MENU

Books

Books For, By, & About Black British LGBTQ+ People

Celebrate Pride Month by delving into stories from Britain's Black queer community.

by Niellah Arboine

Updated: June 8, 2021

Originally Published: Feb. 24, 2021

Books For, By, & About Black British LGBTQ+ People

What better way and celebrate LGBTQ+ people than through literature? Books are a wonderful way to learn about the lives and cultures of other people, but it’s also essential to see yourself represented there too. And with the publishing industry still being 90% white in the UK, this stark figure is also sadly mirrored in books in the UK, making it even more necessary to uplift literature archiving the stories of Black queer people who are often left out of the canon.

While the works of Black LGBTQ+ writers such as Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, and Roxanne Gay are well known, the UK also has it’s own array of brilliant Black authors and writers who are telling the stories – both fiction and nonfiction – of Black LGBTQ+ people right here.

From tense period dramas involving Black queer women to heartwarming coming-of-age tales that explore what it's like to grow up Black and gay in the UK, these books will have you laughing and weeping – and their stories will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

Below are fiction and non-fiction books for, by, and about Black LGBTQ+ people that you should get stuck into this LGBT History Month.

‘Black, Gay, British, Christian, Queer’ by Jarel Robinson-Brown

Jarel Robinson-Brown's new book explores what it’s like to be Black and gay and Christian and reckons with how damaging Christianity has been for many members of Black LGBTQ+ communities. He asks how the church can do better to fully accept Black queer people.

'Mr Loverman' by Bernardine Evaristo

Bernardine Evaristo's 2003 novel, follows a closeted Caribbean elder living in East London, as we learn about his life, his marriage to a woman and his actual childhood sweetheart. It’s both heartwarming and thought-provoking.

'Rainbow Milk' by Paul Mendez

Rainbow Milk is a semi-autobiographical novel by Paul Mendez. The coming-of-age story follows Jessy Mcathry, a young gay Black man growing up as a Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Black Country. He is disfellowshipped and starts a new life in London. It’s a heartwarming tale grappling with religion, sexuality, and identity.

'Trumpet' by Jackie Kay

Written the former National Poet for Scotland, Trumpet documents the life of a fictional jazz musician named Joss Moody as remembered by his loved ones after is death. The story was actually inspired by Billy Tipton, a jazz musician whom people only knew to be trans after his death.

'Girl, Woman, Other' by Bernadine Evaristo

Written by the 2019 Booker Prize winner Bernadine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other follows the intertwining stories of Black women and non-binary people living in the UK. Girl, Woman, Other offers a varied representation of LGBTQ+ identities through different generations and cultures.

'Black & Gay In The UK' by John R Gordon & Rikki Beadle-Blair

Black & Gay In The UK is an anthology of essays, memoirs, fiction, and poetry offering snapshots into the lives of Black gay men in UK, edited by Rikki Beadle-Blair and John R Gordon.

'Sista!' by Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Rikki Beadle-Blair & John R Gordon

Sista! is the companion book to Black & Gay In The UK. Edited by the founder of UK Black Pride, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (aka Lady Phyll), as well as Rikki Beadle-Blair and John R Gordon, this anthology centres on same-gender-loving women of African/Caribbean descent with a connection to the UK. With 31 contributors, you’ll find a collection of powerful essays, memoirs, and poems including works from Andreena Bogle-Walton, Clementine Ewokolo Burnley, and Lady Phyll herself.

'The Confessions of Fanny Langton' by Sara Collins

This debut novel by Sara Collins is an adventurous period drama with a Black queer woman at its centre. The story follows Frannie Langton who is on trial for the murder of the woman she loved. Starting off in a plantation, and ending up in a stately home in London, The Confessions of Fanny Lancton takes you on a gripping journey.

'The Black Flamingo' by Dean Atta

Black Flamingo is the heartwarming coming-of-age YA novel by Dean Atta about Black gay teenager Michael who is reclaiming his identity through the art of drag.

'Eight Pieces of Silva' by Patrice Lawrence

Eight Pieces of Silva is a mystery novel following Beth, a queer girl who is looking for her sister. When their parents go off on their honeymoon, Silva disappears and Beth is left to follow clues to hunt down her stepsister.

'LOTE' by Shola von Reinhold

This literary debut by Shola von Reinhold is a dive into Black figures throughout history. In LOTE we follow our narrator Mathilda as she becomes fixated with the forgotten Black Scottish modernist poet Hermia Druitt.

This article was originally published on Feb. 24, 2021