Letters to My Younger Queer Self: Inspiring, influential voices from the LGBTQIA+ community

by Daniel Harding (Editor)

‘The compelling stories in this book are funny, uplifting and at times poignant and sad, but always honest. I learned such a lot.’ – Lorraine Kelly

‘A beautifully heartfelt and poignant collection of wisdom, wit, and reflection.’ – William Hanson, author of Just Good Manners

If you could write a letter to your younger queer self, what would you say? What advice would you share? And what would you have really wanted, or needed, to hear?

This heartfelt collection of letters written by eminent queer people across music, television, activism, comedy and politics, is a celebration of self-acceptance and an inspiring resource for anyone who has ever struggled with ‘growing up different’. Each letter is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a powerful reminder that love transcends all.

Contributors include comedian Suzi Ruffell, concert pianist Cyrill Ibrahim, Nadia Whittome MP, Olympic gymnast Andrew Stamp, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Alaska, HIV activist Philip Baldwin, TV personality Ella Morgan and gallery director Robert Diament, to name a few.

Genres: Queer, Biography, Nonfiction, Essays

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2025

Reviews

[Cameron C · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ | Really moving and relatable.
Many of the letters felt like my own story growing up, honest, emotional and full of heart.

Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing! ❤️

[Liek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fijn als tussendoorboek

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

These letters are so important to hear I wish everyone can have access to them and hear what they have to say. Despite the range of experiences they all give valuable insight and perspective into what life has been and is possible for queer people- it’s uplifting and inspiring and not in the superficial way because of their vulnerability. Especially with the stories we have been told where it’s so easy to be disheartened and fall into the echo chamber of hopelessness and tragedy for our future, it’s a breath of fresh air and a wake up call to realise how far we’ve come, and to keep on going.

We get a glimpse into what the writers needed to hear and it’s not all the same statements, it’s so deeply entwined with all that they are. A level of past-self awareness is shared amongst the writers, these letters have the power to resonate with our community regardless of age or current position in our journeys.

I listened to the audiobook version on Spotify and will be revisiting it again.