Each year Madison Public Library celebrates Pride month in June with events, books, resources and more. However, we also have LGBTQ+ events happening year-round. See below for more information about how Madison Public Library celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride.
Madison Public Library provides free and equitable access to cultural and educational experiences. The library celebrates ideas, promotes creativity, connects people, and enriches lives, with an emphasis on promoting literacy and equity in library collections, services, and programs.
Featured Events
Bros Matinee
May 30, 2-4:15pm | Hawthorne Library
From the ferocious comic mind of Billy Eichner (Billy on the Street) and the hitmaking brilliance of filmmakers Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Judd Apatow (Trainwreck), Bros is a smart, swoony, and heartfelt comedy about two gay men and how hard it is to find another tolerable human being to go through life with.
Directed by Nicholas Stoller. Performances by Luke MacFarlane, Billy Eichner, Kristin Chenoweth, Monica Raymund, Dot-Marie Jones. Universal PIctures. 2022. 115 min. Rated R. Comedy / Romance.
Saturday Music Series: Perfect Harmony Chorus
June 1, 11am - 12pm | Pinney Library
Perfect Harmony Chorus is Madison’s LGBTQ+ and ally chorus for tenor/baritone/bass singers. The organization provides singers of any gender or expression with opportunities for the performance of choral music in a supportive and affirming environment. For more than 25 years Perfect Harmony Chorus has created, enriched, and transformed the Greater Madison and Southern Wisconsin community through music. Hear music from their recent spring concert!
Pride Movie Night
June 7, 5:30-7:30pm | Goodman South Madison Library
Celebrate Pride month with us! We will be viewing the 2015 movie, Freeheld - a docudrama about terminally ill New Jersey police officer Laurel Hester, whose 2005 legal battle for the right to pass her pension benefits on to her female life partner became an equal-rights milestone. Snacks will be provided!
Rating: PG-13
Pinney Friday Flicks: Every Body
June 14, 6-8:30pm | Pinney Library
Documentary about "an investigation of how intersex people have been treated and are still being regarded in today's society. Three individuals who have parallel histories of negativity caused by non-consensual surgeries, shame, and secrecy about their true selves share their journeys, as they are all actively working as advocates for the intersex community.
Directed by: Julie Cohen. 2023, R, 1hr 32min
Past events:
We Will Always Be Here Interview
Youth Services Librarians Rachel Lavender and Savannah Carr worked with the Wisconsin Book Festival to put on an event about the book "We Will Always Be Here", written by local authors Jenny Kalvaitis and Kristen Whitson. The event had 98 virtual participants, and teens gathered at the Lakeview and Goodman South branches to have watch parties. Kalvaitis and Whitson talked about using primary and secondary sources in their work, and they also discussed the LGBTQ+ activism of Black and rural communities in Wisconsin. The book is available for checkout at Madison Public Libraries in both physical and eBook formats. Click here to watch the interview!
Resources
NEW! Madison Public Library welcomes and supports the LGBTQ+ community and understands that the fight for LGBTQ+ equity in America is far from over, especially for transgender people and queer people of color. Included in this guide are mental health providers, transition and sexual health resources, support groups, hotlines, and more. We hope this guide informs and empowers you to find the community and support that you need.
We're in the process of getting the guide printed and out in all of our libraries, as well as clinics around the city. Guide available in English and Spanish. Keep an eye on our website at madpl.org/lgbtqwellness to see the list of clinics the guide will be available at.
Notary Services for Name Changes
The Goodman South Madison and Alicia Ashman libraries offer a free notary service, as well as free faxing service. If you are in the process of changing your name or gender marker and need either of these services, please call the library location to make an appointment.
Change Your Name on Your Library Card
We have updated our library card application process to help support our trans and non-binary users whose names may be different than what's listed on their IDs. Madison Public Library requires a photo ID to get a library card, but if your name is different than the name on your photo ID, we can list your name in the primary name field of your account so that any holds and notices sent out will use the correct name. We can also replace your library card if the name listed is no longer that name you go by. We want to make sure all library users have a positive experience, so if you'd like to make this change, please reach out to us by calling or visiting your local library or by emailing madcirc@madisonpubliclibrary.org with your library card number and the name (first name, middle initial, and last name) you would like to use for your account.
Kanopy Collections
Did you know the library has a free video streaming service called Kanopy? They have high quality and diverse content, including Academy Award-winners, documentaries, TV shows, and much more! They also create specially curated lists for Pride Month and Juneteenth in June, as well as Disability Pride Month in July. Explore titles like Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Miss Juneteenth, White Like Me, and more. All you need is a library card and you can access these films for free- from the comfort of your couch.
LGBTQ+ Book Lists
- LGBTQIA+ History and Experiences
- LGBTQIA+ Reads for Black History Month (and any other time of year)!
- LGBTQIA+ Recommended Fiction
- LGBTQIA+ Romances
- Latino LGBTQ+ Reads
- LGBTQ+ Staff Member's Favorite Books August 2021
- Kids, Middle Grade, and Teen Books with Transgender, Non-binary and Gender Expansive Characters
- LGBTQ+ Picture Books for Kids and Families
- LGBTQ+ for Middle Grade and YA Readers
Stay in touch and learn more about LGBTQ+ programs, book lists and community work happening at the library throughout the year by signing up for our LGBTQ+ Insider Newsletter.
Pride in the Community
June 6-8 | Henry Maier Festival Park
After two years of cancelations, PrideFest returned with back-to-back record-breaking attendance numbers in 2022 and 2023. This year marks the 36th edition of Pridefest; the event moved to the park in 1996. This year’s festival will be a three-day event running Thursday-Saturday, June 6-8, 2024. You can see the full lineup of performers, buy tickets to special events, and read FAQs on their website.
Pride Month Trivia Night at the Chazen
Friday, June 14, 5-6pm | Mead Witter Lobby, Chazen Museum of Art
Join us for a Pride Month Trivia Night extravaganza! Celebrate love, diversity, and equality as we test your knowledge on LGBTQ+ history, art, pop culture, and more. Whether you're an LGBTQ+ ally or a member of the community, everyone is welcome to join in the fun and embrace the spirit of Pride.
Wisconsin LGBT Chamber's Pride Business Showcase
Tuesday, June 18, 5:30-7:30PM | Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center
You're invited to join the award-winning Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce for their 2024 Pride Business Showcase - a fun evening celebrating Pride and business!
You won’t want to miss this free signature event which is an opportunity to celebrate Pride Month, as well as to network with different businesses and individuals that support the LGBTQ community. All are welcome so please bring a friend or colleague along with you to this exciting event!
If you are interested in being an exhibitor or a sponsor, please contact alexis@wislgbtchamber.com for more information.
Pride Month Roll Ruck/Run Walk 5K
Thursday, June 27, 8:30-10am | 1420 Wright St
The Wisconsin Army National Guard (WIARNG) Diversity Advisory Team (DAT) in partnership with Team RWB presents an event of celebration, exercise, and community spirit! This event is for everyone and the perfect opportunity to show your pride and support for WIARNG LGBTQ+ Service members, Employees, families, and our community partners. Join us for a fun-filled event at 1420 Wright St! We will rally in the armory parking lot beginning at 8:00 AM and Roll out/step of at 8:30 AM. Don't miss out on the chance to roll, ruck, walk, or run with us!
Saturday, July 27, 12-5pm | Warner Park
The Disability Pride Festival is a joyful gathering of the entire disability community and their allies.
Save the date! The 2024 festival will be July 27, 2024. You can now RSVP on Facebook!
Sunday, August 18, 1-6pm | Warner Park
OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center will be hosting their 6th Annual Magic Pride Festival LIVE in person in August. This festival typically includes a stage show with local LGBTQ+ identified performers, large vendor areas, games and activities for youth and families, food and beverages, and more! Learn more
News: Madison and Dane County Officials Raise Progress Pride Flag
Flags are important. We fly them to show who we are and what we value. Today, Madison and Dane County officials raised the Progress Pride Flag over the City County Building to celebrate Pride Month and to proudly declare that our community stands in solidarity with its LGBTQ+ residents.
“Madison was one of the first communities in the country to codify protections for LGBTQ+ residents into law. Pride Month is an opportunity to honor that history and to celebrate the diversity of our community,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “But there is still work to be done. The LGBTQ+ community still faces discrimination and bigoted attacks. We must continue to fight for our rights at all levels of government.”
Mayor Rhodes-Conway and Interim Executive Kuhn hoisted the Progress Pride Flag alongside members of the Madison Common Council and Dane County Supervisors on June 3, 2024. Read the full press release.
Reach Out & Read Podcast
LGBTQ+ children’s books play a crucial role in offering ‘mirrors and windows’ for all children and their caregivers, yet they remain not only hard to find, but often challenged by society. In Part 1 of our two-part series, we’ll explore the craft and creativity behind LGBTQ+ children’s literature with Lesléa Newman, author of 75 books including the well-known Heather Has Two Mommies, and Kyle Lukoff, author of Call Me Max and When Aidan Became A Brother.
In Part 2 of our series on LGBTQ+ children’s books, we talk to Dr. Jamie Campbell Naidoo, a professor at the University of Alabama’s School of Library and Information Studies. We discuss how to evaluate LGBTQ+ books for kids, common portrayals of ‘rainbow families’ in children’s books, balancing accessibility and privacy issues for books around these topics, and, of course why, year after year, LGBTQ+ children’s books continue to be the most challenged genre.
Local LGBTQ+ History
As we celebrate this month, we can also look back at the history of LGBTQ life in Madison and Dane County. Beginning with a few oral histories, this UW-Madison Archive collection features a diverse array of materials and voices from the LGBTQ community. Explore the collection for oral histories, personal papers, photographs, ephemera and organizational records related to LGBTQ life in Madison and Dane County from the 1940s to the present.
Our Lives
Billed as "Wisconsin's Source for LGBTQ News + People + Community + Culture Since 2007". Some libraries have current print issues for free, or check out all print issues from our collection back to 2011.