10 Queer Non-Fiction Books To Read In 2026
- Proud Geek
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Not into fiction? No problem! There are loads of queer non-fiction books coming out in 2026 and we thought we'd put together a quick list of some of our most anticipated titles. From gay memoirs to queer self-help guides and even a few books about the history of queer literature, here are our ten most anticipated LGBTQ+ non-fiction books coming out in 2026.
Note: some release dates of these books may be pushed back and covers may change.
Tash Walker & Adam Zmith
29 January 2026
In a crawlspace at the offices of Switchboard, a queer helpline in operation since 1974, lies dozens of log books kept by volunteers describing the phone calls they had taken: a teenager whose parents had kicked them out of home for dressing as the wrong gender; a lesbian terrified of having her baby taken away from her; a man arrested for chatting up another man in a public toilet; a young person wanting to know how to come out.
These logs were traces of tens of thousands of queer lives, a bridge to a past hidden from people like Tash Walker and Adam Zmith in their youth, captured by people who lent an ear to those in need. Walker and Zmith came of age in the time of Section 28, a law which banned councils and schools ‘promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’. In recovering these logs, they encountered people grappling with feelings, questions and problems both familiar and different, and set out to learn from – and sometimes speak to – those on both sides of the calls.
Gigi Engle
21 January 2026
Kink has been around as long as humans have existed, but comes with an astonishing amount of myths and misunderstandings. This is a sex-positive, shame-free guide to kink for everyone from curious beginners to seasoned kinksters.
This book delves deep in every corner of the kink sphere. It jumps headfirst into the foundations of powerplay, at the differences between kink and fetish, and gives you the low-down on all kinds of bondage and impact play styles, while putting mental and physical health at the forefront. Whether you want a 101 in flogging safely, to plan a roadmap for experimenting with different kinds of niche play, or learn how to explore what your desires and boundaries are in a fun, consensual and trauma-informed way - this is the guide for you.
With kink exercises, journal prompts, worksheets and agony aunt letters, this has all the practical tools you'll need for a spicy, shame-free kink journey.
Layla McCay
04 June 2026
We have always been here, and so have our stories. Queer writers and writing about LGBTQ+ people have existed since the dawn of writing itself, from Ancient Mesopotamia through to the Victorians right up to to the present day, where we are currently experiencing a vibrant new era of queer writing.
The Queer Bookshelf is your ultimate guide to this rich history. Alongside the author’s own love affair with queer books, this book is packed with recommendations from prominent queer authors, booksellers, and readers and is an entertaining journey through the evolution of queer literature to discover the most important, fascinating, and fun queer classics from around the world.
Literary classics, pulp fiction, war writing, crime thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, young adult all have a queer history and future. The Queer Bookshelf lights the way, making it the perfect companion for anyone beginning or continuing their queer reading journey.
Cooklin
19 February 2026
Growing up, Caitlin Cook knew the recipe for social success from watching television and reading books: two best friends, two enemies, and a boyfriend. So she arranged her life accordingly: making friends and dreaming of the boys she met in school. But she felt that inside, something was wrong with her.
Because though she wanted to get close to people, every time she experimented with sex, she just felt bored. This graphic novel follows Caitlin Cook, who is asexual but does not yet fully realize it. From evangelical purity politics to the footloose college campus, Caitlin navigates different worlds each with their own sexual orthodoxies, and clumsily attempts to fit into each of them.
Komail Aijazuddin
25 June 2026
Even as a young child in Lahore, Komail Aijazuddin knew he was different. Other boys didn’t pirouette off their desks, get bullied for their ‘manboobs’ or spontaneously burst into songs from The Little Mermaid. Other boys didn’t play together like that.
Starved of a crucial part of himself, he ate. And ate. Before long, his own body became another burden to carry everywhere and to hide. Komail began to believe his only chance at a happy, meaningful life would be found in America, land of the free, home of the gays. But he would soon learn that finding happiness takes a lot more than a plane ticket.
This is Aijazuddin’s riotous, intelligent memoir of searching for his place between two worlds while navigating a minefield of expectations, prejudice and self-doubt. In Manboobs, Aijazuddin confidently announces himself as a sharp new voice in humour with his moving, wickedly funny search for love and the bravery required to be yourself.
Steven Pfau
26 May 2026
Blending memoir and criticism, Steven Pfau pays tribute to the gay uncles who have shaped his sense of queer identity, culture, and history. The most influential - the mentor who would set the standard for all of Steven’s future mentors - was his uncle Bruce.
A charismatic storyteller with a Burt Reynolds–esque bravado (and a mustache, leather jacket, and pair of cowboy boots to match), Bruce came out in 1950s Memphis and lived in New York City through many of the defining events of the gay liberation era. Bruce was both a unique fixture in Steven’s upbringing and an archetypal figure within a much broader history - a link in a long lineage of uncles, literal and figurative, who have offered various forms of queer tutelage to younger men.
But what role is the nephew supposed to play in these bonds? And who does he become once his uncles are no longer there to guide him? Both a coming-of-age story and a wide-ranging study, SAY NEPHEW is a wholly original and expansive consideration of queer mentorship.
A.J. West
07 May 2026
Home not only to books but chaotic community noticeboards, vicious rescue cats and countless meet cutes, queer bookshops have always been more than just bookshops, offering friendship, solidarity and sanctuary.
Travelling the world – Shakespeare and Company in Paris, Gay’s the Word in London, the Oscar Wilde Bookshop in New York – A. J. West explores the remarkable history of these bookstores. Tracing their evolution from under-the-counter operations to beloved out-and-proud institutions, West reveals how the queer bookshop stood at the vanguard of LGBTQ+ rights, offering support and vital information through the AIDS crisis and bringing the fight to Section 28 and book bans.
A powerful testament not only to bookshops but to the courage of queer booksellers, from Sylvia Beach hiding books from the Nazis in laundry baskets to Craig Rodwell facing off against the police at the Stonewall riots, A. J. West celebrates the shops and booksellers that brought queer literature and lives into the mainstream.
Aurea - The Aromantic-Spectrum Union for Recognition, Education, and Advocacy
21 May 2026
Do you ever feel alienated by the way society presents love? Maybe you find the idea of romantic relationships off-putting, or maybe it's just 'not your thing'. Sound familiar? Aromanticism is a spectrum of identities where people have little to no interest in romance, or only feel attraction under certain circumstances. This essential book weaves together insights and perspectives from aromantic people across the world, sharing their stories of self-discovery and community.
Chapters explore how aromanticism interacts with mental health, dealing with stigma or dismissive attitudes, intersection with different cultural expectations, and more. Whether you're new to an aromantic identity, have been part of the community for years, or just want to know more, this book will help you understand what aromanticism is and what it means for you.
Lecturer Tof Eklund & Sam Orchard
20 August 2026
An international and intersectional introduction mapping the history, impact, key critical issues and seminal texts of the genre, Queer Comics looks at queer creators and queer content in graphic narratives beyond.
Not advocating for a canon but instead offering new avenues for exploration beyond what has thus far been very US-focused, this book surveys the queer experience, looks at the genre as a queering of an already queer medium and dives into how it can speak to all communities.
Accessible and inclusive in the easy-to-navigate structure of the Bloomsbury Comics Studies series, the book covers manga, pornography, Tijuana Bibles, contemporary webcomics, zines, children's and YA comics and adult graphic memoirs beyond American underground comix. Includes key texts by creators such as Alison Bechdel, Howard Cruise, Yamaji Ebine, Crystal Frasier, Megan Rose Gedris, Kay O'Neill, Jem Yoshioka and Tab Kimpton, among many others.
Max Hovey
21 May 2026
From queer activist and sex educator Max Hovey, the essential modern guide for understanding what divides us and the path to building a better community - a revolutionary call to arms for embracing kindness and empathy.
Exclusionary and derogatory rhetoric in online spaces like “no fats, no fems” is often an unfortunate reality for many queer people and speaks to a larger issue at hand - but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Activist Max Hovey has gained thousands of supporters worldwide in his efforts to challenge stereotypes and unpack the problematic ideologies queer people can place on each other - and often on themselves.
Regardless of background or sexual orientation, our mutual goal is empathy, and Max gives us all the tools needed to get there. The Velvet Rage for a modern audience, No Fats, No Fems is an urgent call to action, offering a roadmap to building stronger community and a much kinder future.
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