This Pride season, we lift up our LGBTQIA+ community as we celebrate Capital Pride with the theme Totally Radical. This year's theme honors the queer activists and allies who have fought for and continue to advocate for equal rights, meaningful representation and the simple freedom to express oneself.
This freedom is currently under attack as the American Library Association has yet again reported the highest number of attempted book bans since they began compiling data about censorship in libraries. 2023 saw a 65% increase in challenges over the previous year. The vast majority of these challenges are around titles that were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color. Now, more than ever, it is important for us to get totally radical to champion our own freedom to read.
At DC Public Library, we are gathering in community all month long to celebrate queer stories and experiences. Check out great books that delight in camp, make you fall in love and invite you into the lives of queer revolutionaries. Join us for engaging events featuring authors, performers and activists. Dive into queer history right here in the District with the People's Archive and so much more.
Upcoming Events
Trans Pride Washington D.C.
Saturday, May 18, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Mark your calendars and enjoy a day of celebration, empowerment and unity. Trans Pride Washington D.C. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is an atmosphere of love and acceptance that extends far beyond the event itself. This event is free for trans, non-binary, gender expansive folx and our allies!
Queer Book Club: 10-Year Anniversary Party
Tuesday, May 21, 7 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Queer Book Club is a small but enthusiastic community that meets monthly to discuss queer-themed books spanning numerous genres. Join us to celebrate 10 years of queer reads! We're throwing a party on the beautiful MLK rooftop where we will browse the more than 100+ books we've read over the years, discuss your favorite queer books, play book-themed games and build community with fellow queer book enthusiasts.
Pride Book Club
Wednesday, May 29, 6 p.m. | Southwest Library
We will be discussing The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr.. Read as much of the book as you can, but finishing it is not required. All are welcome, allies and queers alike! The Prophets fearlessly reveals the pain and suffering of inheritance, but is also shot through with hope, beauty, and truth, portraying the enormous, heroic power of love.
Sandor Katz and the Tiny Wild
Sunday, June 9, 2 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
A special Beyond the Book Family Story Time and activity, celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month with the story of Sandor Katz and his love of fermented foods. Enjoy a complimentary copy of "Sandor Katz and the Tiny Wild" and at home activities within, care of the DC Public Library Foundation and Beyond the Book. Complimentary books provided while supplies last.
Giovanni's Room
Tuesday, June 18, 6 p.m. | Bellevue/William O. Lockridge Library
Explore themes of home, love and identity as we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of James Baldwin's birth, Juneteenth and Pride Month by reading and discussing Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin.
LGBTQIA+ Health Fair
Saturday, June 22, 3:30 p.m. | Mt. Pleasant Library
Join Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SYMAL), Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) and other local organizations and healthcare providers that support and empower the LGBTQIA+ community. Participants will be connected with physical and behavioral health services including counseling, testing and screenings, and referrals.
Mt. Pleasant Reads | Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl
Wednesday, June 26, 7 p.m. | Mt. Pleasant Library
This month we'll be discussing Andrea Lawlor's stunning debut, Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl. Set in 1993, meet Paul Polydoris—a bartender, college student, and shape-shifter—who is able to alter their appearance and gender. Traveling in Iowa City, Provincetown, and San Francisco, Paul transcends bodies and geographies searching for connection. What will they find?
See All Upcoming Pride Month Events
Fiction Books for Adults
Nonfiction Books for Adults
Fiction Books for Teens
Nonfiction Books for Teens
Fiction Books for Kids
Nonfiction Books for Kids
Pride Month Partner Reads
Pride 2024 Reads with the Washington Mystics
This summer, DC Public Library is teaming up with the Washington Mystics to recommend great reads that you can check out with your library card! Each month we will be posting Read Feed entries that spotlight titles around a theme. June’s theme is Pride. In honor of Pride month, we have selected some amazing autobiographies and biographies for both adults and young adults that explore the lives and careers of LGBTQIA+ athletes. Check out the library’s Pride Month page to find more great reads for all ages and the Mystic's Pride page to learn more about how they are celebrating this month. Happy Reading!
Wizards Book of the Month
DC Public Library has teamed up with the Washington Wizards to provide a recommended Book of the Month that the library and Wizards community can read together.
