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For many queer people, books are where we turn for validation, understanding, and connection. They can be a means for sharing our stories, constructing and deconstructing our identities, and learning about our own history. For our friends and family, they can be a tool for better supporting and understanding our lived experiences and histories.

We write about books a lot at Business Insider, particularly as they pertain to topics of succeeding in the worlds of business and technology. But less frequently do we write about books that have deeply personal meaning, or share our personal reading lists beyond what the BI Staff Book Club has been reading.

This year for Pride Month, instead of doing a roundup of businesses that have pride collections, we thought it would be more useful to put together a list of books about LGBTQ culture, history, politics, and even some fiction for anyone in pursuit of more knowledge about the brilliance of the queer community, our struggle, or stories of our lives.

I drew upon my own reading list, and asked friends, coworkers, and professors from all walks of life, of all identities and religions, to share their must-reads — all of which you can find below. You'll find a mix of academic literature, fiction, poetry, and more.

* Descriptions listed are from the book's page on Amazon, which are generally provided by the publisher.