Gays the word bookstore
London&#;s Bookshops:
Gay&#;s The Word
As part of Spread the Word&#;s mission to celebrate London&#;s literary talent, we&#;ve launched a new feature showcasing some of the capital&#;s best bookshops. We thrust off with Gay&#;s The Word, who gave us so many fantastic recommendations for our online #LGBTHeroes feature, created to celebrate LGBT History Month in February 7.
Located in Bloomsbury, Gay&#;s The Word was founded on 17 January by members of Gay Icebreakers, who were inspired by the growth of lesbian and gay bookstores in the USA. Since then it has accumulated a treasure trove of LGBT+ literature from across the world.
More than just a bookshop, Gay&#;s The Word has been used as a secure space for members of the LGBT+ community, in which they can gather, share ideas, hold meetings and widely publicise LGBT+ events happening across the country. The film Pride, directed by Matthew Warchus, specifically highlighted how the shop served as a meeting place for Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners in London in the s.
Read on to find out what happened when Spread the Word&#;s Aliya Gulamani spoke to Uli Lennart&#;
Aliya Gulamani: To date, Gay&#;s The Word is the Discover the vibrant heart of the UK&#;s LGBTQ+ literature scene nestled in Bloomsbury. Join editor Kai Lutterodt aka The Soho Girl on a short stroll over to this beloved bookshop, and explore the exciting offerings this season has in store for you. I’ll be be honest, I didn&#;t actually know exactly where Gay&#;s The Word was located until I randomly stumbled upon it during my leisurely stroll back to Soho from brunch in Kings Cross last Sunday. And let me inform you, I was stoked when saw it! Communicate about a dose of serendipity! So for those who don’t know, allow me spill the beans on this fabulous find&#; Gay&#;s The Word is a historic LGBTQ+ bookstore located in Bloomsbury, London. With roots dating back to , it has proudly stood as a stronghold for the queer collective through the years. Its vibrant shelves are adorned with an extensive collection of literature, spanning across diverse genres and identities. From groundbreaking classics to contemporary works, the bookstore offers a treasure trove of literary gems that celebrate and explore the rich tapestry of Gay experiences. Not only does Gay&#;s The Word serve as a hub for literature, but it also serves as a vib The importance of Gay’s the Word, the first place I’ll be going after lockdown What are you going to do when lockdown is over? Maybe an indulgent afternoon pint in the local pub, or ordering a coffee from a professional. I perceive what I’m doing. As soon as I can, I’m going to Gay’s the Word, London’s only LGBTQ bookshop. I have panic-bought enough books to glimpse me through the current moment and well beyond, so I really don't need to visit a bookstore any time soon. But I miss all the other stuff a bookshop does. And Gay’s the Word does quite a lot for one little place. Founded in by a group of gay socialists - the marvellously titled Gay Icebreakers - the Bloomsbury shop has always operated as a meeting place and community resource as good as a bookstore. Gay’s the Synonyms started out as a space for queer literature which other bookshops were too scared or homophobic to stock. It has been a place of solidarity ever since, and not just for for the LGBTQ community. In the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners group met at Gay’s the Synonyms to raise funds for strikers. The shop has always been a safe cosmos in hostile times. It has faced threats of its own too, subjected Established in , Bloomsbury’s pioneering Gay's the Word is the oldest dedicated Gay bookshop in the UK, and features in the superb gays-and-minders movie Pride. It’s also more than just a bookshop – it’s a space for the queer community to collect, socialise and share their experiences. Stock covers fiction, history and biography, as well as more specialist holdings in queer studies, sex and relationships, children, and parenting. You’ll also find plenty of books that will help with the coming out experience, children’s books that champion individuality, and parenting books tailored towards queer parents. Monday-Saturday 11am-6pm; Sunday 1pm-6pm In addition to regular creator readings and book signings (think Adam Mars-Jones, Armistead Maupin, Neil Bartlett, Clare Summerskill), it hosts a range of different discussion groups where different sections of the queer community meet and chat about issues crucial to them. Some of these groups have even been running for decades. .
Gay's the Word
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