Classics Not Written by Straight Cis White Men

I've seen so many people say they don't read classics as they aren't diverse, and I wanted to give some suggestions that are.

This is a list of classics written by authors who are not Straight, Cis, White, and Men as the title suggests.

Suggestions are more than welcome!

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created by ezrac

last updated April, 2026

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Comments

Thanks for making this list! My suggestions are Chandrabati’s Ramayan (published by Zubaan) and the poetry of Mirabai.

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Added thanks for the recs!

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What a great and wonderful list!!!

A few that came to mind for me: +Federico García Lorca — gay playwright and poet who was active as part of the Generation of ‘27 in Spain, later assassinated by the nationalist forces at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War (debated on whether it’s because he was gay, a socialist, or some other unrelated motive). He’s famous for his poetry collection “Romancero gitano” as well as his plays! There’s an entry on here called “The House of Bernarda Alba and Other Plays” that could work for this list, maybe?

+Emilia Pardo Bazán — Spanish author whose work featured naturalist and feminist themes. One of her famous novels is “The House of Ulloa”

+Carmen Laforet — Known for her novel “Nada”, which is about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War

+Ana María Matute — Spanish author who wrote as part of the “hijos de la guerra” (children of the war), a generation of authors who grew up under the Francoist regime after the culmination of the Spanish Civil War. Her novel “The Island” is one of her more famous works!

+Isabel Allende — Chilean author whose works like “The House of Spirits” are considered modern classics in magic realism!

+Manuel Puig — Queer author and activist from Argentina, famous for his novel “The Kiss of the Spider Woman” which covers themes of queer identities and political liberation under the backdrop of the military junta / dictatorial regime in Argentina

+Angela Carter — I’m not sure if her works are considered “classics” or not, who is to say what the arbiter of that would be, but she wrote a collection of gothic fairy tales with feminist undertones called “The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories” !!

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Thank you these are amazing suggestions!

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yes this list is so needed!!! so many incredible works on here

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Thank you!

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IMMEDIATE FAVORITE!! thank you for this collection 🩷

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Yay!

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I might suggest something by Willa Cather! She was white but she was a queer woman and I think her depiction of women and the immigrant experience on the American frontier is super interesting in O Pioneers and My Antonia.

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Thank you I added My Antonia!

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This is such a fantastic list, thank you for putting it together!!!!

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Thank you I hope you find some good reads from it!

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If anyone want to do a buddy read for any of these (later this month or in may) let me know

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if you are down for another read in May (or later), I am interested in Isabel Allende / Angela Carter / Audre Lorde 👀

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Im down! I already planned to start The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter sometime soon if you want to read that!

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ok, sounds good!! has been on my TBR for months 😆

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🙋 I would love to buddy read The Left Hand of Darkness or One Hundred Years of Solitude this month! and @vulpecula and I might be reading The Count of Monte Cristo in May :)

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Yay! I just checked and my library has both of those so its up to you which (both have been on my tbr for forever) and if you both read The Count of Monte Cristo I would love to join that as well

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yay let’s do The Left Hand of Darkness!! i have a couple books to finish first but could start next weekend (18th) or the one after :)

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I will be eagerly following both of your posts, as a Left Hand of Darkness enjoyer 🥹

also can I claim a buddy read for 100 Years some other time? 🥺

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yes deffo!! that’s been on my tbr for literal years

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Depending on my availability whenever it happens, me!

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Hello! Sorry to insert myself into the conversation 🙈 I have The Left Hand of Darkness on my physical TBR and planned for this month. I could try to start it around the same time as you? Almost like an unofficial list TBR, kind of like creators sometimes do on quests

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yess let’s do it!

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Great! 😄

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Yay welcome aboard!

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The 18th works for me!

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ahhhh i can’t thank you enough 🙏🏽

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I hope you find some goods from it!

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This is awesome!! Thank you :)

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Im happy you like it!!

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Yess! A list I didn’t realize I was missing in my life

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Yay I hope you find some good books from it!

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LET'S GOOOOOOOOO 🎊

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you have Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, list immediately liked bookmarked saved

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I havent read that one yet but I super excited to. This comment also bumped it up to my next read.

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I cannot wait to see your thoughts!!!

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Love it!

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Thank you!

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wonderful wonderful list

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Thank you!

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