Disabilities & Queerness
An author friend of mine recently noted (thanks Kharma Kelley) that I read a lot of everything, not just what I write about, or what I enjoy reading. I can’t say that I’ve always been an adventurous reader. It wasn’t until I started writing that I realized I needed to expand beyond what publishers were trying to sell me.
In a recent twitter thread, folks at the cross-section of queerness and disabilities talked about wanting more representation. They’re right. It’s there, but it’s not prevalent and it’s often not in the places you’d expect.
Let’s start with this exceptional list I found on the interwebs! It’s not a definitive list of LGBTQ+ rep and disabilities/neurodivergence, but it’s an excellent place to start.
One of books I’ve read on the list above is Love Language by Reese Morrison. This book has really strong Deaf and CODA representation. It’s also has representation for gay, trans, and BDSM. There are a lot of standout moments in the book that come to mind. Some directly related to day-to-day experiences for people with deafness/hard of hearing, and some that go deep into BDSM territory.
There are several books on the LGBTQ Reads list that are on my TBR that I’ll catch up with in 2023, hopefully.
In the meantime, here are a few of my 2022 reads that I think can easily be on this list:
- No Strings by Lucy Bexley – Sapphic, Neurodivergent MCs
- Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell – Queer SC, Paraplegic, Kink
- Sing Me to Sleep by R.M. Virtues – Queer Author, PTSD MC
- Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin – Gay, Depression (No HEA)
Hopefully, these recommendations and the list from LGBTQ Reads can help you pick out which books you’re more interested in reading and adding to your own TBR.
If you have more recommendations, feel free to comment and share! If there are other cross-sectional reading lists you’d be interested in, let me know. I’m happy to do a little write up and point folks in the right direction.
Until next time, Enjoy!