LGBT+ Reading List

Books

Easy Level (Accessible, Introductory)

Great for grounding activists in modern UK LGBT+ experiences.

  • Queer Footprints: A Guide to Uncovering London’s Fierce History by Dan Glass: A lively, activist-driven tour of London’s LGBT+ resistance history. Brilliant for union learning groups.
  • Pride: Photographs After Stonewall by Fred W. McDarrah (UK edition has UK commentary): A visually engaging introduction with UK context added in later editions.
  • The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice by Shon Faye: Clear, accessible and rooted in UK social policy, discrimination, and rights struggles.
  • The Book of Awesome Queer Heroes: How the LGBTQ+ Community Changed the World for the Better (LGBT Book of History, Queer Historic Icons) by Eric Rosswood: Discover how gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans people have changed the world into the one we know and love in this riveting history book

Intermediate Level (Reflective, Analytical)

Great for trade union reps and those wanting to understand LGBT+ issues in social and workplace contexts.

  • Redefining Realness by Janet Mock: A memoir exploring trans identity and activism.
  • This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson: A humorous and informative guide to LGBT+ life.
  • Pride: The Story of the LGBTQ Equality Movement by Matthew Todd: A comprehensive, UK‑framed history of LGBTQ+ activism, politics, and cultural change.
  • Outrage! An Oral History by Ian Lucas & Peter Tatchell: A detailed history of OutRage! one of the UK’s most influential LGBT+ activist groups.
  • Living Out Loud: A History of LGBTQ Activism in Britain by Dr. Michael Brown: An accessible exploration of UK queer organising, protest, and community building.
  • Queer Beyond London: Culture, Politics and Everyday Life by Matt Cook & Alison Oram: Examines queer life in UK towns and cities outside the capital (Manchester, Brighton, Leeds, Plymouth).
  • Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows by Edited by Christine Burns: First‑hand accounts tracing the history of trans organising and legal reform in the UK.

Advanced Level (Historical, Theoretical)

Best for activists wanting to engage with deeper historical, political, and intersectional UK frameworks.

  • Queer in Europe (UK-focused chapters) by Edited by Lisa Downing & Robert Gillett: Scholarly essays comparing UK politics with European contexts, focusing on rights and policy.
  • The Pink Triangle: The Long Shadow of Nazi Persecution by Richard Plant (UK academic edition): Often used in UK academic labour and anti‑fascist study circles.
  • Love and Resistance: Out of the Closet into the Streets (UK academic edition) Includes chapters and analysis specific to UK queer organising and policing.
  • Stonewall by Martin Duberman: A detailed account of the pivotal LGBT+ uprising in the US.

Films & Documentaries

  • Pride (2014): A heart-warming and powerful film based on the true story of the 1984 alliance between LGBTQ+ activists and striking Welsh miners.
  • Blue Jean (2022): Set in 1988, this drama follows a closeted PE teacher during the introduction of Section 28, a law prohibiting the “promotion” of homosexuality in schools.
  • The Imitation Game (2014): Biopic of Alan Turing, the gay mathematician who cracked the Enigma code during WWII, and was later persecuted for his sexuality.
  • Are You Proud? (2019): Documentary – A comprehensive look at the history of the LGBT+ rights movement in the UK, from the Gay Liberation Front to modern Pride marches. 
  • Cherry Valentine: Gypsy Queen and Proud (2022): A moving BBC documentary following the late drag performer Cherry Valentine as they explore their Romani roots and LGBTQ+ identity.
  • Pride and Protest (2020): Directed by Blaise Singh, this film follows LGBT+ people of colour in the UK as they fight for rights and visibility in the face of racism and homophobia
  • Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts (1983): A groundbreaking film made by young LGBTQ+ people in London, exploring their lives and activism during the early 1980s.