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Six Books to Read for Pride Month
Dear Hyphenly Readers,
Happy June—and Happy Pride Month! 🌈
Every year, brands change their logos, rainbow flags line storefronts, and “love is love” becomes part of every marketing campaign. But Pride is about more than parades and performative support. It’s a time to honor a long and ongoing fight for equality, dignity, and recognition—a fight led by queer communities who have too often been labeled “unnatural” or “unwelcome.”
One pivotal moment happened in June 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village. When police raided this popular gathering spot for LGBTQ youth, the community pushed back. Coins, then bottles and debris, were thrown in protest, forcing the police to barricade themselves inside the bar. According to Britannica, nearly 400 people joined the uprising that night. The second night had over 2000. This act of resistance helped spark the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the United States.
Yet for many queer people, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, acceptance still comes with complexity. Navigating queerness while honoring cultural traditions, or speaking openly to family elders, can feel like walking a tightrope.
So, how do we make space for these layered stories?
We read them—in their own words.
📚 Here are 6 books by queer immigrants you should add to your TBR:
A coming-of-age novel about chosen family and unexpected friendships. | A science fiction novel about the fragility of life on earth and feeling different from everyone around you. |
The book follows the lives of two Afro-Caribbean friends as they journey beyond the confined expectations of their home country in the Dominican Republic and begin new lives in New York City. | A satirical novel about two star indoor volleyball players juggle unspoken jealousies in their off-court romance ahead of their rival teams’ first rematch in a year. |
The story follows the secret love affair between E.M. Forster and Mohammed el Adl. | This book, set in 1960s Nigeria, and follows the story of Ijeoma, a girl growing up in war-torn Nigeria who must come to term with her sexuality and the conflict this presents in society. |
Let us know which ones you’ve read—or which voices you’d love to hear more of.
Not a book person? Not a problem! Here’s a movie you may have missed out on. Joyland from Pakistan is about the trans community in South Asia. Watch the trailer here:
📣 Culture Check-In: We want to hear from you!
What’s your favorite queer film? |
🎙️ Podcast Pick of the Week
At Immigrantly, we are known to have tough yet heartfelt conversations. In this episode you’ll hear Saadia talk to Uruguayan American author and cultural force Caro De Robertis about estrangement, resilience, chosen family, and the defiant joy that shapes queer immigrant narratives. |
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This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.
Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.
We’re currently accepting blog pitches and offer a small honorarium—send your pitch to [email protected]
This month, we are particularly looking to feature stories from queer immigrants. We are looking for personal stories that are queer in all senses of the word – whether it’s your coming-out story, a movie that changed your life, how queerness looks in your culture and family, profiles on queer elders you’ve learned from, and more.
Visit us at www.immigrantlypod.com.