Queer: A Graphic History - a Nonfiction Graphic Novel-Length Work that Explores Queer Theory and How to Start Seeing Things "Queerly"!

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker, illustrated by Julia Scheele

"Activist-academic Meg John Barker and cartoonist Julia Scheele illuminate the histories of queer thought and LGBTQ+ action in this groundbreaking non-fiction graphic novel. A kaleidoscope of characters from the diverse worlds of pop-culture, film, activism and academia guide us on a journey through the ideas, people and events that have shaped 'queer theory'.

From identity politics and gender roles to privilege and exclusion, Queer explores how we came to view sex, gender and sexuality in the ways that we do; how these ideas get tangled up with our culture and our understanding of biology, psychology and sexology; and how these views have been disputed and challenged.\

Along the way we look at key landmarks which shift our perspective of what's 'normal', such as Alfred Kinsey's view of sexuality as a spectrum between heterosexuality and homosexuality, Judith Butler's view of gendered behavior as a performance, the play Wicked, which reinterprets characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, or moments in Casino Royale when we're invited to view James Bond with the kind of desiring gaze usually directed at female bodies in mainstream media."

Add your review of "Queer: A Graphic History" in comments!

My Lambda LitFest Los Angeles 2018 Panel: CROWDFUNDING QUEER LIT: A PANEL AND READING

I'm really excited about this community curated event that happens the night before "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill" publishes! Crowdfunding Queer Lit: A Panel and Reading

On October 1, 2018 from 7:00PM - 8:30PM Pacific Time. Here's the panel description:

Curious about crowdfunding? From teen novels to graphic novellas to poetry, our diverse Queer stories are being published and promoted using crowdfunding. Learn how these authors and publishers harnessed the power of their communities, hear excerpts of their crowd-funded creations, and get inspired about crowdfunding your next project.

I'll be moderating, and also speaking about my experience crowdfunding "Queer as a Five-Dollar Bill." The other two panelists are:

Tobi Harper is Deputy Director of Red Hen Press, Founder and Editor of Quill (a queer publishing series), Publisher of The Los Angeles Review, and Instructor for the UCLA Extension Publishing and Editing program. Tobi is a Queer speaker, event curator, literary warrior, tech wiz, and headed a Kickstarter project to help fund the publication of HANGING ON OUR BONES and a reprint of LOVE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO DO THE FEELING by legendary Queer poet, Judy Grahn.

Tee Franklin is a Queer disabled Black woman who writes comics: The Outfit (Nailbiter #27), A Blazin’ (in the Ignatz award winning Elements Anthology), Tears (in the Eisner-winning and New York Times Best Selling Love is Love), and Inclusive Press’ Queer romance graphic novella, BINGO LOVE. Franklin won the 2017 Queer Press Grant for Bingo Love and raised almost $60k for this graphic novella via Kickstarter. She fights for inclusion in comics, no matter the risks, as she hopes that the next generation of marginalized comic creators won’t have to put up with what’s been happening for the past 75+ years.

This online event is FREE, hosted by the awesome nonprofit where I work, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). You can register here.

I hope you'll help spread the word, and join us!