Pick These Books Up for the Trans Rights Readathon
The third Trans Rights Readathon has begun! It runs from March 21st to March 31st to coincide with Trans Day of Visibility, and it aims to uplift, amplify, and support trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming, and Two-Spirit authors. It’s a great excuse to not only read trans books but also to donate to trans causes, buy books from trans authors (you could preorder these ones!), and talk about the trans books you love.
There are five core prompts to complete, as well as a list of bonus prompts. I’ve included recommendations for each of the core prompts below, but I’ll be recommending more in the Our Queerest Shelves newsletter, like these trans graphic novels you can read in one sitting.
I know many of you Read Harder challengers participate in other readathons and reading challenges throughout the year, and this is a great one to join! You can also keep working on the prompts after the readathon is done, stretching it into a year-long readathon.
Now, here are a few trans books we recommend picking up for the Trans Rights Readathon or any time!
Transfemme and Trans Woman Rep
The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation by Raquel Willis
In this memoir, Willis recounts her life. She grew up feeling isolated in Augusta, Georgia as a queer Black child, despite her supportive family. It wouldn’t be until going to college and finding a queer community that she began to explore herself and her identity. As she entered the field of journalism, the Black Lives Matter movement started gaining steam, and the trans community was getting more visibility. Becoming aware of the threat to trans lives, especially those of trans teens and trans women of color, led to her coming out as trans and becoming a voice for the voiceless. —Erica Ezeifedi
Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher
After a devastating war, trans woman Alice is the last human alive. That war threatens to reignite when Alice finds an AI personality in an ancient data core that controls a dormant weapons system, and convincing it that the war is over isn’t going well. Alice travels across the known universe in search of answers and aid, knowing that if the AI falls into the wrong hands, this could destroy the tenuous peace that was so hard-earned. This is a trans, sci-fi reinvention of Alice in Wonderland!
Exclusive content for All Access members continues below.
Looking for more? Try 11 of the Best Memoirs by Transgender and Nonbinary Authors, 12 Trans and Nonbinary Books Out in 2025 to Preorder Now, and 20 Must-Read Adult Books by Trans & Genderqueer Authors.
