Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in anti-Asian racism, hate crimes, and violence in the US. It cannot be ignored, and this week, there was a horrific mass murder of Asian women in Atlanta, GA. If you, like me (the librarian running this Tumblr account), are white, you know it is well past time to stand with and stand up for our AAPI friends, loved ones, and community members.
If you are part of the AAPI community and you’re reading this post, know that we see your pain, we hear you, and we are holding space for you in this ongoing time of tragedy and systemic racism.
While books do not solve everything, they can offer a chance to feel validated, especially for queer teens!
So here are some YA books about LBTQIA+ AAPI teens across multiple genres, all written by AAPI authors for you to escape into when the world is feeling especially harsh.
*One note: Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating and Gearbreakers will be released in May and June of 2021, respectively.
Some other resources to help in this challenging time:
Anti-Asian Violence Resources Carrd
Stop Asian Hate Carrd
Asian Mental Health Collective
Stop AAPI Hate
“Our Story, Our Voice: The Resilience of Queer AAPI Youth” (GLSEN Article)