8 Glorious Sapphic Reads
- Jillian Brenner
- Jul 20, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 30, 2023
by Jillian Brenner
All books link to Women & Children First, a queer-owned bookstore started in 1979 by two women who fell in love as students at the University of Illinois.
I'm here with the gift of sapphic stories for everyone. We’re going beyond the usual tropes of butch, femme, and chapstick: we’re talking lesbian swordswomen in space, lesbians going viral, lesbians risking love in the 1950s, and so much more.
In 2023, as misogyny, homophobia, and racism intertwine to strip back our rights at an alarming rate, it’s essential to uplift the contributions to queer culture made by all of the voices in our community. No matter how you identify, celebrate the women-loving women in your life (or the one looking back in the mirror) with these eight stunning reads.
by Tamsyn Muir
A darkly funny science fiction and fantasy combo unlike anything you’ve ever read, this series opener was an instant smash-hit for a reason. Deep in space, eighteen-year-old swordswoman Gideon is paired with her childhood enemy, a necromancer, to complete a deadly trial of wits and skill. Winning means freedom, and to lose is unthinkable.
by Lamya H
Lamya, a queer hijabi Muslim, recalls her upbringing in the Middle East and U.S. by comparing her experiences with stories from the Quran in this radically hopeful memoir told in essay form. Find inspiration and kinship in Lamya’s search for the one thing all of us truly want: to belong.
by Hannah Gadsby
Both funny and heart-wrenching, Hannah Gadbsy documents their start from a child in Tasmania, where homosexuality was illegal until 1997, to a comedian with a viral, revolutionary stand-up special. Gadbsy shares their diagnoses of autism and ADHD and their decision to quit stand-up with their trademark mix of humor and brutal honesty.
by Olivia A. Cole
Told in poetic verse, Dear Medusa follows sixteen-year-old outcast Alicia as she struggles with cruel slut-shaming, a past assault from a popular teacher, and her growing attraction to a girl at school. When mysterious letters allude to another victim, Alica must discover not only the power of her voice, but also her rage.
by Audre Lorde
Written by revolutionary Black feminist Audre Lorde in the 1980s, Zami is a sapphic classic. Lorde writes of the women who shaped her, from her childhood in Harlem to her coming of age in the 1950s. Erotic and tender prose mixes with blistering descriptions of racism and family trauma to ensure that Lorde’s work is as brilliant as it is timeless.
by Erika Turner
In this coming-of-age novel, cross-country star Aaliyah is determined to rebuild her life after being outed by a church elder. But being a gay teenager is never easy — especially when a new girl has set Aliyah’s heart aflutter. This story of youth, mending friendships, family tension, and falling in love is a must-read for all of us who suffered through the highs and lows of high school.
by Putsata Reang
Putsata Reang, an immigrant daughter of Cambodian refugees, tries to balance her identity as a gay woman with her cultural and familial duties. This brave, surprising, and beautifully written memoir will impact every reader who has ever struggled to meet their family’s expectations.
by Melinda Lo
It’s the 1950s, you’re in your first gay bar, and you might be in love with your best friend — this is the situation that seventeen-year-old Lily Hu finds herself in. But San Francisco’s Chinatown during the Red Scare is no safe place for a love like Lily’s, especially with the threat of her father’s deportation looming. Will Lily and Kath risk everything for each other? Should they?
These stories of passion, loss, growing up, and coming out show that no matter the genre, time period, or culture, there truly is a sapphic tale for everyone. Lesbians are here and visible and celebrated. The breadth of these books calls to mind the simple words of a classic lesbian theme song: This is the way that we live and love.
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