Inspiration LGBT+ must-reads

What more could you ask for than two women sharing a love for art, an island, and each other? The author, Tove Jansson, is known as the creator of Moomin, but a lesser-known fact is her relationship with graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä. ‘Fair play’ is technically fiction but is written as a series of vignettes offering an intimate glimpse into their lives. The book stands out because it portrays a side of love amongst queer women that is rarely depicted. With a delicate touch, Jansson documents the changing shape yet persistence of love between two women growing old together. Writing about sexuality and religion is far from an original concept, but Brontez Purnell’s ‘Since I laid my burden down’ is a breath of fresh air nonetheless. The novel tells the story of a man returning to his rural hometown for the funeral of a former lover. The journey forces him to confront his past and reflect on how to navigate being Black, queer and Southern. With the help of humour and brutal honesty, Purnell cleverly juggles several complex themes, while continuously blurring the line between funny and tragic. Despite being a short read, it is certainly impressionable. ‘Things we say in the dark’ is a collection of feminist short stories that are as haunting as they are beautiful. With each story, Kirsty Logan pulls you into yet another magical and equally eerie) universe while speaking of fear, desire and body image. With the help of supernatural elements and looming horror, Logan captures the intricacies of being a woman. Some elements are also inspired by her experience with bisexuality and being married to another woman. Sensual, yearning and questioning are all words that come to mind when describing this bizarre piece of fiction.

LGBT+ must-reads

(that are not Call me by your name)

Words by MARTINE AAMODT HESS

With its own cinematic production and merchandise, ‘Call me by your name’ has become an LGBT+ classic, yet it only represents a fragment of the queer literature worth exploring. There is, indeed, a world beyond the gay romance novels fetishised by straight people.

Can the monster speak? Paul B. Preciado

You might already have heard of the controversial lecture held at a psychoanalysis conference in Paris in 2019. The speaker, Paul B. Preciado, was ridiculed for his critique of the psychoanalytic establishment that deems him “mentally ill” for identifying as a trans man in a non-binary body. The audience videotaped and shared parts of the lecture without context or consent. To set the record straight, Preciado published the complete text. The book is a thought-provoking read, giving insight into how we can rethink our definitions of gender and queerness.

Design in conservative times

Joanette van der Veer

In ‘Design in conservative times’, curator Joanette van der Veer, invites six professionals (fashion and graphic design) to share reflections on conservatism and politics’ influence on design. The scope of the starting point allows for a collection of varied perspectives which draw parallels between feminism, decolonisation and queerness. Still not convinced? It features an essay by fashion designer and LGBT+ activist Yamuna Forzani. Her writing is clear and confident as she discusses fashion inspired by ballroom culture and how to organise queer-inclusive events.

Queer Intentions

Amelia Abraham

Want to dig deeper than the three-minute videos on queer facts that pop up on TikTok? A good place to start is ‘Queer Intentions’. In this piece of non-fiction, journalist Amelia Abraham travels Europe and the US, collecting interviews about the complexities of contemporary queer culture. What does it mean to commercialise Pride? What is Turkey’s underground queer scene really like? Why are LGBT+ clubs disappearing from London? Highly informative yet plenty of personality means this book is hard to forget even once the last page is turned.