert...
Gay Issues and Politics: Marriage, the Military, & Work Place Discrimination
'Gay Issues and Politics: Marriage, the Military, & Work Place Discrimination...
Gender Danger: Survivors of Rape, Human Trafficking, and Honor Killings
'Gender Danger: Survivors of Rape, Human Trafficking, and Honor Killings...
Gender Identity: Beyond Pronouns and Bathrooms
'Gender Identity: Beyond Pronouns and Bathrooms...
Gender Identity (Teen Mental Health)
'Gender Identity (Teen Mental Health)...
Gender Identity: The Search for Self
'Gender Identity: The Search for Self...
Girl Made of Stars
'Girl Made of Stars...
GLBTQ*: The Survival Guide for Queer & Questioning Teens
'GLBTQ*: The Survival Guide for Queer & Questioning Teens...
History Is All You Left Me
'History Is All You Left Me...
Infinity Son (Infinity Cycle Series)
'Infinity Son (Infinity Cycle Series)...
It Feels Good To Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity
'It Feels Good To Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity...
It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living
'It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living...
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World
'Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World...
Jay's Gay Agenda
'Jay's Gay Agenda...
King and the Dragonflies
'King and the Dragonflies...
Leah on the Offbeat
'Leah on the Offbeat...
Leah on the Offbeat (Simonverse Series)
'Leah on the Offbeat (Simonverse Series)...
Living Proud! Coming Out and Seeking Support (Living Proud! Growing Up Lgbtq)
'Living Proud! Coming Out and Seeking Support (Living Proud! Growing Up Lgbtq)...
My Princess Boy
A mother's true story about her young son who loves pink, sparkly things and dressing up as a princess.'Kilodavis wrote ...
Openly Straight (Openly Straight Series)
'Openly Straight (Openly Straight Series)...
Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights
'Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights...
Pride: Celebrating Diversity & Community
'Pride: Celebrating Diversity & Community...
Rage: A Love Story
'Rage: A Love Story...
Rainbow Boys (Rainbow Trilogy Series)
'Rainbow Boys (Rainbow Trilogy Series)...
Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History
'Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History...
Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression
'Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression...
She Loves You, She Loves You Not...
'She Loves You, She Loves You Not......
Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place
'Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place...
Sparkle Boy
Casey loves sparkly things: his sister's bracelets, her shimmery skirts, her sequined shoes. When he's teased, his siste...
Striving for Equality: LGBTQ Athletes Claim the Field
'Striving for Equality: LGBTQ Athletes Claim the Field...
Teens and Gender Dysphoria
'Teens and Gender Dysphoria...
The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre
'The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre...
The Pride Guide: A Guide to Sexual and Social Health for LGBTQ Youth
'The Pride Guide: A Guide to Sexual and Social Health for LGBTQ Youth...
The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Street
'The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Street...
Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You
'Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You...
We Are Okay
'We Are Okay...
White Rabbit
'White Rabbit...
Worm Loves Worm
Two worms fall in love and want to get married, but their friends insist on assigning traditional wedding roles. The wor...
You Know Me Well
'You Know Me Well...
19 Love Songs
A collection of short stories and poetry exploring teen love experiences, primarily focusing on LGBTQ+ youth navigating ...
A Dance with Dragons
The fifth book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, continuing the epic fantasy saga of Westeros and E...
A Line in the Dark
'A Line in the Dark...
A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns
A short, accessible comic explaining how to use they/them pronouns, why they matter, and how to practice getting them ri...
All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages
'All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages...
Anatomy of a Boyfriend
'Anatomy of a Boyfriend...
Anger Is a Gift
'Anger Is a Gift...
Anger Is a Gift: A Novel
'Anger Is a Gift: A Novel...
Another Day (Every Day Series)
'Another Day (Every Day Series)...
Are You LGBTQ?
'Are You LGBTQ?...
Bait
A young adult novel about Diego, a Latino teen dealing with complex emotions about his past abuse while navigating quest...
Be Gay, Do Comics: Queer History, Memoir, and Satire from The Nib
'Be Gay, Do Comics: Queer History, Memoir, and Satire from The Nib...
Becoming Nicole: The inspiring story of transgender actor-activist Nicole Maines and her extraordinary family
'Becoming Nicole: The inspiring story of transgender actor-activist Nicole Maines and her extraordinary family...
Being Transgender: What You Should Know
'Being Transgender: What You Should Know...
Better Nate Than Ever
'Better Nate Than Ever...
Between Mom and Jo
'Between Mom and Jo...
Beyond the Gender Binary
'Beyond the Gender Binary...
Big Guy
'Big Guy...
Black is a Rainbow Color
'Black is a Rainbow Color...
Call Me Max
A picture book about Max, a transgender boy, who tells his teacher and classmates his real name and finds acceptance.'Ca...
Coming Out: Telling Family and Friends
'Coming Out: Telling Family and Friends...
Death Prefers Blondes
'Death Prefers Blondes...
Different Kinds of Fruit
'Different Kinds of Fruit...
Dragonwings
'Dragonwings...
En el bosque
'En el bosque...
Encyclopedia of Sex & Gender: 4 Volume Set
'Encyclopedia of Sex & Gender: 4 Volume Set...
Every Day (Every Day Series)
'Every Day (Every Day Series)...
Everything Leads to You
'Everything Leads to You...
Far from Xanadu
'Far from Xanadu...
Feeling Wrong in Your Own Body: Understanding What It Means to Be Transgender
'Feeling Wrong in Your Own Body: Understanding What It Means to Be Transgender...
Flying the Dragon
'Flying the Dragon...
Friendship, Dating, and Relationships (Teens: Being Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender)
'Friendship, Dating, and Relationships (Teens: Being Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender)...
Gay and Lesbian Role Models
'Gay and Lesbian Role Models...
Gay Believers: Homosexuality and Religion
'Gay Believers: Homosexuality and Religion...
Gay People of Color: Facing Prejudices, Forging Identities
'Gay People of Color: Facing Prejudices, Forging Identities...
Gays and Mental Health: Fighting Depression, Saying No to Suicide
'Gays and Mental Health: Fighting Depression, Saying No to Suicide...
Gender Equality (Foundations of Democracy)
'Gender Equality (Foundations of Democracy)...
Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide
'Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide...
Gender Issues
'Gender Issues...
Gender Issues and Sexuality: Essential Primary Sources
'Gender Issues and Sexuality: Essential Primary Sources...
Gender Issues (Living with a Special Need)
'Gender Issues (Living with a Special Need)...
Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation
'Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation...
Get a Clue (Bookish Boyfriends Series)
'Get a Clue (Bookish Boyfriends Series)...
Getting It
'Getting It...
Grandmama's Pride
'Grandmama's Pride...
Hear Us Out!: Lesbian and Gay Stories of Struggle, Progress, and Hope, 1950 to the Present
'Hear Us Out!: Lesbian and Gay Stories of Struggle, Progress, and Hope, 1950 to the Present...
Here's to Us
'Here's to Us...
Honestly Ben (Openly Straight Series)
'Honestly Ben (Openly Straight Series)...
Hot Dog Girl
'Hot Dog Girl...
How to Make a Wish
'How to Make a Wish...
Hurricane Child
'Hurricane Child...
I Wish You All the Best (I Wish You All the Best Series)
'I Wish You All the Best (I Wish You All the Best Series)...
Identifying as Transgender
'Identifying as Transgender...
Identity: A Story of Transitioning
'Identity: A Story of Transitioning...
Identity and Gender
'Identity and Gender...
I'm A Gay Wizard
'I'm A Gay Wizard...
I'm a Wild Seed: My Graphic Memoir on Queerness and Decolonizing the World
'I'm a Wild Seed: My Graphic Memoir on Queerness and Decolonizing the World...
Infinity Reaper (Infinity Cycle Series)
'Infinity Reaper (Infinity Cycle Series)...
Infinity Son
'Infinity Son...
It's Our Prom (So Deal With It)
'It's Our Prom (So Deal With It)...
Kate in Waiting
A young adult coming-of-age romantic comedy about theater-obsessed Kate and her best friend Anderson, who both develop c...
Keeping You a Secret
'Keeping You a Secret...
La carta de Ivy Aberdeen al mundo/Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World
'La carta de Ivy Aberdeen al mundo/Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World...
LGBTQ Families: The Ultimate Teen Guide
'LGBTQ Families: The Ultimate Teen Guide...
Lies My Girlfriend Told Me
'Lies My Girlfriend Told Me...
Life at School and in the Community (Teens: Being Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender)
'Life at School and in the Community (Teens: Being Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender)...
Love, Creekwood: A Simonverse Novella (Simonverse Series)
'Love, Creekwood: A Simonverse Novella (Simonverse Series)...
Love Is the Higher Law
'Love Is the Higher Law...
Merlin's Dragon
'Merlin's Dragon...
Middle School's a Drag, You Better Werk!
'Middle School's a Drag, You Better Werk!...
More Than a Game: Race, Gender, and Politics in Sports
'More Than a Game: Race, Gender, and Politics in Sports...
Music from Another World
'Music from Another World...
My Rainbow
A mother makes a rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter, who has been longing for long hair that matches who s...
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass...
Nate Expectations
'Nate Expectations...
No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves
'No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves...
Nonbinary Gender Identities: History, Culture, Resources
'Nonbinary Gender Identities: History, Culture, Resources...
Out Now: Queer We Go Again!
'Out Now: Queer We Go Again!...
Phoenix Goes to School: A Story to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Children
'Phoenix Goes to School: A Story to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Children...
Pulp
'Pulp...
Rainbow Boys
'Rainbow Boys...
Rainbow High (Rainbow Trilogy Series)
'Rainbow High (Rainbow Trilogy Series)...
Rainbow Revolutions: Power, Pride and Protest in the Fight for Queer Rights
'Rainbow Revolutions: Power, Pride and Protest in the Fight for Queer Rights...
Rainbow Road (Rainbow Trilogy Series)
'Rainbow Road (Rainbow Trilogy Series)...
Rapture Practice: A True Story About Growing Up Gay in an Evangelical Family
'Rapture Practice: A True Story About Growing Up Gay in an Evangelical Family...
Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition
'Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition...
RIPPED-APART Understanding, Coping and Living with Gender Dysphoria
'RIPPED-APART Understanding, Coping and Living with Gender Dysphoria...
Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates
'Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates...
SELF-ish: A Transgender Awakening
'SELF-ish: A Transgender Awakening...
Short Stuff: A Young Adult LGBTQ+ Anthology
'Short Stuff: A Young Adult LGBTQ+ Anthology...
So Hard to Say
'So Hard to Say...
Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen
'Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen...
Someday
'Someday...
Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution.
'Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution....
Teach Us Your Name: Empowering Children to Teach Others to Pronounce Their Names Correctly
'Teach Us Your Name: Empowering Children to Teach Others to Pronounce Their Names Correctly...
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom
'Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom...
The Fell of Dark
'The Fell of Dark...
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James
'The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James...
The New Queer Conscience
'The New Queer Conscience...
The Porcupine of Truth
'The Porcupine of Truth...
The Realm of Possibility
'The Realm of Possibility...
Tips on Having a Gay (Ex) Boyfriend (Belle Series)
'Tips on Having a Gay (Ex) Boyfriend (Belle Series)...
Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality
'Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality...
Too Bright to See
'Too Bright to See...
Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource By and for Transgender Communities
'Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource By and for Transgender Communities...
Transformative Ethnic Studies in Schools: Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Research
'Transformative Ethnic Studies in Schools: Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Research...
Transgender Lives: Complex Stories, Complex Voice
'Transgender Lives: Complex Stories, Complex Voice...
Transgender Rights and Issues
'Transgender Rights and Issues...
Transgender Rights and Protections
'Transgender Rights and Protections...
Under Threat
'Under Threat...
Understanding Gender
'Understanding Gender...
Understanding Gender Identity
'Understanding Gender Identity...
Verona Comics
'Verona Comics...
Watch Over Me
'Watch Over Me...
We Are Not Broken
'We Are Not Broken...
Wide Awake
'Wide Awake...
You Brought Me the Ocean
'You Brought Me the Ocean...
Your Rights as an LGBTQ+ Teen
'Your Rights as an LGBTQ+ Teen...