Books like Times I Knew I Was Gay

A gentle, funny, and deeply relatable exploration of the messy, non-linear journey to figuring out you're queer. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Times I Knew I Was Gay.

nostalgic
awkward
cozy
hopeful

01
How to Be Ace
Rebecca Burgess
A candid, deeply validating graphic memoir about the messy, anxious, and ultimately joyful journey of figuring out who you aren't, so you can embrace who you are.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
02
Spinning
Tillie Walden
A quiet, visually stunning journey through the chill of the ice rink and the warmth of finding your own voice.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- earnest
03
Tomboy
Liz Prince
A funny, heartfelt exploration of the messy middle ground between boyhood and girlhood, fueled by punk rock and adolescent angst.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- humorous
- the awkwardness of adolescence
04
Fun Home
Alison Bechdel · 2006
A darkly funny, deeply literary graphic memoir that dissects the complicated legacy of a closeted parent and a daughter's own queer awakening.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- wry
- earnest
05
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
Mariko Tamaki
A tender, beautifully illustrated exploration of the messy line between the love we crave and the love we actually deserve.
Shares:
- hopeful
- earnest
06
Gender Queer
Maia Kobabe
A deeply vulnerable, beautifully illustrated journey through the messy, confusing, and ultimately joyful process of finding the right words for who you are.
Shares:
- earnest
- gentle
07
The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For
Alison Bechdel · 2008
A witty, sprawling, and deeply affectionate time capsule of queer community, found family, and the messy intersection of the personal and the political.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- cozy
- wry
08
On a sunbeam
Tillie Walden
A breathtakingly gorgeous, slow-burn journey through space that feels like a warm hug from a found family.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- cozy
- earnest
- gentle
09
Ghost World
Daniel Clowes
A sharp, melancholy portrait of the exact moment a childhood friendship begins to dissolve into the ether of adulthood.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- wry
10
Many love
Sophie Lucido Johnson
A warm, illustrated invitation to rethink everything you know about romance, jealousy, and the shape of a happy life.
Shares:
- earnest
11
Honor girl
Maggie Thrash
A humid, bittersweet plunge into the dizzying confusion of a first queer crush at a traditional Southern summer camp.
Shares:
- nostalgic
- awkward
- wry
- earnest
12
Messy Roots
Laura Gao
A visually engaging, heartfelt journey through the intersections of queer identity and the Chinese-American immigrant experience.
Shares:
- earnest

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