Rachel Gold’s Queer/Trans Elder Reading List

As we wrap up the turbulence that has been 2025, we both wanted to reflect back on media that has shaped our visions of being LGBTQ+. Connecting to LGBTQ+ elders is vital for the survival and strength of our community, and it is an act that the forces of history have worked to prevent. Here you’ll find books, posts, videos, podcasts, and more—all about, and often by, LGBTQ+ people and lives. May you discover that your experience is not entirely new, and may that be a comforting feeling. Table of Contents A note on the use of the word “elder/s”: While Rachel included many things by folks who would traditionally be classified as “elders,” Ashton took a slightly different direction. Here, “elder” is not referring to a specific age or generational cutoff. Instead, it is a collection of work by those who came before us, even if some of them are barely older than we are.  Some of these inclusions come with personal reflections, while others simply give the description of the text/media. Some may be a mix of both. We hope that, for any text you are interested in, you explore it on your own and see if you want to dive