A growing collection of books about gender, sexuality, kink, fashion, psychology, and self-exploration—especially for trans folks, questioning souls, and the people who love us.
These are all books I’ve personally added to my reading list. I haven’t read them all—yet—but each one felt like it might help me understand who I am, how I got here, or where I’m going. So I figured, why keep that to myself?
Most of the links are affiliate links. That means if you buy something, I might earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. It helps support the blog and keep things growing.
Personal Journeys & Memoirs
- Being Cammy? – Patrick J. Shead
- Skirting Gender – Vera Wylde
- Man In My Shoes – Jane Thomas
- My Husband Betty – Helen Boyd
- She’s Not the Man I Married – Helen Boyd
- Men in Bras, Panties and Dresses – Sissy Debi
- Alice in Genderland – Richard Novic
- Dress Codes – Noelle Howey
- A Life in Two Genders – Jennifer Finney Boylan
- Tranny – Laura Jane Grace
- My Life in Dresses – Alice Quinn
- In Their Shoes – Jamie Windust
- Some Assembly Required – Arin Andrews
- Rethinking Normal – Katie Rain Hill
- Love Lives Here – Amanda Jette Knox
Psychology & Mental Health
- The Gendered Self – Anne Vitale
- Sexuality and Gender for Mental Health Professionals – Christina Richards
- Trans Bodies, Trans Selves – Laura Erickson-Schroth
- The Transgender Self-Care Workbook – Theo Lorenz
- The Queer and Transgender Resilience Workbook – Anneliese Singh
- True Selves – Mildred L. Brown & Chloe Ann Rounsley
- Headcase – Stephanie Schroeder & Teresa Theophano
- The Velvet Rage – Alan Downs
- Gender Dysphoria – Susan Evans & Marcus Evans
- The Transgender Teen – Stephanie Brill & Lisa Kenney
- The Transgender Child – Stephanie Brill & Rachel Pepper
- When Someone You Know Has Depression – Susan J. Noonan
- Man Enough – Justin Baldoni
- Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Sexual Behavior – Ronald Cohen
- LGBTQ+ Affirmative Psychotherapy – Rylan Jay Testa
- You Are Enough – Jen V. Watson
- The Gender Identity Journal – Joshua Johnson
- Building a Life Worth Living – Marsha M. Linehan
- Radical Acceptance – Tara Brach
- It’s OK That You’re Not OK – Megan Devine
- Healing the Trauma of Abuse – Mary Ellen Copeland
- Self-Compassion – Kristin Neff
- The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook – Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer
Identity & Gender Exploration
- Understanding Crossdressing – Marissa Pearl
- 7 Secrets of Successful Crossdressers – Jaye Davidson
- Crossdresser: Accept Yourself or Die – Kat Rogue
- Crossdressing With Dignity – Peggy J. Rudd
- Crossdressers’ Guide to Success – Jennifer Seeley
- Beyond the Gender Binary – Alok Vaid-Menon
- Gender Outlaw – Kate Bornstein
- None of the Above – I. W. Gregorio
- Tomboy – Liz Prince
- Girl Mans Up – M-E Girard
- I Wish You All the Best – Mason Deaver
- Gender Identity Workbook for Teens – Andrew Maxwell Triska
- The ABC’s of LGBT+ – Ashley Mardell
- Trans Mission – Alex Bertie
- Who Are You? – Brook Pessin-Whedbee
- How to They/Them – Stuart Getty
- They/Them/Their – Eris Young
- Gender: A Graphic Guide – Meg-John Barker & Jules Scheele
- You and Your Gender Identity – Dara Hoffman-Fox
- How to Understand Your Gender – Meg-John Barker & Alex Iantaffi
- Life Isn’t Binary – Meg-John Barker & Alex Iantaffi
Sexuality, Fantasy & Erotic Expression
- Sissy – Jacob Tobia
- Pleasure Activism – adrienne maree brown
- Dress Up – Rachel Kramer Bussel
- Transgender Erotica – Giselle Renarde
- Trans/Love – Morty Diamond
- Genderqueer and Non-Binary Genders – Christina Richards & Walter Pierre Bouman
- Queer Sex – Juno Roche
- Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation – Janice Hiller
- Femme in Public – Alok Vaid-Menon
- Reclaiming Pleasure – Holly Richmond
- Whipping Girl – Julia Serano
- Erotic Transference and Countertransference – Ruth Stein
- Transgender Intimacies – Jaye Cee Whitehead & Elroi Windsor
Partners, Family & Loved Ones
- My Husband Betty – Helen Boyd
- She’s Not the Man I Married – Helen Boyd
- My Life With a Crossdresser – Christine Jonik
- The Cross Dresser’s Wife – Vicki Renee
- Transgender Emergence – Arlene Istar Lev
- Head Over Heels – Virginia Erhardt
- Trans Partner Handbook – Jo Green
- Love Lives Here – Amanda Jette Knox
- My Child is Trans, Now What? – Elijah Nealy
- The Gender Creative Child – Diane Ehrensaft
- When Your Partner Is Trans – D. M. Maynard
- You’re in the Wrong Bathroom! – Laura Erickson-Schroth & Laura A. Jacobs
- He’s My Daughter – Leslie L. P.
- A Guide to Gender – Sam Killermann
- Helping Your Transgender Teen – Irwin Krieger
- Supporting Transgender Autistic Youth and Adults – Finn V. Gratton
Fitness, Body & Wellness
- The Feminizing Diet – K.A. Fairfax
- Trans Femme Fitness – Annie Brown
- Feminizing Fitness – Lindsay Holman
- The Crossdresser’s Guide to Feminine Fitness – Jennifer Seeley
- Femininity Training for Crossdressers – Marcie Fraser
- Trans Form – Kymberleigh J. Romero
- Gender-Affirming Fitness and Nutrition – Queer Gym Collective
- Trans Body, Trans Mind – Ava K. Meyer
- Transgender Fitness – Logan James
- Crossdresser’s Body Guide – Danielle Walsh
- Strong and Feminine – Rosa Bloom
Fashion, Style & Presentation
- Miss Vera’s Finishing School for Boys Who Want to Be Girls – Veronica Vera
- Transgender Style Guide – Tony Ferraiolo
- The Lazy Crossdresser – Charles Anders
- Crossdresser’s Fashion Guide – Veronica Fiveash
- The Art of Crossdressing – Sapphire Reign
- The Ultimate Guide to Style for Transgender Women – Hannah McKnight
- Transvestite’s Guide to Style – Vicky Lee
- Transgender Beauty & Fashion Book – Aunty Mavis
- My New Gender Workbook – Kate Bornstein
- Fashionably Femme – Bailey James
- MTF Style – Lindsay Marie
- Clothes Make the Girl (Look Fat)? – Brittany Gibbons
- Dressing the Man – Alan Flusser
Makeup & Beauty
- Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual – Bobbi Brown
- Makeup for Crossdressers – Jaye Davidson
- Makeup: The Ultimate Guide – Rae Morris
- Kevin Aucoin: Making Faces – Kevyn Aucoin
- Trans Makeup 101 – Amelia Phoenix
- Makeup Mastery for Crossdressers – Veronica Fiveash
- The Art of Feminine Makeup for the Transgender Woman – Aria Blu
- Makeup Techniques for Men Who Want to Look Like Women – Melanie Anne Phillips
- The Beauty of Gender Nonconformity – Jessi James
- The Transgender Makeup Bible – Kara Woods
- Trans Makeup: A Guide for Gender Expression – Riley Black
- Drag: The Complete Makeup & Styling Guide – David Higham
- Color Me Beautiful – Carole Jackson
- Face Forward – Kevyn Aucoin