The Black Queer Experience discussion

So, this is community seems a bit dormant. But let me throw this line out there in case there are some watching who are willing to step into the water.

The thought that I have is -- who writes our stories? Who are the writers of the lives of black queer or same-gender loving folks?


http://gyazo.com/46e9bb11f4edbcac1fbb...

I have no idea! That's kinda why I joined this group. I think Audre Lorde is all I've read that speaks to me and how my story sounds to me but who else is there?

I write my own story and those who've entered my life / lives I've been exposed too. I'm from Philadelphia, but I speak of areas I call home as well such as the DMV and Harlem.

My first novel is about a mixed race kid in southern PA that has to battle a messed up bully and his own repressed sexuality at the same time at the graduation eve rave.

I mostly grew up in black neighborhoods, and I think it gave me a unique view on difference, since I was different in a neighborhood of people who were different. It really focussed me on the weird stuff that happened with my friends, my lovers, and myself when we were hit with being doubly or triply unique, and what it takes to bridge the gap between feeling alone and feeling your part of a community.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

C. it is great that you asked this question. I am a black gay male aspiring to be a professional writer. I've been acting and working in theater in New York and have always had the urge to write novels. I'm attracted to the power of making characters and creating stories about them, putting conflict in their fictional lives and finding ways to get them out it. For the last two years I put my acting on the shelf to write stories about the black gay male experience, because, in my opinion, we haven't had a strong Gay male identity in literature since the works of E. Lynn Harris and James Baldwin. And those two are too far apart in the literary spectrum.

To get back to your point, I hope to be a writer of our stories and in my studies I've found several rising poets that are writing their stories and getting them to the public. We are out here.
I just joined this group after years of using Goodreads and just realized that joining a group would be a great way to connect with other writers and readers to see what kinds of LGTQ content our people want to read. So I put a question to you:
What type of stories about our people are you looking to read?

Hope you haven't gone dormant.

Unpublished, but ever hopeful writer here, and I kinda stumbled on this thread while looking for bi/queer/lesbian/gay/trans peeps who love to read. Or are writers.

Good question T Ramon (hopefully you aren't dormant)

Where are the stories for people like me? Bi/Lesbian, Black, Womyn of a certain age, living and loving in an interracial relationship. Yeah I know that is a lot but i'm not looking for an imitation of my life, just stories that speak to me on different levels, with enough similarities that can warm my bookwormish soul. You know the shared human experience that doesn't leave us out.

I read just about anything. Love the genres (Mystery, Sci-Fi, Romance, Thriller etc). But i would dearly love to see/read way more vamps, shifters, space explorers, fantasy heroines of colour and LGBTQ orientation.

And before ya ask I'm working on at least two stories with characters of both, but why aren't there more out there? Is it simply that publishers don't think there is a readership? Which is crazy IMO, cuz hell I read about CIS characters all the time and have enjoyed the hell outta some of their stories. If a story is well written, and the plot is appealing, why wouldn't 'our' stories be read by, well everyone? Anyone? (yeah i know I know, but still)

In this scary version of Amerikkka we now live under, I think our stories are needed now more than ever. Thanks for reading

TG