Intersex. The “I” in LGBTQIA+. How I was born. Intersex is an umbrella term that describes a number of biological variations that place people not neatly in the male or female binary. These variations might be phenotypic, meaning outwardly presenting on the body. They can also be genotypic, meaning that they affect the chromosomes of the individual.

According to Brown University, roughly 1.7% of the population is intersex, or roughly the same number of people in the world as those with red hair. To put it in more relatable terms, for every 59 people you know, one of them is statistically intersex.

As for books? Those numbers are even lower, though there are some really great ones out there. Whether nonfiction about being intersex, fiction starring intersex characters, or books that have nothing to do with intersex, intersex authors are making some great books. And if you’re participating in the 2026 Read Harder Challenge, the books you’ll find below all satisfy task #19: Read a book by an intersex author.

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7 of the Best Books by Intersex Authors

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon Rivers Solomon is an intersex, Black author who writes highly imaginative and delightfully diverse fiction. This is my favorite of theirs. Vern, alone in the forest, gives birth to twins: Howling and Feral. Together, they’re on the run from the cult-like compound that she escaped. As she runs, her body is changing to something supernatural. Part fantasy, part science fiction, and many parts treatise on racism, this book looks hard at monsters: people, places, and even nations.

Power to Yield and Other Stories by Bogi Takács Bogi Takács is an award-winning speculative fiction writer, professor, and intersex person. This collection explores gender, sexuality, neurodiversity, and even religion, with Takács’ signature blend of weird fiction in their speculative themes.

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