The Read Out (List): is an annual list of curated reading suggestions that take the reader on a queer literary journey which, at its end, should move one further along in their understanding of the intersectional experiences of the various identities within the spectrum of our LGBTQ+ community. Throughout the year we’ll find moments to make space for conversation and reflection—sometimes with authors, sometimes with thought leaders, sometimes just with friends. Semi-book club; for sure reading clutch; sometimes discussion group; always open to read…out.
Read Out 2024 – The Evolution of Queer Spaces
What are LGBTQ+/Queer spaces? Where do we find community and connection? From bars and community centers to online forums and gaming.
With the 2024 Read Out List we delve into the transformative journey of LGBTQ+/Queer environments, tracing how these places have historically offered sanctuary and solidarity. Beyond mere locations, these spaces have been pivotal in shaping identity, activism, and belonging. Today’s queer spaces have extended deep into the digital realm, reflecting the dynamic ways in which the LGBTQ+ community adapts and thrives.
This selection of texts invites readers to explore the landscapes of queer social spheres, analyzing how they serve as crucibles for cultural expression and vehicles for change. From the brick-and-mortar havens of the past, like Cooper Donuts and the Stonewall Inn, to the interconnected virtual communities of the present, these spaces continue to evolve, reflecting and responding to the needs and challenges of the LGBTQ+ experience.
“Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America” by Lillian Faderman (1991)
Faderman provides a rich history of lesbian life in the 20th century, charting the spaces where lesbian communities have formed, thrived, and evolved over decades.
“Queer Sites: Gay Urban Histories Since 1600” by David Higgs (1999)
A collection of essays that traces the development and transformation of queer spaces in cities from the 17th century to the modern era, showing how urban landscapes have been shaped by LGBTQ+ histories.
“The Fandom of the Operator” by Robert Rodi (2001)
A fictional story that reflects the emergence of the internet as a queer space. The novel follows a phone sex operator as he balances his identity with his role, highlighting the early days of online queer communities and the complexity of virtual relationships.
“Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity” by José Esteban Muñoz (2009)
This book offers a critique of the present and an imagining of the future through the lens of queer theory, exploring how queer spaces have and can offer glimpses into utopian ways of being.
“The Queer Art of Failure” by Jack Halberstam (2011)
This book challenges the conventional concepts of success and explores alternative paths to power through failure, subversion, and rejection of norms, often found in queer life and spaces.
“Safe Space: Gay Neighborhood History and the Politics of Violence” by Christina B. Hanhardt (2013)
An exploration of the concept of ‘safe space’ within LGBTQ+ communities, focusing on how these spaces are constructed and contested in the context of gentrification, violence, and activism.
“There Goes the Gayborhood?” by Amin Ghaziani (2014)
Ghaziani examines the changing dynamics of gay neighborhoods, or gayborhoods, questioning the future of these spaces in light of gentrification and shifts in LGBTQ+ culture.
“Queer: A Graphic History” by Meg-John Barker and Julia Scheele (2016)
Presented in graphic format, this book introduces readers to the complex ideas behind queer theory, including the evolution and role of queer spaces in history and society.
“No Tea, No Shade: New Writings in Black Queer Studies” edited by E. Patrick Johnson (2016)
This anthology of essays expands the conversation around Black queer life, delving into the social, cultural, and political spaces that Black queer individuals navigate.
“Gay Bar: Why We Went Out” by Jeremy Atherton Lin (2021)
A personal narrative and cultural study that charts the history and significance of gay bars in LGBTQ+ life. The author intertwines personal experience with social commentary, examining these spaces as sites of liberation, community, and identity formation.
- Read Out 2023: Transcendent…
- https://stonewallcolumbus.org/the-read-out-list-2023/
- Read Out 2022: Lesbians Are Here!
- https://stonewallcolumbus.org/the-read-out-list-2022/
- Read Out 2021: Pride and Prejudice
- https://stonewallcolumbus.org/the-inaugural-read-out-list/
