Gay’s The Word: the story behd England’s only LGBTQ bookshop | Huck

gay is the word bookshop

Graham McKerrow, Savg Gay’s the Word:, Queer Between the Covers, pp. 91-123

Contents:

 GAY'S THE WORD 

Gay's The Word, the olst LGBT bookshop the UK, loted at 66 Marchmont St, London, England, WC1N 1AB. Fd Out More. * gay is the word bookshop *

Fictn, Nonfictn, Young Adult Fictn, Classics, Poetry, Plays, Rare Books, Comg Out, pl Gay's The Word and LGSM merchandise.

Until the 1970s, when LGBT publishg first began and activists like Barbara Gtgs phed for reprentatn librari, the few queer books available were limed mostly to anti-gay medil texts. Acrdg to Hermance, “Every book the store om 1973 to 1976 the owners had bought for sh at a wholaler the Wt Village, where Craig Rodwell helped them pick out the few dozen tl available on gay subjects.

“Unlike most gay bars, ” said Ellen Broidy, one of the first to work the bookshop, “the Osr Wil had a standard-issue plate glass wdow, so once you were , you were visible om the street. As the first of s kd, the shop served as part-bookstore and part-meetg space, hog meetgs for the Homophile Youth Movement and a bullet board for group and event listgs. On the shelv were tl rangg om lbian pulp fictn to poetry to psychiatric texts that disputed the anti-gay tablishment.

GAY IS THE WORD: A HISTORY OF LGBTQ BOOKSTOR AROUND THE WORLD

Gay's The Word opened 40 years ago and has been an important part of London's LGBTQ+ culture sce. * gay is the word bookshop *

Broidy, who -anized the first gay pri march along wh Rodwell, remembers well the Alma Routsong novel Patience and Sarah, which generated excement at the time “bee nobody died at the end. Wh a few years, the shop creased s offergs and Rodwell opened a send store on Christopher Street Greenwich Village, right the center of the cy’s gay beatg heart and surround by the unterculture that fed the activism of the era.

Molnher found the Cornell Universy Stunt Homophile League 1968 and, after movg to Canada a year later, the Universy of Toronto Homophile Associatn. The knapsack perd was the first for the Glad Day Bookshop, which then operated out of Molnher’s apartment along wh The Body Polic, one of the untry’s first gay perdils. “The realy was that I was a full-time gay radil, ” Molnher said, “one who wore many hats at the same time.

Gay’s The Word, London’s queer bookshop, opened 1979 on Marchmont Street, a few blocks om the Brish Mm. In 1984, ctoms officers raid Gay’s The Word on multiple ocsns and nfisted all imported publitns.

GAY'S THE WORD: LONDON'S LGBTQ+ BOOKSHOP THAT'S 'LIKE FAY'

Four s on — This week marks the 40th anniversary of Gay’s The Word, a UK stutn that fought police raids, prejudice and censorship to bee a…" name="scriptn * gay is the word bookshop *

The shipments, many of which had e om Gvanni’s Room (who had begun wholalg to stor abroad), clud 144 tl such as novels by Gordon Merrick and Armistead Mp, The Joy of Gay Sex by Charl Silverste and Edmund Whe, a French weekly newspaper, and a 14th-century votnal book thored by a nun.

Durg a pre-trial hearg, the lear of the operatn admted that officers were given guil to nfiste work alg wh homosexualy. In the early years of the AIDS crisis, most medil and ernment tablishments refed to share the most up-to-date rmatn for fear of promotg or associatg wh homosexualy.

A person ught wh such lerature, even if they were not fected, uld be fired om their job or ostracized their muny, so bookstor such as Gay’s The Word, acrdg to longtime manager Jim MacSweeney, gave people a protected environment to take the rmatn. At the height of the epimic, when newspapers and society were savage their fear and loathg of gay people and people affected by HIV/AIDS, we managed to reta our sany and provi a welg environment.

CELEBRATG 40 YEARS OF GAY’S THE WORD, LONDON’S GLOR LGBTQ BOOKSHOP

, , {display:le} , , {display:none} .longu, .latu{whe-space:nowrap}51.525361°N 0.125379°W / 51.525361; -0.125379 Gay's the Word is an pennt bookshop central London, and the olst LGBT bookshop the Uned Kgdom. Inspired by the emergence and growth of lbian and gay bookstor the Uned Stat, a small group of people om Gay Icebreakers, * gay is the word bookshop *

And openly gay celebri wrote memoirs, among them the diver Greg Louganis, whose 1995 effort Breakg The Surface beme the top seller for many queer bookstor that year. “I well remember the Osr Wil Bookstore downtown NYC, wanrg there as a sort of baby dyke and beg closely observed by the gay man behd the unter. Whout gay and lbian bookstor, and the many femist bookstor of youth, I would never have found my people, my muny, never had the enuragement and mentary of other gay and lbian wrers.

In the mid-’90s, as the first HIV dg cktails emerged, cha booksellers like Borrs had spread across the untry and, vetg a foothold a burgeong market, opened gay and lbian sectns their stor. Gay’s The Word is a popular pennt LGBT+ bookshop and ’s the olst the UK after openg January 1979.

GAY’S THE WORD: SI ENGLAND’S ONLY LGBTQ BOOKSHOP

* gay is the word bookshop *

This month they’ll be hostg ‘Gay Wr: Reprentatn, Love and Prejudice Young Adult Lerature’ wh William Hsey and Darren Charlton nversatn wh Hamza Jahanzeb. Pl you n fd a whole host of tl on their page om gay thrillers to bisexual non-fictn and favoure picks om the staff at Gay’s The Word. Gay's The Word bookshop opened January 1979 and has been an important part of London's LGBTQ+ culture ever pri events were anised om there and many gay and lbian groups met year marks 40 years sce the shop opened and spe polil, social and technologil change, is still gog strong and attractg a new generatn of LGBTQ+ Londoners.

Celebratg 40 years of Gay’s The Word, London’s glor LGBTQ bookshop | Dazed⬅️ Left Arrow*️⃣ Asterisk␠StarOptn Slirs✉️ MailExCourty of Gay’s The Word‘If LGBT+ people don’t exist the world of fictn, we don’t exist the world’. “Lookg back, I thk I me to London to be gay, ” says 58-year-old Jim MacSweeney, who moved to London om ral Ireland 1982.

GAY'S THE WORD BOOKSHOP SOLD ‘OBSCENE MATERIAL’ – ARCHIVE, 1985

<p><strong>Sarah Waters</strong> explas why she lov Gay's the Word bookshop</p> * gay is the word bookshop *

” Later this year, Jim will celebrate 30 years as manager of Gay’s the Word bookshop, England’s only LGBTQ+ bookshop.

Ernt Hole found Gay’s the Word four s ago after visg The Osr Wil Memorial Bookshop the late 1960s, which was the first gay bookshop the US. Sat nocuoly between a phone repair shop and a fé London’s Kg’s Cross area, Gay’s The Word has outlived s US and Brish peers such as Edburgh’s Wt and Wil and Brighton’s Out.

OPERATN TIGER: MARKG 34 YEARS SCE THE RAID ON GAY'S THE WORD BOOKSHOP

For over 40 years, inic bookshop Gay's The Word has played a val role promotg LGBTQ+ rights the UK. * gay is the word bookshop *

Jim first vised Gay’s the Word as a member of socialist LGBTQ+ group Gay Icebreakers, which the shop’s founr was also an active member of.

In 1984, Gay’s The Word beme home to Lbians and Gays Support the Mers (LGSM), a socialist llective aimg to fancially assist the mers’ strike efforts agast Margaret Thatcher’s ernment. The 2014 film Pri follows the story of the group, which was found by late gay rights in Mark Ashton.

He says that the ia of shared activism has always been tegral to the Gay’s the Word ethos. Like so many queer spac, Gay’s the Word has also faced fancial difficulti.

GAY'S THE WORD (BOOKSHOP)

The hband of Transportatn Secretary and former a2020 printial ndidate Pete Buttigieg is speakg about the young adult adaptatn of his memoir, cludg his experience g out as gay. * gay is the word bookshop *

As gentrifitn has ed mographics to shift and vulture-like velopers to circle, many have been forced to close their doors, cludg the NYC shop that spired Gay’s the Word. “This was a really important space the 80s – was where you me to get gay books.

In the 90s beme more difficult and Soho started as a gay area so you didn’t have to e here anymore, ” Jim explas. There were lots of queer spac and ed to be a real hub of gay activy. Though after emails requtg that supporters sponsor shelv were picked up by newspapers, chequ began to flow and people realised the affectn they had for Gay’s the Word.

THIS LEGENDARY LGBTQ BOOKSHOP IS CELEBRATG A MILTONE GAY’S THE WORD, LONDON’S ONLY LBIAN AND GAY BOOKSHOP, ON MARCHMONT STREET | © JANSOS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO DARREN STT GENR & INTY EDOR 10 MAY 2022 COPY LK FACEBOOK EMAIL TWTER PTERT ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST INIC LGBTQ LOTNS CELEBRAT A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY 2019. VIEW ALL TRIPS MAGAZ ON DISPLAY AT GAY’S THE WORD BOOKSHOP | © ANNA PARTGTON/REX FEATUR THE ORIGS OF AN INIC QUEER STUTN GAY’S THE WORD LONDON IS ENGLAND’S ONLY LGBTQ BOOKSHOP. IT’S SUATED ON MARCHMONT STREET BLOOMSBURY. IN JANUARY 2019 CELEBRATED 40 YEARS OF SERVG AND SUPPORTG THE LGBTQ MUNY. TAKE A SP TO FD YOUR PERFECT SMALL-GROUP TRIP STATN PASSPORTS READY? YOUR NEXT STATN IS... VIEW TRIP SP ICELAND GREECE INDIA SPA EGYPT JAPAN CROATIA THAILAND BALI MEXI ECUADOR SOUTH AI TURKEY MOROC NAMED AFTER AN IVOR NOVELLO MIL, THE SHOP WAS SET UP BY A SOCIALIST GROUP 1979 AND FOUND BY A MAN LLED ERNT HOLE. IT WAS STARTED AT A TIME WHEN GAY BOOKS WERE NOT GENERALLY FOUND BOOKSHOPS – AND GAY’S THE WORD WOULD SUFFER AS A RULT OF DARG TO BE DIRECT AN DIRECT TIME. IN 1984 THE SHOP WAS RAID AND ACCED OF SELLG CENT MATERIAL, LARGELY BEE WAS MISTAKEN FOR A SEX SHOP. EDINBURGH AND THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS BY TRAIN TRAVERSE STLAND’S MOST SCENIC LANDSP, OM WT AST TO EAST, TRAVELLG BY RAIL VIEW TRIP SUCH MISUNRSTANDGS ARE WHY, WHEN GAY’S THE WORD PLACED S FIRST ADVERT, WAS LISTED AS ‘LONDON’S SER GAY BOOKSHOP’, SHOP MANAGER JIM MACSWEENEY EXPLAS, WH THE STORE SELLG QUEER LERATURE AND NOT ADULT MATERIAL. THE SHOP’S WDOW WAS SMASHED 2018 | © GAY'S THE WORD THE SHOP HAS BEEN ATTACKED MANY TIM OVER THE YEARS DPE BEG CHARGE OF THGS AT GAY’S THE WORD FOR 30 YEARS, MACSWEENEY LGHS WHEN RELLG THAT, DUE TO DIFFERENT CLIMAT BACK THEN, HE “HAD TO WALK AROUND THE BLOCK BEFORE GOG THE FIRST TIME”. BEE A CULTURE TRIPPER! SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO SAVE UP TO 40% ON OUR UNIQUE TRIPS. SIGN UP SEE PRIVACY POLICY. MACSWEENEY RELLS HOW, DUE TO HOMOPHOBIC CINTS, THE SHOP’S OWNERS HAD TO PUT UP WOON SHUTTERS EVERY SGLE NIGHT FOR 15 YEARS. “OUR LAST BROKEN WDOW WAS 2018. IT’S NOT LIKE ED TO BE,” HE’S QUICK TO POT OUT, EXPLAG THAT THIS ULD SIMPLY HAVE BEEN AN ACCINT AND NOT ONE OF THE MANY HATEFUL ATTACKS THE BS HAS SEEN OVER THE S. “I ALWAYS PREFER TO FOC ON THE POSIVE,” HE ADDS. “THE DAYS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, ’S AN OUTPOURG OF LOVE AND SUPPORT.” SOME OF THE OFFERGS AT GAY’S THE WORD | © BRTA JASCHSKI/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK GAY’S THE WORD HAS A FAMO HISTORY, NOW PICTED FILM ORIGALLY A MEETG SPACE WH A SMALL AREA FOR BOOKS, THE BS QUICKLY GREW UNTIL WAS ENTIRELY A BOOKSTORE. MEETGS DO STILL TAKE PLACE ON THE PREMIS AND WILL FOREVER FORM A LARGE PART OF S PLACE LGBTQ HISTORY, WHICH HAS SCE BEEN IMMORTALISED A FAMO FILM. “A LOT OF PEOPLE E TO THE SHOP BEE OF PRI,” HE SAYS, TALKG ABOUT THE 2014 MOVIE STARRG BEN SCHZER AS MARK ASHTON, FOUNR OF LGSM – LBIANS AND GAYS SUPPORT THE MERS. THE STORE SELLS THE FAMO T-SHIRT, AS PICTED THE MOVIE, WHICH HAS SEEN CTOMERS WALK OFF THE STREET WHOUT EVEN REALISG THEY’RE THE ACTUAL PLACE WHERE THE EVENTS TOOK PLACE. ‘PS AND PERVERTS’ T-SHIRTS FEATURE ‘PRI’ | © 20TH CENTURY FOX A PLACE FOR QUEER HISTORY AND MEMORI GAY’S THE WORD IS ALSO HOME TO MANY EVENTS, SIGNGS AND EXHIBNS, CLUDG A RECENT RE-DISVERY OF QUEER BADG. A RECENT LL ON THE GAY’S THE WORD TWTER PAGE ASKED FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR MEMORI OF THE SHOP OM THE PAST FOUR S. MACSWEENEY SAYS THAT THE STAFF WERE “MOVED TO TEARS READG SOME OF THE MSAG”. BOOKS AND POSTERS AT GAY’S THE WORD | © BRTA JASCHSKI/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK HOW A WORLD-FAMO LGBTQ BS WAS SAVED THE BS, WHICH HAS THREE EMPLOYE, HAS VISORS RANGG AGE OM 14 TO 90, WHICH MACSWEENEY PUTS DOWN TO THE TEAM HAVG A GENUE NNECTN WH CTOMERS. GAY’S THE WORD LOOKED DANGER OF CLOSG AS RECENTLY AS 2007, BUT A MPAIGN TO SAVE THE SHOP SAW WORLDWI SUPPORT, AND FOR NOW, AT LEAST, S FUTURE IS SECURE. “WE SEE THE BT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY E ,” MACSWEENEY SAYS. “IT’S A REAL AFFIRMATN OF THE MUNY.” THERE’S A SPECIAL CELEBRATN PLANNED AT THE BRISH LIBRARY ON 22 FEBARY, BUT YOU N POP AND SUPPORT GAY’S THE WORD EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK PERSON OR ONLE. BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR BROWSG AT GAY’S THE WORD | © BRTA JASCHSKI/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK VOLNIC ICELAND EPIC TRIP MEET OUR LOL INSIR HANNA HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE? 2 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB? IT'S THE PERSONAL NTACT, THE PERSONAL EXPERIENC. I LOVE MEETG PEOPLE OM ALL OVER THE WORLD... I REALLY LIKE GETTG TO KNOW EVERYONE AND FEELG LIKE I'M TRAVELG WH A GROUP OF IENDS. WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST? I HAVE SO MANY PLAC ON MY LIST, BUT I WOULD REALLY LOBE TO GO TO AI. I NSIR MYSELF AN “ADVENTURE GIRL” AND AI FEELS LIKE THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE! EVERY CULTURE TRIP SMALL-GROUP ADVENTURE IS LED BY A LOL INSIR JT LIKE HANNA. SEE OUR CULTURE TRIPS KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Rikki Beadle-Blair, a Brish actor, director, playwright, and sger who is a leadg figure London’s queer cultural scene, performed at Gay’s the Word’s one month openg party 1979. I grew up lovg words and was lovely to have those thgs e together at Gay’s the Word.

Jt as Gay’s the Word now sells books explorg the tersectns of race, age, class and relign wh queer inti, the shop has has always strived to be trans-clive. Dawson and Beadle-Blair recently celebrated Gay’s the Word’s 40th anniversary at the Brish Library, at an event hosted by thor Damian Barr.

MY FAVOURE PENNT BOOKSHOP: GAY'S THE WORD, LONDON

“I first vised Gay’s the Word on a trip to London when I was a stunt, ” Barr rells.

I uldn’t believe that Gay’s the Word had all the books that I’d asked for at the library.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GAY’S THE WORD, THE FIRST PLACE I’LL BE GOG AFTER LOCKDOWN

“Gay’s The Word hasn’t jt been a passive mirror of our culture, ’s helped change our culture and liberate mds. Jim partly attribut Gay’s The Word ntued succs to Pri, but also to embracg the chang LGBTQ+ culture, such as social media, while adaptg to their dience. Jim has been at Gay’s The Word through the Aids crisis and Sectn 28.

While there have been signifint advanc the UK sce then, the shop is still vised by LGBTQ+ people om untri where beg gay n be dangero. Four s on — This week marks the 40th anniversary of Gay’s The Word, a UK stutn that fought police raids, prejudice and censorship to bee a hub of social activism. Thursday 17 January, 2019Text by Patrick O’ConnellPhotography by Patrick O’Connell / Gay’s The WordUnassumgly sandwiched between a phone repair shop and a fé, Gay’s The Word has stood steadfastly on Bloomsbury’s Marchmont Street for 40 UK’s first LGBTQ bookshop has managed to outlive all s fellows – cludg Edburgh’s Wt and Wil, Brighton’s Out, and Charg Cross Road’s Silver Moon – which have all fallen victim to the enomic prsur pennt bs so often face.

As a rult, Gay’s The Word is one of only two extant queer bookshops the untry. The uncil were reluctant to let the space to a gay tablishment – part due to an assumptn was a prank, given Ernt’s surname.

GAY’S THE WORD: A SPOTLIGHT ON ENGLAND’S OLST LGBTQ+ BOOKSHOP

“They said would be a porn bookshop bee that’s what gay bookshops were those days, ” says manager Jim MacSweeney, who has worked there sce 1989. “Our very first ads said: ‘London’s ser gay book shop is now open. “It threw up lots of notns around inty, of what meant to be gay, ” remembers MacSweeney.

Early Pri mte were anised om s fé, while gay socialist group Icebreakers and the Gay Black Group – the first of s kd the UK – were formed after meetg the shop. ) In 1984, Gay’s The Word also beme home to Lbians and Gays Support the Mers (LGSM), a socialist fundraisg group assistg the mers’ strike efforts.

EXPLORE 8 OF THE WORLD'S ONLY REMAG GAY BOOKSTORTHE BOOKSHOPS STAND THE TT OF {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY SAM MANZELLASEPTEMBER 19, 2017/7:11 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}GAY'S THE WORDBY SAM MANZELLASEPTEMBER 19, 2017 / 7:11 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"EXPLORE 8 OF THE WORLD'S ONLY REMAG GAY BOOKSTOR","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-09-19T11:11:35.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-09-19T11:11:35.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"SAM MANZELLA","KEYWORDS":"TRAVEL","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE UPON A TIME, EVERY MAJOR CY HAD A GAY BOOKSTORE—THEY WEREN'T JT PLAC TO STOCK UP ON QUEER L, BUT FACTO MUNY CENTERS. GAY BOOKSTOR OFFERED A SPACE TO MEET OTHER LGBT PEOPLE (BIS THE BARS) AND WERE OFTEN THE FIRST STOP FOR SOMEONE NEW TO TOWN. (REMEMBER, THIS IS BEFORE THE INTER.)GLAD DAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SADLY, BRICK-AND-MORTAR DITED TO LGBT TL ARE FIGHTG TO SURVIVE THE AGE OF AMAZON. BUT SEVERAL VENERABLE REPOSORI REMA, TREASURE TROV FULL OF KNOWLEDGE AND WONR FOR QUEER PEOPLE AND ALLI. BELOW, WE CELEBRATE SOME OF OUR FAVORE LGBT BOOKSTOR STILL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BURE OF GENERAL SERVIC-QUEER DIVISN BOOKSTORE, NEW YORKBURE OF GENERAL SERVIC-QUEER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}208 WT 13TH STREET, ROOM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NTLED SI THE NEW YORK LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENR COMMUNY CENTER, THE BURE BOASTS A REFULLY CURATED LLECTN OF BOOKS, ARTWORK, Z, AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OPENED BY GREG NEWTON AND DONNIE JOCHUM 2012, ALSO OFFERS A DIVERSE ROSTER OF TALKS, READGS, FILM SCREENGS, BOOK GROUPS, AND WORKSHOPS. RECENT GALLERY SHOWS CLU "LOVE ME TENR," A SURVEY OF ARTIST JARED BUCKHITER'S WORK ADDRSG THE EROTICISM OF AMERIN ARCHETYP, AND A 25TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBN ON THE LBIAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GLAD DAY BOOKSHOP, TORONTOGLAD DAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}99 CHURCH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FOUND 1970, GLAD DAY IS THOUGHT TO BE THE OLST LGBT BOOKSHOP THE WORLD. AFTER NEARLY GOG OUT OF BS 2011, WAS PURCHASED BY A LLECTIVE AND MOVED TO A BIGGER NEW LOTN ON CHURCH STREET. GLAD DAY ALSO ALSO S OFFERGS TO CLU A FFEE SHOP, Fé, AND CKTAIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GAY'S THE WORD, LONDONGAY'S THE WORD/{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}66 MARCHMONT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BOASTG "TEXTUAL ORIENTATN" SCE 1979, GAY'S THE WORD IS A BOOKSTORE, EVENT VENUE, AND MEETG SPACE LONDON'S LERARY BLOOMSBURY NABE. LGBT GROUPS LIKE THE LBIAN DISCSN GROUP AND THE GAY BLACK GROUP HAVE MET FOR YEARS, FOSTERG A MUNY BEYOND THE WRTEN WORD. (IF YOU'RE WONRG, THE SHOP'S NAME OM A 1951 WT END MIL BY IVOR NOVELLO AND ALAN MELVILLE.){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OUTWORDS, MILWKEEOUTWORDS: {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}2710 N. MURRAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER BOOKSTORE-FFEEHOE BO, OUTWORDS HAS SERVED MILWKEE'S QUEER MUNY SCE 1993. THE SHOP OFFERS A SIZEABLE LLECTN OF QUEER BOOKS, MAGAZ, AND MEDIA, AS WELL ENOUGH RABOW GEAR TO CK OUT A PRI FLOAT. CHECK THE STORE'S WEBSE FOR UPG BOOK-CLUB MEETGS AND THOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}L MOTS à LA BOUCHE, PARISWIKIPEDIA {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}6 RUE SATE-CROIX LA {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ROUGHLY TRANSLATG TO "AT THE TIP OF THE TONGUE," THIS QUEER BIBLPHILE'S HNT IS APPROPRIATELY LOTED THE PARISIAN GAYBORHOOD OF LE MARAIS. IT OFFERS THOANDS OF FICTN TL, BGRAPHI AND HISTORIL TREATIS, AS WELL AS ICS, MAGAZ, AND DVDS (MANY OF WHICH ARE ENGLISH).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GVANNI'S ROOM, PHILALPHIAWIKIPEDIA {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}345 S 12TH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NAMED AFTER JAM BALDW'S 1956 NOVEL, THIS PHILALPHIA BOOKSTORE HAS BEEN AROUND SCE THE '70S. IT CLOSED BRIEFLY 2014, REOPENG LATER THE SAME YEAR UNR THE OWNERSHIP OF PHILLY AIDS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NOW A BATN BOOKSHOP-THRIFT STORE, GVANNI'S ROOM OFFERS A LARGE SELECTN OF NEW AND ED LGBT FICTN AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PRZ EISENHERZ BUCHLAN, BERLPRZ EISENHERZ {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MOTZSTRASSE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OPENED 1978, PRZ EISENHERZ BUCHLAN RRI AN EXTENSIVE ARRAY OF LGBT NOVELS, NONFICTN, PERDILS, AND Z. THE OWNERS PRI THEMSELV ON THE SHOP'S LONG HISTORY, AND S NNECTN TO THE CY'S THRIVG LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PRZ EISENHERZ BUCHLAN MOVED LOTNS THREE TIM BEFORE SETTLG TO S CURRENT SPACE THE CENTRAL SCHöNEBERG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIBRERIA COMPLIC, BARCELONALIBRERIA COMPLIC | {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CARRER CERVANT, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THIS SPAC SHOP, WHOSE NAME TRANSLAT TO "ACPLIC," SELLS TL ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND CATALAN. CATERG TO BOTH TOURISTS AND LOLS, LIBRERIA COMPLIC HAS SERVED THE CY'S LGBT MUNY SCE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

In 1984, HM Ctoms and Excise raid Gay’s The Word, seizg s imported stock unr the pretext that obscene works were beg sold, and brgg crimal charg agast the staff and directors. But unlike obsceny laws, which grant publishers fence exceptns for artistic mer, ctoms seizur were an arbrary and unpredictable t-and-moe game entrenched homophobia. ”Books seized clud works by Christopher Isherwood and Gore Vidal, who donated to the fence fund, as well as The Joy of Gay Sex and The Joy of Lbian Sex – their heterosexual equivalent remaed eely available the UK.

What uld have been a landmark tt se cmbled before ever ma to the Old Bailey: and after two years, charg agast Gay’s The Word were dropped. This story is largely unknown to a new generatn of fans, who may be aware of Gay’s The Word through s starrg role Pri. A ctoms officer taed a book om the Uned Stat about the Aids epimic and novels by Tennsee Williams, Gore Vidal and Christopher Isherwood a raid on Gay’s the Word bookshop April 1984, a urt heard officer, Mr David Odd, was givg evince on the fourth day of mtal proceedgs which eight directors and one staff member of Gay’s the Word bookshop Bloomsbury, London, are charged wh dulently nspirg to eva the prohibns on the import of cent or obscene material.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY IS THE WORD BOOKSHOP

Celebratg 40 years of Gay’s The Word, London’s glor LGBTQ bookshop | Dazed .

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