Lez Liberty Lit #78: Paper Flowers
How the representation of queerness is changing in African writing; new Shirley Jackson and Dr. Seuss; teen magazines; sexism in publishing; and more.
Drawn to Comics: “Not Funny Ha-Ha” Takes a Frank and Personal Look at Abortions
Abortion, the actual thing and not the Political Issue, can be really difficult to talk about, and that’s exactly what makes such an easily approachable book like this so necessary.
Hidden Gems of Queer Lit: “Mermaid in Chelsea Creek” and the Chelsea Trilogy
“If you adore any of Tea’s other books, you’ll find Mermaid in Chelsea Creek to be every bit as transgressive and illuminating. If you ever escaped into the magical realms created by J.K. Rowling or Tamora Pierce, or if you got hooked on what dystopian YA like the Hunger Games had to say about class and privilege, you’ll relish Mermaid’s intriguing mixture of magic and social realism.”
Autostraddle Book Club #8: Let’s Talk About “The Argonauts,” Also Here’s An Interview With Maggie Nelson!
This book is jam packed with awesome. Unsurprisingly, so is Maggie Nelson.
Fool’s Journey: Poet Leah Horlick Explores Trauma, Healing and Transformation Through Tarot Symbolism
Poet Leah Horlick’s book of poems For Your Own Good uses the symbolic language of the tarot as a vehicle to express some of the most traumatic experiences of her life. These poems tell the story of an abusive relationship and its aftermath, using tarot cards and tarot symbolism to do so.
Things I Read That I Love #180: It’s Never Not My Fault That I Knocked You Off The Chair
Topics include porn stars, the murder of an unarmed homeless black man, The Runaways, Ta-Nehisi Coates, brand-led fake holidays and DigiTour.
Lez Liberty Lit #77: Let’s Talk About Harper Lee
Recent books featuring queer people of color, travelling and reading, reading and your brain, your favorite curse word and more. Plus coverage of the Harper Lee coverage.
Hidden Gems of Queer Lit: Irena Klepfisz’s “Dreams of an Insomniac”
“If you have a cherished copy of Sisterhood is Powerful on your shelf, or a fascination with the ways tragedies are remembered and forgotten, you’ll enjoy this book.”
Things I Read That I Love #179: I Would Have You Be A Conscious Citizen Of This Terrible and Beautiful World
Topics include lithium, a terrible cult, Taylor Swift, immigrant detention, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ letter to his son, LGBT Pride and The Awl.
Lez Liberty Lit #76: Sideways Stories
Zines and sci-fi by people of color, queer magical realism, everything’s an essay, rewriting the diary and more.
GIVEAWAY: You Can Win A Kate Beaton “The Princess and the Pony” Prize Pack!
Aw Yiss! Princess and the Pony prize pack!
Hidden Gems of Queer Lit: Chrystos and ‘In Her I Am’
Every two weeks I’ll profile a queer lit title that’s outside of the public eye for one reason or another: obscure, small-press, older, aimed at a different niche, or otherwise underrated. This week, we’re learning about Chrystos!
10 Lesbianish Sex Books To Make You Better In Bed
Want to know how to have lesbian sex? These books have your back.
Things I Read That I Love #178: Silence Is So Often Applauded and Those Who Speak Out Are Often Called Tasteless
Topics include Charleston, Columbia House, Disney superfans, the sharing economy, romance novels, Margaret Cho and more!
Lez Liberty Lit #75: Don’t Read Twice, It’s All Right
Queer Book Club has lots of great recommendations, a new short story by Malinda Lo, a feminist coloring book and more!
Read a F*cking Book: “Out of Orange” is the Real Life Alex Vause’s True Story
You know about Alex Vause, but you may not know much about Catherine Cleary Wolters, the drug-smuggling lesbian in thick-rimmed glasses who inspired her character. That’s where Out of Orange comes in.
Things I Read That I Love #177: A Kind Of Inoculation Against Future Hurt
Topics include queer mamas and donor sperm, suicide in Palo Alto, Mary Gaitskill and men, orthodontics, black feminism, Baltimore and moar!
Women In Prison: A Longform Reading List
“Orange is the New Black” premieres today, here is your really thorough reading list — from Assata Shakur to nuns against nukes to incredible journalism on the various horrors of the U.S. criminal “justice” system.
Lez Liberty Lit #74: Making Friends With Owls
Illustrated owls, Judy Blume’s new novel, the Lambda Literary Award winners, what Riese and Rachel have been reading, and more.
Read a F*cking Book: Amber Dawn’s “Where The Words End And My Body Begins”
Although it is an individual’s work, it feels collective and empowering to see so many voices and ideas represented in this set of glosa poems.