LGBT History Month: Queer authors share their messages for the community

It’s LGBT History Month.

So we’ve chatted to a few of our favourite LGBTQ authors about their work, what inspired them. We also discussed what messages they have for the LGBTQ community right now.

Juno Dawson (she/her)

What’s your latest book about?

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven is about five childhood friends who also happen to be witches at the UK’s official government coven. When the oracle division foresees the genocide of witches, the once tight-knit group is divided over how to tackle the prophecy. It’s Spice Girls meets the X-Men, what are you waiting for?

What LGBTQ authors and books (and media generally) have inspired you?

I honestly didn’t even realise LGBTQ people could be in books until I read Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. That book changed my life in so many ways. Poppy Z Brite’s Lost Souls was also foundational to me as a queer teenager. 

What do you do to mark LGBT History Month?

It’s a busy month and really the only time I do big corporate speaking engagements. Ideally, big companies would make LGBTQ people a priority all year round, but this month provides focus which isn’t a bad thing. This month I’ll be speaking to some huge corporations including Amazon.

Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular this LGBT History Month?

I’m hosting Student Pride again which is one of my favourite dates in the calendar, even though I’m WELL OLD.

What’s your message to the LGBTQ community right now given the current climate?

The point of this month is to reflect on where we’ve been and where we are. The present situation for trans people in the UK is a carbon copy of the Section 28 era. Scaremongering in the media has never been worse as the flailing government attempts to use my tiny minority group as a scapegoat for all that ails the UK. But, as a united community, we fought Section 28 and won. We mustn’t let them win this time.

Daniel Harding (He/Him)

What’s your latest book about?

Gay Man Talking – All the Conversations We Never Had is a collection of conversations to encourage people to talk, share experiences about coming out, and listen to the other side. Through sometimes awkward and uncomfortable conversations with my parents, role models, bullies, and more, it looks to carry conversations on rather than sweeping them under the carpet.

What LGBTQ authors and books (and media generally) have inspired you?

The Velvet Rage by Alan Downs and Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, are just two fantastic examples of creativity that inspired me to write/share queer stories. Matthew Todd and Russell T. Davies continue to also create thought-provoking works that are deeply important and impactful. But also, the media play a vital role in inspiration – Attitude was a title that I would steal looks at as a young closeted boy, looking for my people. It gave me hope.

What do you do to mark LGBT History Month?

Use my voice. Use my platform. Talk. I think the most powerful thing that we can do is educate and inspire, so that is what I hope to do. Our history is being written every day and it’s our chance to continue inspiring positive change from the struggles we’ve faced. Our jobs are not done and our history deserves to be shared. There are so many wonderful queer people who have made being ‘who we are’ possible today. I thank them, this month and every month.

Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular this LGBT History Month?

I’ve been fortunate to be invited into a couple of large non-LGBTQ+ book clubs that are trying to learn and grow. It really makes me proud and happy to see people outside the community caring about the importance of our history. I’m also talking with my old secondary school about helping educate students on LGBTQ+ History – which just makes me (and my younger self) incredibly happy.

What’s your message to the LGBTQ community right now given the current climate?

Hold on. Be there for one another as the community continues to be challenged. We are stronger together and being kind starts within. We must continue to support every letter of our community. There is so much still to do, still to write, and still to learn. So, we have to be patient, support each other and stand with each other. Forever and always.

Ben Pechey (They/Them)

What’s your latest book about?

My latest book; The Book of Non-Binary Joy aims to help non-binary folks to be themselves- free from judgment and expectation allowing them to unlock more joy in their lives. It’s a guide to help us thrive as our authentic – and most fabulous – non-binary selves.

What LGBTQ authors and books (and media generally) have inspired you?

It’s odd, I don’t really think there were any formative LGBTQIA+ tomes out there as I was growing up. The last five years have seen a massive shift in this. There are so many amazing books coming out soon, that I think are spectacular; Jamie by LD Lapinski and A Trans Man Walks Into a Gay Bar by Harry Nichols are two amazing books coming soon that I highly recommend.

What do you do to mark LGBT History Month?

I show up authentically as myself. We talk about history as if we can only talk about the community’s past, and we forget that every day we make history by being ourselves.

Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular this LGBT History Month?

I am beyond excited to be delivering a talk focusing on Trans Joy as part of TedxLondonWomen this month which will be available to watch online. I am also hosting a queer legacy event for We Create Space in Manchester – their first event in one of my favourite cities.

What’s your message to the LGBTQ community right now given the current climate?

LGBT History Month is a great month to remind ourselves that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Community members who fought for the rights we are fighting to keep. There is a strength and resilience that comes from knowing about the work of groups like Act Up, the sacrifices made by trans-POC like Marsha P Johnson & Sylvia Rivera, and their work with STAR (Street Tranvestite Action Revolutionaries) in the 1970s.

Remember that we are a community, and our strength lies in being united against oppression, bigotry, and misinformation but we need to be united fully, moving away from internal biphobia, transphobia, and racism within the community. United we are a force to be reckoned with!

Dean Atta (He/Him)

What’s your latest book about?

There is (still) Love Here is a collection of poetry about relationships, love, and loss. It includes a poem about what to do when you feel like a wilting garden, a poem about my boyfriend cutting my hair in our back garden during the Covid-19 lockdowns, and a queering of the biblical Garden of Eden called ‘Two Black Boys in Paradise’. But not all the poems are about gardens, I promise! 

What LGBTQ authors and books (and media generally) have inspired you?

I’ve been reading a lot of memoirs recently and I’ve been inspired by many LGBTQ authors writing in that genre, including All Down Darkness Wide by Seán Hewitt, Body Work by Melissa Febos, HELP by Simon Amstell, and None of the Above by Travis Alabanza

What do you do to mark LGBT History Month? 

I do a lot of school visits during LGBT+ History Month. Some in-person but I also do a lot online, which is great because I can connect with schools further afield. I discuss what it was like growing up under Section 28, I talk about my journey to becoming a published author, and I share insights into my writing process.  

Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular this LGBT History Month?

I’m really looking forward to doing an event on 21 February at Compass Theatre called Dean Atta: A Decade in Books. The wonderful librarians at Hillingdon Library Service are hosting the event to celebrate my first decade as a published author. I’ll be discussing all four of my books and doing an audience Q&A. 

What’s your message to the LGBTQ community right now given the current climate?

Stay open to and interested in the stories and experiences of other LGBTQ people who are not of your sexuality or gender identity. Do your best to resist becoming siloed and disconnected from the wider LGBTQ community because we have so much we can learn from one another. 

Lois Shearing (They/She/He)

What’s your latest book about?

Bi the Way: The Bisexual Guide to Life is an exploration of bisexuality for young people who are trying to figure out their identity. Each chapter explores a question that I kept coming across again and again as a bisexual community organiser for Bi Survivors Network and more. These range from ‘Am I bisexual” through ‘How long has bisexuality been around’, all the way to ‘What is biphobia’ and ‘Is there a bi community’. My goal for the book is to provide young bi people with a trustworthy go-to place for their questions.

What LGBTQ authors and books (and media generally) have inspired you?

I adore Go the Way Your Blood Beats: On Truth, Bisexuality and Desire by Michael Amherst. 

Bisexuals love an anthology, I think partly because plurality is such a big part of our movement but also because historically mainstream publishers haven’t been interested in bisexual books, so we turned to independent publishers. The Bi-ble Volumes 1 and 2 are great examples. I also love Bisexual Politics: Theories, Queries, and Visions by Naomi Tucker. Shiri Eisner’s Notes on a Bisexual Revolution was the first bisexual book I ever read and it had a huge impact on me as a person, activist, and writer. 

What do you do to mark LGBT History Month?

I try to read and connect more with our history. The Bi History Instagram and Bi-Pan Library are great resources for that. I mark it by continuing to work with and support the incredible queer activists around me. As a journalist, it’s also a great reason to get to work on some queer stories. 

Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular this LGBT History Month?

I’m really hoping to go to this talk at the LGBTQIA+ Community centre about queer spaces. 

What’s your message to the LGBTQ community right now given the current climate?

We’re in a very scary time right now. The far-right is scapegoating trans people. Our venues are closing rapidly due to the recession, to which queer people are particularly vulnerable. The UK government is deporting queer migrants to countries where they could be killed for being themselves.

If you’re not already part of a community (whether digital or irl), whether it’s one that creates social connections, provides resources, or advocates for our rights and safety now is the time to get involved (if you can safely). Everything you do, even if it seems small, makes a difference. All we have is each other. I love you, solidarity forever. 

Rowan Ellis (she/her)

What’s your latest book about?

Here & Queer is a guide to life for queer girls – with advice, anecdotes, and information on topics including coming out (or not), activism, history, relationships, and the joy of being queer. I love queer media with a sense of authenticity and tenderness – not necessarily being serious or sad, but being open to the fun and emotional and joyous parts of queerness. I really tried to balance that in Here and Queer – acknowledging the troubles my readers might be having, while also giving them a sense of hope and excitement for their queer futures.

What LGBTQ authors and books (and media generally) have inspired you?

Juno Dawson is obviously an icon of YA. I think the success of This Book is Gay cleared a path for publishers to show more interest in LGBTQ+ non-fiction for that younger audience. I watch a lot of TV and movies for my work, so every other month there’s a new inspiration. The epic sweep of Russell T. Davies’ Years & Years, the twisting mystery of The Handmaiden, the low-budget charm of Stud Life... they all have something brilliant at the heart of them.

What do you do to mark LGBT History Month?

I try to read about an element of queer history I haven’t had the chance to dive into yet. There are so many fascinating moments, communities, and figures that we haven’t been given the chance to know in traditional spaces of education.

Is there anything you’re looking forward to in particular this LGBT History Month?

I’m going into the school my best friend works in to run a workshop for a group of students. I love that there are educators working to have LGBTQ+ history and culture available to young people! 

What’s your message to the LGBTQ community right now given the current climate?

I think solidarity within and between marginalised communities is as important as ever. We can’t underestimate the value of sharing resources, information, and support.