NEW: LGBTQIA+ Book Group at Kirkdale Bookshop!

[JohnLynnMcMahon]

Hi Bookshop!

I am super excited to attend as I have never seen anything community based that I have been able to identify with in such a way!

Can I ask if the book is in stock in your branch? If so, I’d love to pop in, purchase and possibly discuss the book & the event itself further?

[carty]

Why was my post deleted?

Nothing wrong with it.

[thebookshop]

Hi Bookshop!

I am super excited to attend as I have never seen anything community based that I have been able to identify with in such a way!

Can I ask if the book is in stock in your branch? If so, I’d love to pop in, purchase and possibly discuss the book & the event itself further?

Amazing! We’re looking forward to seeing you! The book is in stock here yes, it’s £7.99 and in paperback. We’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you have

[admin]

I have been moving all posts which are not relevant to this thread to the Pub - as I said earlier!

[Ghlpc]

I have been moving all posts which are not relevant to this thread to the Pub - as I said earlier!

Phew, Thank you.

[SnailTrail]

Hello, as mentioned in the pub thread, I already run an LGBTQI Book Club in the borough (in Lewisham) which meets on the last Monday of every month (but we struggle on bank holidays due to the libraries shutting) and has been going for well over a year and a half. I also was the LGBT Liaison Officer on the borough for 9 years and used to be the chair of the Lewisham LGBT Forum (now i’m Deputy Chair). I’m also the LGBT Hate Crime Worker locally and run a LGBT+ gardening project currently at Sydenham Gardens. So I somewhat know my stuff and have a bit of experience locally.
I just thought i’d offer the Kirkdale Bookshop organisers a bit of advice, (if you are happy to hear it):
If you are having a set text, it’s unlikely you will get many people who represent the other letters (in this case for Giovanni’s Room - LBTQI), as generally people aren’t interested in reading books about experiences of the other letters (I’m saying this from my own experience, as well as from the book group I run). And when they do, they often have radically different opinions on what the book is like, which can cause a bit of friction.
You might be better off just saying it’s a gay male book club - as then people know it’s a safe space for their interests. It’s unlikely trans people will come to anything unless it’s trans specific, or illustrated that it is a safe space, as locally we’ve had a number of incidents with TERFS and just gay men and lesbians being very disrespectful of pronouns/the trans experience in other groups (particularly online). As you noticed in this thread - topics and groups can get hijacked by other issues within the LGBT+ community pretty quickly and it makes people unlikely to return to the group and you are just left with the few outspoken argumentative people, which doesn’t necessarily make it a fun book club.

All that said, good luck for the launch! I’ll advertise it on our LGBT Forum social media. I’m a Sydenham resident myself but I have a toddler so I’m unlikely to be able to make it, but happy to chat or advise, if I can.

[thebookshop]

Hi SnailTrail,

Ah wow. That sounds amazing! Well done in setting it up

Re book choices, I’ve made a set decision for the first book just to ease people in. It’s a short and relatively easy read. I plan on introducing authors and narratives across the spectrum in the coming groups by letting the attendees vote for which book we should read next. I’d hate to just discuss books written purely by gay men as they don’t show the full scope of lived experience within the LGTBQIA+ community. So fingers crossed we can create a balance where authors and narratives of the wider community can be given the attention they deserve. Thank you for the advice and wishes and would love to see you at any future events if you have the time!

[starman]

I will apologise once more for the offence that has been taken by the inclusion of what is now a genuine way to identify for people as I am well aware of its contentious history. But it is included for a reason, and that sure as Hell is not for the purpose of hate.

There should be no need to apologize nor any need to explain. Though I appreciate your effort it was likely always to fall on deaf ears. The LGBTQ+ community neither needs to explain the diversity within our group or the way we self-identify. That it is a matter for debate in the manner attempted is insulting. As is the choice by admin to retain the Q in one topic and not another.

I wish I read fiction. Your event sounds like it will be a roaring success.