Have you visited a bookstore recently and seen publications such as Heartstopper by Alice Oseman or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid proudly showcased on the first display? This is now a common theme among bookstores- to have LGBTQ+ books front and centre on their own dedicated shelf. This is because of the recent increase in popularity of Young Adult (YA) queer fiction.

For a long time, queer books didn’t have big flashy sections and were often placed within the different genres that they fit. This change is refreshing and largely thanks to the rise in popularity of LGBTQ+ fiction books, which according to a study done in 2023 by Circana BookScan, has increased by over 150% since 2019.

YA books are typically written for a teenage audience aged between 12 and 18. As these books become more popular, teens have easier access to LGBTQ+ literature which allows them the opportunity to read novels filled with queer joy. For teenagers, reading books about queer experiences while they’re discovering their identity can help them feel seen and understood in a way that they might not experience in any other part of their life. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Penguin Random House (@penguinrandomhouse)

In some ways, these books aren’t just books, they are a means through which LGBTQ+ youth can feel seen and make sense of their own identities. By reading these bubbly novels it will encourage queer youth to feel confident in their identity and lead to less shame surrounding LGBTQ+ narratives, and this is an opportunity that the queer community didn’t always have access to.

Whether it was through the censoring of LGBTQ+ books or the lack of queer titles in general, the community was without mainstream representation in literature for many years.

Irish Book Censorship
The Republic of Ireland has a history of censoring books because of homosexuality. Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde both faced censorship because they contained the subject matter of homosexuality. 

Although The Picture of Dorian Gray was inherently heterosexual, the philosophical novel was censored due to homosexual themes and Wilde being gay himself. 

The ban on books in Ireland has been less of an issue since the introduction of The Censorship of Publications Act 1967, which prohibited books from being banned for more than 12 years, and no books have been banned for over 25 years.

Despite the fact that the aforementioned books are no longer censored, the history and treatment of these publications show that at one stage, Ireland felt it was necessary to hide LGBTQ+ narratives. This may still lead to feelings of shame surrounding one’s own Irish and queer identities, and this is why it is so important that there is adequate representation in literature today.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Macmillan Publishers (@macmillanusa)

BookTok
The growth in LGBTQ+ publications is largely attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of a corner of social media called BookTok. During the pandemic, people were bored and there was only so much to do at home. Because of this, reading boomed as it was an enjoyable yet safe at-home activity. 

Due to the large demand for books, content creators on TikTok took to sharing their favourite reads with the world. This part of TikTok where literary works were shared became known as ‘BookTok’ and is still extremely present on the app today.

@discobooks Trans Rights Readathon is 22nd-29th March! Books listed: In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland Court of the Undying Seasons by A.M. Strickland Nimona by N.D. Stevenson Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson The Final Strife by Saara el-Arifi She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan Peter Darling by Austin Chant Face by Joma West Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution by Kacen Callender Zachary Ying & the Dragon Emperor by Xirin Jay Zhao Iron Widow by Xirin Jay Zhao The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas Cemetary Boys by Aiden Thomas Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Liu Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto #booktok #transrightsreadathon #transbooks ♬ original sound – Disco (he/they)

According to Circana BookScan, the sales of LGBTQ+ romance novels in May 2023 increased 40% from the same time the year prior. Due to queer BookTokers recommending romance and fiction novels, the popularity of these Young Adult LGBTQ+ publications has skyrocketed.

Adapted Novels
Another way in which LGBTQ+ young adult fiction has grown is through adapted novels. Although books are a great way for queer youth to feel represented, it’s not an accessible form of media for all. Having these novels turned into films and series makes the stories more accessible to a larger audience of people. 

In the past few years, there has been a spike in LGBTQ+ novels adapted into films and TV shows. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston was just recently made into a highly successful film by Amazon Prime, while Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper is a huge Netflix hit.

With large companies investing in film adaptations of these LGBTQ+ novels, their popularity is unquestionable. According to a 2023 study done by BooksRated, book-to-film adaptations produce on average 53% more income than original films. 

Making these adaptations generates revenue for not only the film but the book as well. Fans of the book will support the film, and fans of the film will support the book. It’s a win-win situation that transports queer fiction stories that were founded in literature across multiple forms of media. 

With the increased popularity of LGBTQ+ Young Adult fiction, teens and adults all over the world have gained access to a new world of queer joy and representation. Teenagers growing up with these stories will hopefully be encouraged to take pride in their identities, and being LGBTQ+ will be normalised from a young age.