Great Lives from History: LGBTQ+ features hundreds of biographies covering a carefully curated selection of names including activists, actors, artists, business leaders, musicians, politicians, sports figures, and writers, among others. Each essay has been written or revised specifically for this set; biographies represent a cross-section of some of the most influential people in history, all of whom have benefitted the LGBTQ+ community in some way, and many biographies offer sidebars focusing on significant, related topics.

 Each essay is approximately 1,000-2,000 words in length and displays standard reference top matter offering easy access to the following biographical information: the name by which the subject is best known, a succinct description of each person’s career, a synopsis of the individual’s historical importance and why they are studied today, the most complete dates of birth and death, followed by the most precise locations of these events available.

Each essay concludes with a byline of the contributing writer-scholar. The body of each essay is divided into the following three parts:

Early Life provides facts about the individual’s upbringing and the environment in which the person was reared. Where little is known about the person’s early life, historical context is provided.

Life’s Work, the heart of the essay, consists of a straightforward, generally chronological account of how the individual grew in their career, chosen field, or their endeavors as an activist, for example.

Significance provides an overview of the long-range impact of the individual’s importance, including their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community and the wider world. This section sums up why it is important to study this individual.

Appendixes in Great Lives from History: LGBTQ+ include a chronological list of entries, a glossary, a general bibliography, a general mediagraphy, and electronic resources. Indexes finish off the work and are divided as such: Geographic Index, Political Title Index, and Subject Index.