Queer Stories that Stay with You

For queer kids and young adults, it’s especially validating to see yourself in a story. So, in celebration of Pride this year, LatiNation has partnered with Penguin Random House to promote books by queer Latine authors that focus on visibility and cultural pride. 

Stories are a quieter, yet robust form of activism. Pushing culture forward has many vehicles: students in the streets, minorities in the media, fiery talks with family at the dinner table. The written word—in books, in screenplays—turns activism into story, rich with complex characters, dynamic plot lines, and relatable struggles, whether you look like the protagonist or not.

And so, when it comes to normalizing queer life in the real world, books by queer authors with queer characters create fictional universes where queer people not only exist but ride the emotional rollercoaster of life—just like the reader. From queer-specific junctures like coming out of the closet to universal dreams of marriage and success, books about queer people put our experiences to paper, spotlighting both how our stories are beautiful all on their own and also how they fit into popular culture at large. 

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Feminism is a macrocosm of historic layers, circles of thought, and levels of inclusion. Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera explores the generational and cultural differences between a middle-aged White feminist writer in Oregon and a young sorta-in-the-closet Puerto-Rican lesbian from The Bronx.

Penguin offers a lovely summary:

“Juliet Milagros Palante is a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx. Only, she’s not so closeted anymore. Not after coming out to her family the night before flying to Portland, Oregon, to intern with her favorite feminist writer–what’s sure to be a life-changing experience. And when Juliet’s coming out crashes and burns, she’s not sure her mom will ever speak to her again.”

A queer coming-of-age story at its core, the novel also sheds light on the importance of intersectionality, that feminism looks different on everyone, and suggests that embracing your cultural roots can actually help you embrace your queer perspective. And Rivera, a queer Puertorriqueña from The Bronx herself, is the perfect writer to tell this story.

Tio & Tio by Ross Mathews & Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews

Children’s books that highlight queer people are especially powerful in changing points of view. And that is just what Tio & Tio by husbands Ross Mathews and Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews does. This story—simple, colorful, and engaging—will open young minds to the existence of queer people and focus on the rippling positive effects of their love.

Here’s how Penguin describes this heartfelt story:

“Evan and Andy are excited to visit Mexico for their uncles’ wedding—and their parents are excited that the boys will have a chance to experience the culture, practice their Spanish, and learn responsibility as ring bearers in the ceremony. Once they arrive, Evan and Andy just want to play soccer, swim, and eat all the great food. However, once the festivities are in full swing and the boys witness the love and happiness between their two tíos, they quickly embrace their role in their uncles’ very special day.”

Tío & Tío—based on the real experiences of the authors—is an ode to celebrating love and family within a Mexican multi-cultural family.

 It’s safe to say that every child will meet an LGBTQ+ person in their life at some point. It might be a friend, a colleague, a cousin, a sister—or even their future self! So, whether or not there are queer people in your family right now, consider adding this earnest story to your child’s bookshelf this Pride season.  

Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez

For introspective queer readers from immigrant families, Alligator Tears by Edgar Gomez could be your summer story. The memoir is a defiant and darkly funny piece of literature that explores masculinity, queer identity, being poor, being Latino, and the search for a sense of belonging. Gomez is unfiltered; each chapter is an honest, vulnerable unveiling of heartbreak, shame, cultural exploration, and the messiness of building a life—with memories for roots.

A poetic description from Penguin can give you a taste of the tone.

“In Florida, one of the first things you’re taught as a child is that if you’re ever chased by a wild alligator, the only way to save yourself is to run away in zigzags. It’s a lesson on survival that has guided much of Edgar Gomez’s life.”

From the weirdness of gay dating to the refusal to assimilate, Gomez gives us an authentically Latino, defiantly queer tale that will touch your heart.

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 The intersection of queer life and Latino storytelling is magical, courageous, sometimes dark, and untapped still.

Gabby Rivera, Ross Mathews & Dr. Wellinthon García-Mathews, and Edgar Gomez are adding their voices, their nuanced points of view, to that crossroads, using their real-life experiences to tell queer, Latino stories in a changing world. Let’s point that change forward. Crack open a new book. Let’s keep reading!