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
This powerful YA memoir-manifesto follows journalist and LGBTQ+ activist George M. Johnson as they explore their childhood, adolescence, and college years, growing up under the duality of being black and queer. From memories of getting their teeth kicked out by bullies at age five to their loving...
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
Rainbow History Class is your entry into LGBTQ+ history, sharing queer and trans stories from Ancient civilisations all the way up to the internet.  So much of queer and trans history and culture has been erased, but Hannah McElhinney, writer and...
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...
Pride, Pop and Politics: Music and the Fight for LGBT Rights, 1970-2022
Bullock, Darryl W.
Paper Book
Pride, Pop and Politics charts the development of gay culture and the rise of LGBTQ politics, from the formation of the Gay Liberation Front to the present day, through the music that provided the soundtrack. Fifty years on from Britain's first Pride march, the long road to...
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
'A love letter to R&B, youth, and the unforgettable agonies of one's first love...I will read everything Patel writes from here on.' Susie Yang, New York Times bestselling author of White IvyLost in the jungle of Los Angeles, Akash Amin is filled with shame. Shame for liking men...
All mixed up : a memoir
Om, Jason
Paper Book
Some secrets should never be kept -- a candid and heartfelt memoir about authenticity, difference, resilience, hope and love by an exciting new Australian voice My family may have been all mixed up, but I discovered a love and a resilience that ran deeper than any of us could have...
Love is love : the absolute must-have guide to coming out from your favourite agony uncles
MacKinnon, Matthew
Paper Book
'An incredibly valuable and inclusive resource for young LGBT+ people... A much needed reminder that nobody needs to go through the queer experience alone.' Calum McSwiggan As TikTok and social media stars, every day Matthew and Ryan invite millions of people into...
The making of the Victorian Pride Centre
Buckrich, Judith Raphael
Paper Book
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...
Gay life stories
Aldrich, Robert
Paper Book
A fascinating portrait of gay men and women throughout time whose lives have influenced society at large, as well as what we recognize as today's varied gay culture. This book gives a voice to more than eighty people from every major continent and from all walks of life. It...
The queen's wife
Drayton, Joanne
Paper Book
A memoir of a turbulent time - and a chess game that broke all the rules. In 1989, two married women met by chance. They instantly hit it off, but little did they know that their new relationship would turn their lives upside-down. This is the true...
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...
She and her pretty friend
Scrimshaw, Danielle
Paper Book
'another a piece of the puzzle that is unearthing women's stories from the past ... a beautifully told history' - Books+Publishing A joyous look at the history of lesbian and bisexual women in Australia - from convict times, through suffrage and liberation...
Perfectly queer : facing big fears, living hard truths, and loving myself fully out of the closet
Abby, Jillian
Paper Book
Jill had a happy, healthy 20-year relationship with her college sweetheart, two wonderful kids, and rescue cat from the Humane Society. They lived in a nice suburban home with a white picket fence and owned a small bar that was rated one of the "Best Mom & Pop" businesses in Tampa Bay. From the...
Gender : what everyone needs to know
Erickson-Schroth, Laura
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
A "humane and heart-rending" memoir exploring what it means to live outside the normative boundaries imposed by society, from an award-winning trans writer and performer (The Guardian). In<...
The hidden case of Ewan Forbes : the transgender trial that threatened to upend the British establishment
Playdon, Zoë
Paper Book
The never-before-told story of Ewan Forbes and the landmark case that rocked British society and transformed transgender experience to this day*LONGLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION CROWNS*'A remarkable story' The Times'Almost reads like a thriller'...
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
The memoir from Australia's much-loved comedian, Hannah Gadsby, whose stand-up show and self-described swan-song, Nanette, played to sold-out houses in Australia, the UK and the US. Its launch on Netflix, and subsequent Emmy and Peabody wins, took Nanette (and Hannah) to the world.
All about Yves : notes from a transition
Rees, Yves
Paper Book
A timely and thought-provoking memoir about the trans experience.
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...
About a girl : a mother's powerful story of raising her transgender child
Robertson, Rebekah
Paper Book
In 2000, Rebekah gave birth to twin boys, George and Harry. But as they grew older, their preferences began to show, and by the age of three it was clear Georgie was drawn to anything that was pretty or had a skirt that could swirl. Before long Georgie was insisting that she was a girl...
Me
John, Elton
Paper Book
In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life. Me is the joyously funny, honest and moving story of the most enduringly successful singer/songwriter of all time. 'The rock memoir of the decade' - Daily...
Drag : combing through the big wigs of show business
DeCaro, Frank
Audiobook
Unicorn : the memoir of a Muslim drag queen
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
Audiobook
Love and other scores
Pressler, Abra.
Paper Book
'The chemistry between these two beautiful men will leave you fanning yourself like you're baking courtside at the Australian Open final' CLARE FLETCHERGabriel is a global tennis superstar and heart-throb. As he eyes his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, the pressure is getting to him....
Sister outsider
Lorde, Audre
Paper Book
The woman's place of power within each of us is neither white nor surface; it is dark, it is ancient, and it is deep The revolutionary writings of Audre Lorde gave voice to those 'outside the circle of this society's definition of acceptable women'. Uncompromising, angry and yet...
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...
Love and other scores
Pressler, Abra.
Paper Book
'The chemistry between these two beautiful men will leave you fanning yourself like you're baking courtside at the Australian Open final' CLARE FLETCHERGabriel is a global tennis superstar and heart-throb. As he eyes his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, the pressure is getting to him....
The pyramid of needs
Price, Ernest.
Paper Book
Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out
Love, Ryan.
The feel-good read of 2024. Perfect for fans of Mike Gayle, Beth O'Leary and Alice Oseman's Heartstopper. Selected as one of the Independent's 19 debut authors set to make their mark in 2023 'Gentle, honest and beautifully authentic' Julietta Henderson ...
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...
Queerstories
Marsden, Maeve
Paper Book
There's more to being queer than coming out and getting married. This exciting and contemporary collection contains stories that are as diverse as the LGBTQIA+ community from which they're drawn. From hilarious anecdotes of an awkward adolescence, to heartwarming...
Love Is Love : The Absolute Must-Have Guide to Coming Out from Your Favourite Agony Uncles
Ryan, Matthew and
Paper Book
'An incredibly valuable and inclusive resource for young LGBT+ people... A much needed reminder that nobody needs to go through the queer experience alone.' Calum McSwiggan As TikTok and social media stars, every day Matthew and Ryan invite millions of people into...
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
Jill had a happy, healthy 20-year relationship with her college sweetheart, two wonderful kids, and rescue cat from the Humane Society. They lived in a nice suburban home with a white picket fence and owned a small bar that was rated one of the "Best Mom & Pop" businesses in Tampa Bay. From the...
A Man and His Pride
Rutledge, Luke.
Paper Book
Sometimes life can be hard - until the right person shows you the way. Despite coming out years ago, twenty-six-year-old Sean Preston has never been one to shout his sexuality from the rooftops. When his relationship of three months comes to a humiliating end, he...

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