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sportsintersections · 4 years

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16 Awesome Queer Sports Books: Books with LGBTQIA+ Athlete Representation

Image: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images.

In some ways, the last few years has been a golden time for LGBTQIA+ athletes. The 2019 Women’s World Cup was a record tournament for LGBTQ+ visibility, with at least five players on the U.S. women’s national soccer team being openly queer (Ali Krieger and her now-wife Ashlyn Harris, Megan Rapinoe, A.D. Franch, and Tierna Davidson), as well as coach Jill Ellis, and another player coming out in the moment captured in the photo above, kissing her girlfriend in celebration. Rapinoe’s girlfriend, Sue Bird, another out lesbian athlete who plays in the WNBA, wrote an open letter to the President of the United States. A blockbuster movie told the story of iconic out lesbian tennis star Billie Jean King. Jason Paul Collins came out in 2013 (but retired the following year). Michael Sam was the first openly gay man to be drafted into the NFL in 2014 (but he has since retired).

But, according to the Human Rights Campaign, 70% of LGBTQIA+ people don’t come out to their teammates while still playing a sport, and 82% of athletes have witnessed homophobic and/or transphobic language in their sport. It is still more common, especially for male athletes, to come out after they have already left their sport (TW for homophobic slurs/statements and suicidal ideation), and many athletes who are still playing face backlash (TW for misgendering & general transphobia).

These books, from memoirs by professional queer athletes to YA romances with LGBTQIA+ athlete protagonists, explore these issues and more.

Books are YA fiction unless otherwise noted.

Spinning, by Tillie Walden (graphic memoir)

This beautiful graphic novel memoir captures Tillie’s experience with figure skating and why she eventually decided to give it up. Full review here.

Girl Crushed, by Katie Heaney

Quinn thought her senior year would be perfect: college scouts recruiting her to her dream school for D1 soccer and her best-friend-turned-girlfriend at her side. But then Jamie dumps her, a month before the school year begins, and it’s getting a little late to have heard back from schools, if she’s going to end up on one of the top teams. Over the course of the school year, Quinn learns that her binary black-and-white, gay-and-straight, success-and-failure ways of seeing her world could stand to be a little more complicated. This book is about identity, self-esteem, friendship, crushes, and soccer. There are also many fun USWNT references! TW for some (challenged) bisexual erasure.

The Reappearing Act: Coming Out on a College Basketball Team Led by Born-Again Christians, by Kate Fagan (adult memoir)

Kate was thrilled to be playing basketball for a nationally-ranked school and to have a close-knit group of teammates. Her best friends were part of Colorado’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and she tried to join them and learn about their church, but she started to realize that she might be one of those people whose “sinful lifestyles” they talked about. She had to figure out how to come out without losing her friends, and her team.

Check, Please! Volume 1, by Ngozi Ukazu (graphic novel)

This adorable graphic novel (which was originally published as a popular webcomic) follows Bitty, a former junior figure skating champion and enthusiastic baker, who somehow ended up on the Samwell University hockey team. He’s terrified of checking (what if he gets hurt??), trying to figure out if he can win over the guys with pies, and also feeling some kind of way about the hot but grumpy captain.

Keeper of the Dawn, by Dianna Gunn

Lai wants to become a priestess, like her mother and grandmother were before her, but first she must prove herself in the trials she’s been training for her whole life. Nothing goes according to plan, but she can still depend on herself and her skill as a fighter and a horseback rider and take matters into her own hands. This fantasy novel features an asexual protagonist and a f/f romance.

The Passing Playbook, by Isaac Fitzsimmons (2020/2021 release)

This book hasn’t been released yet, but there are so few (if any) own voices YA sports books with trans characters that I decided to include it anyway. A queer, biracial, trans soccer player is benched, and has to decide whether to fight the ruling, even though that would mean coming out to everyone…including the Christian teammate he’s falling for.

Running with Lions, by Julian Winters

This coming-of-age novel follows Sebastian, a bisexual rising senior who’s excited for his last summer at soccer camp, where his teammates are great and the coach doesn’t expect anyone to stay in the closet. But then Emir Shah, a Muslim British-Pakistani new recruit, shows up. He also happens to be Sebastian’s former best friend, and they left things on pretty bad terms. So why is he finding himself attracted to Emir all of the sudden?

None of the Above, by I.W. Gregorio

I am hesitant to recommend this non-ownvoices intersex representation, but it’s the only book I know of about an intersex teen athlete, and, while it is imperfect and seems geared towards a non-intersex audience, there are certainly some good things to be said about it. It is informative, well-researched, and moving. Kristin, a homecoming queen and champion hurdler with a cute boyfriend, seems to be having a great high school experience. But a doctor’s visit reveals that she’s intersex, and, while she’s still coming to terms with what that might mean for her and her identity, her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school. TW for transphobic/anti-intersex slurs and bullying.

Forward: My Story, Young Readers’ Edition, by Abby Wambach (memoir)

U.S. Women’s National Team soccer star Abby Wambach tells her story with honesty and vulnerability, sharing how she came to lead her team to a World Cup win in 2015. She is open about her sexuality and romantic life (including a named mention of a certain pink-haired teammate, who also happens to be her ex-girlfriend) and how it affected her career.

We Ride Upon Sticks, by Quan Barry (adult fiction, with teen protagonists)

The 1989 Danvers high field hockey team finds themselves winning…a lot. Is it because they all wrote their names in a mysterious notebook with Emilio Estevez on the cover, and pledged themselves to dark forces so they could make the state championships? This darkly funny story explores friendship, sportsmanship, and what means to find power and sense of self as a teen girl.

Beautiful on the Outside, by Adam Rippon (adult non-fiction)

In his comedic memoir, Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon shares his journey from poverty and uncertainty to success and becoming a self-professed American sweetheart. He opens up about anxiety attacks, coming to terms with his sexuality and coming out, and some enjoyable behind-the-scenes gossip. He also narrates the audiobook.

Ana on the Edge, by A.J. Sass (middle-grade, fall 2020 release)

Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie is the reigning U.S. Juvenile figure skating champion, but that doesn’t mean everything feels easy or figured out. When Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy, at the rink, Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy…and Ana doesn’t bother to correct him. In fact, it feels good to be seen as a boy. Now Ana must decide which identity feels the most right, in time for a big competition coming up. This book isn’t out yet, but it’s due to be released in fall 2020, and it is written by a non-binary (and autistic) author, who is also a figure skater.

Heartstopper, Volume 1, by Alice Oseman (graphic novel)

Charlie is neurotic and openly gay (after he was outed last year and bullied for months), and hoping that Year 10 at the British all-boys grammar school will be better. He meets Nick, an upbeat, sweet rugby player, and they become friends. Soon he finds himself hoping that their friendship turns into something more.

Fearless: Portraits of LGBT Student Athletes, by Jeff Sheng (non-fiction)

This is a memoir of an American artist who uses his story as a closeted high school athlete in the 1990s as a jumping-off-point to depict hundreds of photos of other LGBTQ+ high school and college athletes in the U.S. and Canada between 2003 and 2015.

Amateur, by Thomas McBee (adult memoir/non-fiction)

In this memoir, Thomas McBee describes grappling with the meaning of masculinity, violence, and sports. As a trans man, he has noticed since his transition that the world treats him completely differently and expects different things from him. But what does he want, and how does he want to define masculinity and strength for himself? He decides to train for a charity boxing match at Madison Square Garden as a way to find out.

Dryland, by Sara Jaffe

Julie is a cynical teen in Portland at the height of the grunge movement, struggling to define herself and her sexuality. No one in her family is willing to talk about her older brother, who at one point seemed destined for the Olympics but then fell off the map. Julie has never considered swimming herself, but then the swim team captain convinces her to join. Is this what she’s been looking for -- a way to get closer to her brother and maybe herself?

[All book covers belong to their respective publishers].

#books #yabooks #sportsbooks #booksaboutsports #sports #queer books #queerathletes #lgbtqia #gay athletes #gay books #lesbian athletes #wlw books #intersex athletes #trans athletes #asexual #comics #graphic novels

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sportsintersections · 4 years

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14 Sports Books That Deal with Race, Racism, & Prejudice

This is a selection of books that deal with the issues of race, racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, colorism, and other forms of prejudice that athletes face. Of course, many people face intersecting oppressions, so many of these books also touch on other issues, including sexism, poverty, and other forms of inequality.

All books are young adult fiction unless otherwise noted.

Here to Stay, by Sara Farizan

Bijan Majidi is thrilled to be catapulted to sports stardom when he’s called in off the bench and makes the winning play in a big game. But the next thing he knows, an anonymous email is sent to the whole student body of his face photoshopped onto a terrorist’s body, and he, and all his friends, have to deal with the fall-out. More detailed review here.

Ghost, by Jason Reynolds (middle-grade)

One day, 13-year-old Castle Crenshaw (aka “Ghost”) is hanging out in the park when he stumbles on a track practice and ends up racing an elite sprinter…and winning. But will Ghost be able to outrun the issues of his past in order to succeed? This moving, fast-paced book touches on racism, poverty, incarceration, and abuse.

The Boxer: The True Story of Holocaust Survivor Harry Haft, by Reinhard Kleist (non-fiction graphic novel)

This powerful graphic novel tells the story of 16-year-old Harry Haft, who was sent to Auschwitz, where he was forced to fight against other inmates, but escaped and made it to the U.S. to become a professional prizefighter.

Necessary Roughness, by Marie Myung-Ok Lee

When Chan Kim’s family moves to a tiny town in Michigan, where they’re the only Asian family in town, he throws himself into football to try and fit in. But does he have the “necessary roughness” to survive – on and off the field? (TW: descriptions of violent bullying, widespread use of racial slurs, and character death). Full review here.

Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher

T.J. Jones is an adopted mixed-race kid living in small majority-white town, where arrogant athletes rule the school. That’s why he’s avoided organized sports – until now, when his English teacher asks him to help start a swimming team. The group of ragtag misfits doesn’t even have a swimming pool of their own, but can the All Night Mermen succeed, despite all their obstacles?

The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander (middle-grade)

12-year old Josh Bell and his twin brother Jordan can deliver on the basketball court and they have mad beats. It’s really no surprise, as both skills are in their blood. This fast-paced story of high-stakes basketball games and potential game-changers for the Bell family is told entirely in verse.

Backfield Boys, by John Feinstein

Jason and Tom are best friends, so they’re thrilled when they find out they’ve both been accepted to an elite boarding school on football scholarships. But when they get there, Jason, who’s Jewish and a great wide-receiver, is made a quarterback, while Tom, who’s black and has an incredible arm, is put in as a receiver. It doesn’t make any sense, but are they willing to call out the racist choice and potentially jeopardize their futures?

RUNNER: Harry Jerome, World’s Fastest Man, by Norma Charles

This novel is based on the inspiring and poignant true story of black Canadian track star Harry Jerome, who became the “fastest man in the world” for eight years in the 1960s, succeeding in spite of all the racism he faced.

Girl Overboard, by Justina Chen

Syrah is living a blessed life, or so it seems, until an accident keeps her from snowboarding, and she has to figure out who she is without the sport. This book, a rare depiction of an Asian girl in the white-male-dominated extreme & winter sports world, explores adoption, Chinese history, self-esteem, and activism, and it’s also fluffy and fun.

After the Shot Drops, by Randy Ribay

Bunny and Nasir used to be best friends and great teammates, but then Bunny gets a scholarship to a fancy private school, while Nasir is left behind at public school, hanging out with his cousin Wallace, who’s dealing with an eviction. This book grapples with race, poverty, privilege, and toxic masculinity, and is also a great heartwarming sports story.

The Necessary Hunger, by Nina Revour

Nancy is a Japanese-American basketball star entering her senior year of high school, dealing with the college recruitment process and trying to figure out what her future holds, when she meets Raina, an all-state shooting guard who has some serious talent of her own (and who Nancy just might have a huge crush on)…whose mother is dating Nancy’s father. As their families merge, they must deal with their growing rivalry and friendship, family issues, all of it in the context of tensions between the Asian and Black communities in L.A.

See No Color, by Shannon Gibney

Alex has always known that she’s adopted, that she’s biracial, unlike her white parents, and that she’s meant to be a baseball star, just like her dad. But things start to change when she meets a black guy she might want to date, she finds a secret letter from her biological father, and her growing body starts to betray her. Can she handle all of this, figure out her identify, and still become a star?

Barely Missing Everything, by Matt Mendez

Juan, a Mexican-American basketball player, has big plans to get out of El Paso on a basketball scholarship, but he’s faced with a string of bad luck — a run-in with the cops, a sprained ankle, and a math grade that could get in the way of his dreams. But that’s nothing compared to letters from a man on death row who just might be his father. Told in alternating points of view by Juan, his best friend, and his mother (who was a teen mom), this book explores race, following your dreams, and the meaning of family.

Dragon Hoops, by Gene Luen Yang (non-fiction graphic novel)

Best-Selling Graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang didn’t get sports, at least not until he started talking to the basketball team at the high school where he teaches and got to know the stories of the young all-stars. He tells their stories here, interspersed with tales from his own personal life and the history of basketball, specifically focusing on racism and progress in the sport over the years. It’s also a thrilling sports story, and you’ll certainly be rooting for the Dragons by the end.

[Cover images courtesy of the publishers.]

#books #booktumblr #yabooks #graphicnovels #comicbooks #sports #sportsbooks #booksaboutsports #racism #prejudice #activism #antiracism #athleteactivists #islamophobia #pocathletes #athletesofcolor

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sportsintersections · 4 years

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Spotlight on: Necessary Roughness, by Marie Myung-Ok Lee/Marie G. Lee

Chan is furious when his Abogee (“father” in Korean) announces that his family will be moving from LA, where he has tons of friends and is a star on the soccer team, to an extremely white town in Minnesota. There’s only one game in town there: football. But it just so happens that the team is short a kicker. Should he give it a shot?

It turns out that Chan is actually pretty great at football, and it’s a fantastic way to work off some of his anger towards his family and their expectations, the blatant racism present in this small town, and other teen frustrations. He even makes friends with some of the guys on the team. That doesn’t mean it’s easy – on at least one occasion, their “lighthearted” hazing takes on a violent dimension. But it looks like the team could be headed to State again this year, so it’s worth it, right? He’ll just keep his head down and ignore them.

Chan is in many ways a typical and relatable teenage guy, interested in girls, not super into school, loving towards his sister but not wanting her around all the time and jealous of how their parents view her as perfect. But he’s also secretly sweet — wanting to compliment his mom on her hard work and help out his dad, but not knowing quite the right words for either. When tragedy shakes their family, will it push him even more into introspective silence, or will he be able to bridge the gap and reach out to the rest of his family?

This book was published in 1998, and although the themes are evergreen, some of the terms used and discussions of racism feel distinctly of the past. That said, it is written by an own voices author, who is Korean-American and was born and raised in Minnesota, and it seems based on her actual experience. It doesn’t shy away from showing the racism and small-mindedness of the small town and the toxic masculinity of football culture in a gritty and realistic way, so be prepared for jocks throwing around insults and (surprisingly often) slurs, and some physical violence.

Overall, this is an exciting and satisfying underdog football story, with a realistic depiction of small-town racism and a moving family story.

TW: racism and homophobia, slurs, bullying, major character death.

[Book cover is the property of Harper Collins.]

#books #yabooks #sports #booksaboutsports #racism in sports #race and sports #anti-asian racism #korean-american characters #football

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