International Coming Out Day

Every year on October 11th, LGBTQ+ communities around the world celebrate International Coming Out Day. It was established in 1988 as a way to promote openness and acceptance for LGBTQ+ people.

For almost every single one of us coming out is a lifelong journey that requires courage, self-reflection and support.


Updated September 3, 2024
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Wyndham Library
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Oranges are not the only fruit
Winterson, Jeanette.
Paper Book
Winner of the Whitbread Prize for best first fiction, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a coming-out novel from Winterson, the acclaimed author of The Passion and Sexing the Cherry. The narrator, Jeanette, cuts her teeth on the knowledge that she is one of God's elect, but...
All boys aren't blue : a memoir-manifesto
Johnson, George M.
Paper Book
In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue explores their childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. A New York Times Bestseller! Good Morning America,...
Queerly beloved : a novel
Dumond, Susie
Paper Book
A people-pleasing baker tries to find her place as a bridesmaid-for-hire. Will she finally find her happily ever after-and her own voice? "A delightful debut, perfect for any person who's ever created their own place to belong."-Casey McQuiston, bestselling author of Red,...
The Lgbtq+ History Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
Paper Book
Discover the rich and complex history of LGBTQ+ people around the world - their struggles, triumphs, and cultural contributions. Exploring and explaining the most important ideas and events in LGBTQ+ history and culture, this book showcases the breadth of the LGBTQ+ experience....
Life isn't binary : on being both, beyond, and in-between
Barker, Meg-John
Paper Book
'The book we all need for this moment in time.' CN LESTER 'An absolute must read' FOX FISHER 'A genius book' LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW Much of society's thinking operates in a highly rigid and binary manner; something is good or bad, right or...
Rainbow history class : your guide through queer and trans history
McElhinney, Hannah
Paper Book
As seen on Tiktok, Rainbow History Class is your entry into LGBTQ+ history, covering queer and trans stories from the ancient world through to lesser-known moments in recent history. So much of queer and trans history and culture has been erased, but...
Tinderbox : the untold story of the Up Stairs Lounge fire and the rise of gay liberation
Fieseler, Robert W.
Paper Book
Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the...
A short history of queer women
Loehr, Kirsty
Paper Book
No, they weren't 'just friends'! Queer women have been written out of history since, well, forever. 'But historians famously care about women!', said no one. From Anne Bonny and Mary Read who sailed the seas together disguised as pirates, to US football captain Megan Rapinoe declaring 'You...
The queer film guide : 100 great movies that tell LGBTQIA+ stories
Turner, Kyle
Paper Book
Beginning with early trailblazers like Different from the Others, Kyle Turner has selected 100 of cinema's greatest queer films to guide you through the eras. From Hitchcock's Rope and cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show through the New Queer Cinema movement of the 90s to the...
The secrets of my life
Jenner, Caitlyn
Paper Book
In this remarkable memoir former Olympian and Kardashian family member Caitlyn Jenner reveals shocking and heartbreaking stories from her journey to become a transgender woman and fight for the LGBTQ+ community. Imagine denying your core and soul. Then add to it the most...
Not like other dads : a fearless, frank and funny memoir about reinventing the rules of parenting
Szeps, Sean
Paper Book
A fearless, frank and funny memoir about reinventing the rules of parenting Sean had wanted to be a mum since the age of four, when he fell in love with Mrs Potts, the motherly teapot in Beauty and the Beast. But there was just one problem: he was not, in fact, a woman. When...
Tell me how to be
Patel, Neel
Paper Book
* INAUGURAL LILLY'S LIBRARY BOOK CLUB PICK FROM LILLY SINGH * "A beautiful book about a mother and son...I really loved this book."--Rumaan Alam on The TODAY Show "My first great read of 2022...[Will] make you cringe with recognition and...
Untamed
Doyle, Glennon
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * OVER TWO MILLION COPIES SOLD! "Packed with incredible insight about what it means to be a woman today."--Reese Witherspoon (Reese's Book Club Pick) In her most revealing and powerful memoir yet, the activist, speaker, bestselling author, and...
Blue is the warmest color
Maroh, Julie
Paper Book
Blue is the Warmest Color is a tender, bittersweet, full-colour graphic novel about the elusive, reckless magic of love: a lesbian love story for the ages that bristles with the energy of youth, rebellion and the eternal light of desire. Clementine is a junior in high school who seems 'normal'...
Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir
H., Lamya.
Paper Book
A queer hijabi Muslim immigrant survives her coming-of-age by drawing strength and hope from stories in the Quran in this "raw and relatable memoir that challenges societal norms and expectations" (Linah Mohammad, NPR). "A masterful, must-read contribution to conversations on...
Perfectly queer : facing big fears, living hard truths, and loving myself fully out of the closet
Abby, Jillian
Paper Book
This humorous, heartwarming memoir follows a wife and mother's journey of self-discovery and acceptance as she comes out as a lesbian in her late 30s. Jill had a happy, healthy 20-year relationship with her college sweetheart, two wonderful kids, and rescue cat from the Humane...
Gender : What Everyone Needs to Know®
Erickson-Schroth, Laura; Davis, Benjamin.
Paper Book
The term "gender" was first distinguished from "sex" in the 1950s, when psychologists began to discuss the idea of "gender roles" - behaviors and responsibilities given to people by a society rather than flowing from their biology. Over the last two decades, transgender people have expanded our...
None of the above : reflections on life beyond the binary
Alabanza, Travis
Paper Book
An electric memoir about what it means to live outside the gender boundaries imposed on us by society, from the award-winning trans writer and performer.
The hidden case of Ewan Forbes : and the unwritten history of the trans experience
Playdon, Zoe
Paper Book
The life story of an aristocratic Scottish trans man and the secret 1968 legal case that provides "a fascinating look into the changing landscape of trans rights" (Library Journal) throughout history. Ewan Forbes was born to a wealthy, landowning family, holders of a...
Caught in the act : a memoir
Jenek, Shane
Paper Book
As Courtney Act, Shane Jenek has built a career as a drag queen, spokesperson, advocate, singer and all around performer with a strong (and beautiful) voice and advocate for change. Courtney uses her dazzling commercial profile to open up positive conversations about gender, sexuality, body...
Ten steps to Nanette
Gadsby, Hannah
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Multi-award-winning Hannah Gadsby broke comedy with their show Nanette. Now they take us through the defining moments in their life and their powerful decision to tell the truth--no matter the cost. Don't miss Hannah Gadsby's...
Wild Dances: My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision
Adams, William Lee.
Paper Book
"A page-turning, tragicomic memoir . . . By ingeniously weaving improbable and conflicting forces that make up his personal history, Adams affirms a resilient idea of home that yearns to transcend space and time." -Thoy Đinh, NPR A memoir of glitz, glamour, geopolitics, and the...
Me
John, Elton
Paper Book
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life, from his rollercoaster lifestyle as shown in the film Rocketman, to becoming a living legend.
Drag : combing through the big wigs of show business
DeCaro, Frank
Paper Book
Drag celebrates the fabulous current and historical influence of drag, and its talented and inspiring performers. Since man first walked the Earth...in heels, no other art form has wielded as unique an influence on pop culture as Drag. Drag artists have now sashayed their way to...
Life as a unicorn : a journey from shame to pride and everything in between
Al-Kadhi, Amrou
Paper Book
From a god-fearing Muslim boy enraptured with their mother, to a vocal, queer drag queen estranged from their family, this is a heart-breaking and hilarious memoir about the author's fight to be true to themself My name is Amrou Al-Kadhi - by day. By night, I am Glamrou, an...
Rainbow parenting : your guide to raising queer kids and their allies
Amer, Lindz
Paper Book
An essential guide for parents and caregivers to raising queer-friendly children in a gender-affirming space. In the face of so many injustices across society for LGBTQ+ people, it can be easy for parents of young children to feel helpless and hopeless. While they may not be...
Reckoning A Memoir
Szubanski, Magda.
Paper Book
In this extraordinary memoir, Magda Szubanski describes her journey of self-discovery from a suburban childhood, haunted by the demons of her father's espionage activities in wartime Poland and by her secret awareness of her sexuality, to the complex dramas of adulthood and her need to find out the...
Sister outsider : essays and speeches
Lorde, Audre
Paper Book
Presenting the essential writings of black lesbian poet and feminist writer Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider celebrates an influential voice in twentieth-century literature. "[Lorde's] works will be important to those truly interested in growing up sensitive,...
Tomorrow will be different : love, loss, and the fight for trans equality
McBride, Sarah
Paper Book
Sarah McBride is on a mission to fight for transgender rights around the world. But before she was a prominent activist, and before she became the first transgender person to speak at the Democratic National Convention in 2016, she was a teenager struggling with her identity. With...
Out : A Parent's Guide to Supporting Your LGBTQIA+ Kid Through Coming Out and Beyond
Sovec, John.
Paper Book
SHORTLISTED FOR 2024 LGBTQ NON-FICTION LAMMY AWARD The coming out process for LGBTQIA+ adolescents can be a terrifying moment, not only for themselves, but also for their family and friends. When intense emotions are running the gamut of concern, shock, joy or even anger and...
Coming out stories : personal experiences of coming out from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum
Goswell, Emma
Paper Book
'Uplifting and triumphant' JUNO DAWSON 'This book is vital' RUSSELL T DAVIES 'A brilliant resource' LADY PHYLL 'A must-read for anyone grappling with coming out' RIYADH KHALAF 'Inspirational' PETER TATCHELL "He told me being...
Perfectly queer : facing big fears, living hard truths, and loving myself fully out of the closet
Abby, Jillian
Paper Book
This humorous, heartwarming memoir follows a wife and mother's journey of self-discovery and acceptance as she comes out as a lesbian in her late 30s. Jill had a happy, healthy 20-year relationship with her college sweetheart, two wonderful kids, and rescue cat from the Humane...

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