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LGBTQIA+ Subject Headings

LGBTQIA+ Subject Headings search for books, media, and other resources in Brandeis OneSearch library catalog.

About this Guide

This guide features Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) identities and related materials. Each subject heading in this guide links to a subject search of that term in Brandeis Library OneSearch. As we add new materials to our collections, the links in this guide will update to reflect the new additions.

Note: Some of the subject headings do not yield any search results. We included them to show that the subject heading exists and to help our users identify additional subject terms that might prove helpful for their research. This guide also helps to illustrate the limitations of the language used by the Library of Congress to categorize LGBTQIA+ topics and identities. Some of the terms included in this guide are dated, problematic, and don't reflect the language used by individuals and communities to describe their identities and lived experiences.

Search by Subject Headings

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) can be used to search for materials in the Library Catalog tab of Brandeis Library OneSearch. Go to the advanced search page in OneSearch and select "Subject" in the first dropdown menu. If you're searching for a specific subject heading, you can either put quotation marks around your search terms (e.g., "bisexual youth") or you can select the "is (exact)" option from the second drop-down menu.

Homosaurus

Homosaurus is a linked data vocabulary created by and for LGBTQ+ people, designed to supplement existing controlled vocabulary such as Library of Congress Subject Headings.  As of 2023, the Brandeis catalog includes Homosaurus subject headings on new records, but there are currently no plans to add them to older records retroactively.