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

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Gay's The Word opened 1979 and has been an important part of London's LGBTQ+ culture ever sce.

Contents:

GAY'S THE WORD: TRIBUT PAID TO PETER DOREY WHO OPENED FIRST LGBTQ+ BOOKSHOP

* gay's the word cafe *

Image source, Gay's the Word/ InstagarmImage ptn, Gay's the Word -founrs Peter Dorey (left) and Ernt Hole outsi the store London the day opened 1979A pneerg shop owner who opened the UK's first gay book store has died at the age of 73. Peter Dorey, who was among a small group of gay activists, opened Gay's The Word Bloomsbury central London shop acted as a "safe place" for LGBTQ+ muni durg a perd of opprsn and discrimatn.

"Gay's The Word has been an important part of the LGBTQ+ muny for many years and we get visors om all over the world, " store manager Jim MacSweeney said. "Media ptn, London's LGBTQ+ bookshop that's 'like fay'Gay's The Word quickly tablished self as a val muny hub durg the 1980s, offerg rmatn and rourc to members of London's LGBTQ+ muny. "The groups that met at the store clud a lbian discsn group, a black group, Irish gay people London and, for a perd 1984, a lbians and gays support the mers source, Gay's The WorldImage ptn, Ntled on Marchmont Street Bloomsbury, the bookstore provid LGBTQ+ muni a "safe place" to meetMr Dorey and -owner Ernt Hole were also part of a group named Gay Icebreakers - a gay socialist group that ran a helple and held regular discsn groups at the store, Mr MacSweeney 1984, the store was raid by HM Ctoms and Excise who seized thoands of pounds worth of stock.

GAY’S THE WORD – LONDON’S INIC QUEER BOOKSTORE NTU TO THRIVE

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's the word cafe *

Charg were brought agast the staff and directors for importg "cent" se gathered a great al of media verage and qutns were raised the Hoe of Commons before the charg were fally dropped, Mr MacSweeney source, Gay's The Word/ InstagramImage ptn, Jim MacSweeney hop to ntue the legacy of Gay's The Word"Both Peter and Ernt attend our 40th anniversary celebratns at the Brish Library 2019, " he add. Inspired by the emergence and growth of lbian and gay bookstor the Uned Stat, a small group of people om Gay Icebreakers – a gay socialist group – found Gay’s The Word 1979.

When the shop was found 1979, gay books were not generally available mastream bookstor – you had to source them om specialist publishers via mail-orr, generally om the US. Origally om Harrow, jt outsi of London, Peter Dorey and Ernt Hole were the origal founrs and owners of Gay’s The Word. In 1984, Ctoms and Excise thori – assumg the shop to be a porn store – mounted a large-sle raid of Gay’s The Word.

GAY’S THE WORD: CELEBRATG LGBTQ INTY AND HISTORY ALL YEAR LONG

Gay's The Word, the olst survivg LGBT+ bookshop the Uned Kgdom, is next up our Lol Hero seri * gay's the word cafe *

While the store’s origal owners have moved on, Gay’s The Word ntu to play a val role wh the LGBTQ muny London and beyond.

As well as books, Gay’s The Word had a fe at the back wh muny notice boards and space for var groups to meet. The groups that met at the store clud a lbian discsn group, a gay black group, and Irish gays London. As showsed the film Pri, Lbians and Gays Support the Mers ed to meet at the bookshop and llect money for the strikg mers – this was durg the mg strik of 1984-85.

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

Gay’s The Word – London’s Inic Queer Bookstore Contu To Thrive. Contug to play a key role wh the LGBTQ muny. * gay's the word cafe *

Fifty years after Parliament crimalized gay relatnships, queer people gathered London to celebrate their var inti and polil victori for one mpy, jubilant, sunny then, the day end. Another Pri ftival had e and on Marchmont Street Bloomsbury, Gay’s The Word bookshop opened at 10 a. The shop is an endurg symbol of queer pri and muny London, and one that won’t be gog away anytime manager Jim MacSweeney ss across om me the back room of Gay’s The Word on a cloudy summer afternoon, surround on all sis by unshelved novels and post- not.

LOCAL HEROES | GAY’S THE WORD

Rtrants near Gay's the Word, London on Tripadvisor: Fd traveller reviews and ndid photos of dg near Gay's the Word London, Uned Kgdom. * gay's the word cafe *

”Though he didn’t yet s behd the sk when Gay’s The Word opened 1979, MacSweeney remembers the novelty of this “ser bookshop” Bloomsbury. In a time when LGBT spac and stor were generally limed to men’s magaz and hole--the-wall sex shops, Gay’s The Word’s wi variety of fictn and nonfictn offered somethg shop’s origal owner, Ernt Hole, opened the store London after beiendg the owner of the Osr Wil Memorial Bookshop New York Cy’s Greenwich Village — the first gay bookshop the Uned Stat.

Hole and his iends owned Gay’s The Word llectively, buzzg wh the radil polil energy of the late 1970s. The Gay Black Group met here, the Gay Disabled group, a Lbian Discsn group, “ MacSweeney remembers.

GAY’S THE WORD – LONDON’S INIC QUEER BOOKSTORE CONTU TO THRIVE

Rtrants near Gay's the Word, London on Tripadvisor: Fd traveler reviews and ndid photos of dg near Gay's the Word London, Uned Kgdom. * gay's the word cafe *

The place where he now ss was once a fe-style space for those was here, that polil muny, that many of the anizers of Lbians and Gay Men Support the Mers (LGSM) first met.

GAY'S THE WORD

In the film, Gay’s The Word is the group’s meetg hub, and the center of their WikipediaThough MacSweeney remds me that the film is a drama, not a documentary, and that slightly dramatiz the role of the bookshop, the story is certaly the spir of tth. Perhaps more importantly, Gay’s The Word let them do 1984, the same year that LGSM was formed, Ctoms and Excise officers raid Gay’s The Word and nfisted all of the Amerin-published stock the store.

”Though the legislatn that threatened Gay’s The Word 1984 has long been nullified, the shop fac a new set of challeng. ” Even a culture of relative acceptance, visibily persists: an ditn, perhaps, that Gay’s The Word’s missn is as important as was once almost impossible to fd and purchase LGBT books, but the 1990s, mastream booksellers began to see the queer muny as a promisg market. The advent of Amazon and other onle retailers also threatened small, niche booksellers like Gay’s The is the last standg LGBT bookstore the UK.

As someone who mak a beele for the “Gay and Lbian” shelf any typil bookstore, and who bs the shelv of shops for validatn through poetry and fictn, this space is a revelatn. ”So spe the advent of onle orrg and mastream reprentatn, Gay’s The Word prevails. ”Though origally found to ter to gay men, lbians and radil femists, Gay’s The Word has evolved wh the movement and muny — perhaps another reason for s endurg prence.

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

“Often general bookshops if they have a gay sectn, they n go lowt mon nomator and ’s gay eroti, ” MacSweeney says. ”And unlike some hubs of gay muny, like bars or universi, a bookshop has nearly universal appeal. ”New people are g out and jog the LGBTQ+ muny all the time, and as they do, they disver Gay’s The Word.

Through books, history and nversatn, Gay’s The Word celebrat the bety that persistent ordary, and all the facets of queer experience that may never make on a screen or to a para. “Most lbian and gay people are so ordary and dull like anybody else, ” MacSweeney says.

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

Bookshops move their LGBTQ+ shelf out of the rner and to the ont of the while each year Pri mt end, Gay’s The Word ntu. Dpe a history of opprsn and the ntemporary challeng facg pennt bookshops, Gay’s The Word remas beloved and important.

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 10 BEST RTRANTS NEAR GAY'S THE WORD

The uncil were reluctant to let the space to a gay tablishment – part due to an assumptn was a prank, given Ernt’s surname. “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.

“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.

WORD FOR WORD/GAY STAND-UP HUMOR; SO THIS HOMOSEXUAL COMIC GO INTO A NIGHTCLUB . . .

) 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. 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.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY'S THE WORD CAFE

Gay’s The Word – London’s Inic Queer Bookstore Contu To Thrive .

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