Athlete Is Agender: True Stories of LGBTQ+ People in Sports

Previous collaborators Locke and Melleby (This Is Our Rainbow) collect first-person narratives of queer athletes—including authors Erik J. Brown, Marieke Nijkamp, and A.J. Sass—and profile impactful figures in this affirming sports assemblage. Centering activities including basketball and horseback riding, with a marked emphasis on ice and water sports, the creators present discussions of identity and togetherness, and how these ideals were fostered, alongside painful challenges surrounding puberty, particularly for nonbinary and transgender athletes. Color photos of the subjects as children and adults appear among sensitively rendered portraits by Vosseteig (Affirmations for Queer People), and callouts depict quotes from contemporary and historical athletes that highlight the importance of finding a welcoming space within sports. Key moments from history punctuate each narrative, further demonstrating how these activities empower queer individuals. Sections titled “Get to Know” feature individuals including Carl Nassib, the first openly gay player in the National Football League, and Ellia Green, a transgender activist and rugby Olympic gold medalist. Includes information about pronouns and how to improve one’s allyship. Ages 9–14.  Authors’ agents: (for Locke) Lara Perkins, Andrea Brown Literary; (for Melleby) Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (May)