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Queer and Trans African Mobilities: Migration, Asylum and Diaspora
by B Camminga and John MarnellRecent years have seen increased scholarly and media interest in the cross-border movements of LGBT persons, particularly those seeking protection in the Global North . While this has helped focus attention on the plight of individuals fleeing homophobic or transphobic persecution, it has also reinvigorated racist tropes about the Global South.In the case of Africa, the expansion of anti-LGBT laws and the prevalence of hetero-patriarchal discourses are regularly cited as evidence of an inescapable savagery. The figure of the LGBT refugee – often portrayed as helplessly awaiting rescue – reinforces colonial notions about the continent and its peoples. Queer and Trans African Mobilities draws on diverse case studies from the length and breadth of Africa, offering the first in-depth investigation of LGBT migration on and from the continent. The collection provides new insights into the drivers and impacts of displacement linked to sexual orientation or gender identity and challenges notions about why LGBT Africans move, where they are going and what they experience along the way.
Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold
by Bolu Babalola'Time was constructed with love in mind. Time and love are intertwined, they are both measures of life, two clocks. And, for love to operate as it should, it is imperative that the timing should be right. Just as it is in these stories.'Bolu Babalola takes the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology and rewrites them with incredible new detail and vivacity. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines iconic Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from countries that no longer exist in our world. Babalola is inspired by tales that truly show the variety and colours of love around the globe. A high-born Nigerian goddess feels beaten down and unappreciated by her gregarious lover and longs to be truly seen.A young businesswoman attempts to make a great leap in her company, and an even greater one in her love life.A powerful Ghanaian spokeswoman is forced to decide whether to uphold her family's politics, or to be true to her heart.Whether captured in the passion of love at first sight, or realising that self-love takes precedent over the latter, the characters in these vibrant stories try to navigate this most complex human emotion and understand why it holds them hostage.Taking a step towards decolonising tropes of love, Babalola forms new stories from the wildly beautiful tales that already exist in so many communities and cultures. Moving exhilaratingly across perspectives, continents and genres, from the historic to the vividly current, Love in Colour is a celebration of romance in all of its forms.
Sexual Orientation Discrimination: An International Perspective (Routledge IAFFE Advances in Feminist Economics)
by Lee Badgett Jeff FrankHaving recently authored one of the most significant books, Money, Myths and Change, in this exciting area of economics, Lee Badgett has now teamed up with Jeff Frank and a collection of international contributors to provide an analysis of sexual orientation discrimination on an international scale. Discrimination based on sexual orientation continues to fuel collective action, policy debates and academic scrutiny in many countries. For some time, sociologists and psychologists have studied sexual orientation discrimination in institutions and explored prejudices against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in mainstream areas. Now economists have also begun to examine the experiences of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in less traditional research sectors including the labour, housing, credit, and retail markets. This book includes sections on: wages and jobs discrimination across institutional contexts discrimination in cultural institutions including religion, education and sport addressing discrimination through public policies. Innovative and up-to-date this book is an essential read for postgraduate students studying in the areas of political economy, gender studies and feminist economics.
Sexual Orientation Discrimination: An International Perspective (Routledge IAFFE Advances in Feminist Economics)
by Lee Badgett Jeff FrankHaving recently authored one of the most significant books, Money, Myths and Change, in this exciting area of economics, Lee Badgett has now teamed up with Jeff Frank and a collection of international contributors to provide an analysis of sexual orientation discrimination on an international scale. Discrimination based on sexual orientation continues to fuel collective action, policy debates and academic scrutiny in many countries. For some time, sociologists and psychologists have studied sexual orientation discrimination in institutions and explored prejudices against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in mainstream areas. Now economists have also begun to examine the experiences of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in less traditional research sectors including the labour, housing, credit, and retail markets. This book includes sections on: wages and jobs discrimination across institutional contexts discrimination in cultural institutions including religion, education and sport addressing discrimination through public policies. Innovative and up-to-date this book is an essential read for postgraduate students studying in the areas of political economy, gender studies and feminist economics.
He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters
by Schuyler BailarHow can we change the conversation around gender, become better allies, challenge misconceptions and make the world a better place?Anti-transgender legislation is being introduced across the world in record-breaking numbers. Trans people are under attack in sports, healthcare, entertainment, schools, bathrooms and nearly every walk of life.Schuyler Bailar didn’t set out to be an activist, but his very public transition to the Harvard men’s swim team put him in the spotlight. His choice to be open about his journey and share his experience has touched people around the world. His plain-spoken education has evolved into tireless advocacy for inclusion and collective liberation. In He/She/They, Schuyler uses storytelling and the art of conversation to give us essential language and context of gender, meeting everyone where they are and paving the way for understanding, acceptance and, most importantly, connection. Schuyler clearly and compassionately addresses fundamental topics, from why being transgender is not a choice and why pronouns are important, to more complex issues including how gender-affirming healthcare can be lifesaving and why allowing trans youth to play sports is good for every child.More than a book on allyship, He/She/They also speaks to trans people directly, answering the question, ‘does it get better?’ with a resounding yes, celebrating radical trans joy. With a relatable narrative rooted in facts, science and history, Schuyler helps restore common sense and humanity to a discussion that continues to be divisively co-opted and deceptively politicized. Myth-busting, affirming and compassionate, He/She/They is a crucial, urgent and lifesaving book that will forever change the conversation about gender.***'Informative, fabulous to read, and leaves the reader with joy. I love this book!' Jonathan Van Ness, New York Times bestselling author, and TV personality 'Written for both a trans and a general readership, [this] is a solid introduction to why trans rights matter' Publisher's Weekly 'I wish I had this book to guide my own journey years ago, but I am so glad it exists now. We need it!' Dylan Mulvaney, actress, comedian
Butch Queens Up in Pumps: Gender, Performance, and Ballroom Culture in Detroit (Triangulations: Lesbian/Gay/Queer Theater/Drama/Performance)
by Marlon M BaileyButch Queens Up in Pumpsexamines Ballroom culture, in which inner-city LGBT individuals dress, dance, and vogue to compete for prizes and trophies. Participants are affiliated with a house, an alternative family structure typically named after haute couture designers and providing support to this diverse community. Marlon M. Bailey’s rich first-person performance ethnography of the Ballroom scene in Detroit examines Ballroom as a queer cultural formation that upsets dominant notions of gender, sexuality, kinship, and community.
Family Secrets: Gay Sons - A Mother's Story
by Jean M BakerAs a clinical psychologist, Jean Baker had always considered herself open-minded and tolerant, but found she wasn’t prepared for the revelation that her only two children were both gay. Family Secrets is an inspirational story of how she and her family learned to accept one another and overcome their internalized fears and prejudices as well as how they coped with a much greater challenge in their personal lives--HIV/AIDS. Family Secrets is more than a parenting memoir, however. It is a guide that draws upon research and scientific findings to capsize the myths and stereotypes that contribute to societal homophobia. It offers important insight into the developmental needs of gay children, and it discusses the issues faced by gay and lesbian youth and their families.Offering practical suggestions about how parents and schools can help gay, lesbian, and bisexual children grow up to be productive, psychologically healthy adults, Family Secrets discusses the effects of social prejudice and stigma on the social and emotional development of sexual minorities. As long as homophobia is running rampant in American society, gay children are going to be reluctant or afraid to confide in their parents, and parents will have trouble understanding and accepting homosexuality in their children. To end the secrecy and build open and healthy environments for all children and adolescents, this book discusses: tactics for reducing homophobia in non-gay youths promoting tolerance and understanding of sexual minorities at home and in school the effects an AIDS death has on families “coming out” about HIV/AIDS discussing homosexuality with your children, regardless of whether or not they are gay or lesbian sexual orientation and the interaction of biology with experienceBecause Family Secrets is written from the viewpoint of a parent/psychologist, it offers insights into the developmental needs of gay and lesbian children in a way that no other book has done. School counselors, psychologists, marriage and family counselors, teachers, school administrators, and the parents and siblings of gays and lesbians will all benefit from reading this honest, helpful, and encouraging book.
Family Secrets: Gay Sons - A Mother's Story
by Jean M BakerAs a clinical psychologist, Jean Baker had always considered herself open-minded and tolerant, but found she wasn’t prepared for the revelation that her only two children were both gay. Family Secrets is an inspirational story of how she and her family learned to accept one another and overcome their internalized fears and prejudices as well as how they coped with a much greater challenge in their personal lives--HIV/AIDS. Family Secrets is more than a parenting memoir, however. It is a guide that draws upon research and scientific findings to capsize the myths and stereotypes that contribute to societal homophobia. It offers important insight into the developmental needs of gay children, and it discusses the issues faced by gay and lesbian youth and their families.Offering practical suggestions about how parents and schools can help gay, lesbian, and bisexual children grow up to be productive, psychologically healthy adults, Family Secrets discusses the effects of social prejudice and stigma on the social and emotional development of sexual minorities. As long as homophobia is running rampant in American society, gay children are going to be reluctant or afraid to confide in their parents, and parents will have trouble understanding and accepting homosexuality in their children. To end the secrecy and build open and healthy environments for all children and adolescents, this book discusses: tactics for reducing homophobia in non-gay youths promoting tolerance and understanding of sexual minorities at home and in school the effects an AIDS death has on families “coming out” about HIV/AIDS discussing homosexuality with your children, regardless of whether or not they are gay or lesbian sexual orientation and the interaction of biology with experienceBecause Family Secrets is written from the viewpoint of a parent/psychologist, it offers insights into the developmental needs of gay and lesbian children in a way that no other book has done. School counselors, psychologists, marriage and family counselors, teachers, school administrators, and the parents and siblings of gays and lesbians will all benefit from reading this honest, helpful, and encouraging book.
How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community
by Jean M BakerHomophobia hurts kids. Explore ways to minimize that trauma!This book illustrates the ways that children growing up to be gay are harmed by homophobia before anyone, including themselves, even knows they are gay. This compelling and sympathetic volume describes many simple ways that these children can be helped to understand that they can grow up to lead normal lives, with hopes and dreams for their futures. How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community brings home the voices of these children. They describe their experiences to show how they came to the frightening recognition that they are part of a group held in disregard by the rest of society, even sometimes by their own families.Dr. Jean M. Baker, the author of How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community is a clinical psychologist and the mother of two gay sons. In this book she shares her experience as both psychologist and mother to show how the myths and fallacies about homosexuality have influenced parents, schools, churches, and lawmakers to send children the cruel message that if they are gay, they are not normal and will not be able to lead normal lives. In this unique volume you'll find: a chapter on identity development, following the Eriksonian model interviews with high school students who are self-identified as gay firsthand descriptions of the harassment and victimization of those perceived as gay in schools research on how victimization at school affects gay youths a discussion of the relatively new phenomenon of gay/straight alliances (gay support groups or clubs) a chapter on transgender identity with interviews with four transsexual persons who describe their personal childhood experiences and their transition processThe focus of How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community, centering on the social and familial experiences of children who will grow up to be gay but have not yet come to that realization, is unique. But beyond that, this book also explains how homophobia affects the attitudes of non-gay children by leading them to believe that it is acceptable to mistreat homosexuals. Finally, specific suggestions are made for changes in parenting and changes in school/classroom practices that could help prevent the harm that is inflicted upon so many of our gay children. Everyone who comes in contact with children on their way to becoming gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender adults needs to read this book!
How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community
by Jean M BakerHomophobia hurts kids. Explore ways to minimize that trauma!This book illustrates the ways that children growing up to be gay are harmed by homophobia before anyone, including themselves, even knows they are gay. This compelling and sympathetic volume describes many simple ways that these children can be helped to understand that they can grow up to lead normal lives, with hopes and dreams for their futures. How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community brings home the voices of these children. They describe their experiences to show how they came to the frightening recognition that they are part of a group held in disregard by the rest of society, even sometimes by their own families.Dr. Jean M. Baker, the author of How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community is a clinical psychologist and the mother of two gay sons. In this book she shares her experience as both psychologist and mother to show how the myths and fallacies about homosexuality have influenced parents, schools, churches, and lawmakers to send children the cruel message that if they are gay, they are not normal and will not be able to lead normal lives. In this unique volume you'll find: a chapter on identity development, following the Eriksonian model interviews with high school students who are self-identified as gay firsthand descriptions of the harassment and victimization of those perceived as gay in schools research on how victimization at school affects gay youths a discussion of the relatively new phenomenon of gay/straight alliances (gay support groups or clubs) a chapter on transgender identity with interviews with four transsexual persons who describe their personal childhood experiences and their transition processThe focus of How Homophobia Hurts Children: Nurturing Diversity at Home, at School, and in the Community, centering on the social and familial experiences of children who will grow up to be gay but have not yet come to that realization, is unique. But beyond that, this book also explains how homophobia affects the attitudes of non-gay children by leading them to believe that it is acceptable to mistreat homosexuals. Finally, specific suggestions are made for changes in parenting and changes in school/classroom practices that could help prevent the harm that is inflicted upon so many of our gay children. Everyone who comes in contact with children on their way to becoming gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender adults needs to read this book!
Bookshops & Bonedust: A Heartwarming Cosy Fantasy and TikTok Sensation
by Travis Baldree'Glorious' - Ben Aaronovitch, author of the Rivers of London seriesA standalone cosy fantasy about the power of good bookshops, great friends and the unexpected choices along the way from the bestselling author of BookTok sensation Legends & Lattes. First loves. Second-hand books. Epic adventures.Viv’s career with the renowned mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned. Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk – so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it. What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?Spending her hours at a struggling bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted. Even though it may be exactly what she needs. Still, adventure isn’t far away. A suspicious traveller in grey, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.Sometimes, right things happen at the wrong time. Sometimes, what we need isn’t what we seek. And sometimes, we find ourselves in the stories we experience together . . .'A perfectly executed prequel . . . the stakes are higher and the scones are hotter still!' - Nicholas Eames
Legends & Lattes: A Heartwarming Cosy Fantasy and TikTok Sensation
by Travis Baldree‘The most fun I've ever had in a coffee shop’ – Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of LondonLegends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is a cosy, heartwarming slice-of-life fantasy about found families and fresh starts – perfect for fans of TJ Klune, Katherine Addison and T. Kingfisher.High fantasy, low stakes – with a double-shot of coffee.After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream – for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined . . .Return to the world of Legends & Lattes with Bookshops & Bonedust, the hilarious and heartwarming prequel to Legends & Lattes.'This is a warm hug of a book, a place to retreat from the world for a little while, drink a coffee, and come out a little better' – T. Kingfisher, bestselling author of Nettle & Bone
Not Just a Tomboy: A Trans Masculine Memoir
by Caspar BaldwinThis is the story of one trans man's exploration of gender identity, set against changing cultural attitudes from the 90s to the present day. Caspar Baldwin grew up in a time when being trans was not widely accepted by society, and though progress has been made since then, trans men are still underrepresented and misunderstood. Grappling with the messy realities of gender expectations while giving a stark and moving account of his own experiences, Baldwin grants a nuanced understanding of what it's like to be a trans boy or man. With its unflinching portrayal of the vulnerability, confusion, dysphoria, empowerment, peace and joy that are all part of the transition process, this provides an invaluable support for trans men and is a memoir that breaks the mould.
Not Just a Tomboy: A Trans Masculine Memoir
by Caspar BaldwinThis is the story of one trans man's exploration of gender identity, set against changing cultural attitudes from the 90s to the present day. Caspar Baldwin grew up in a time when being trans was not widely accepted by society, and though progress has been made since then, trans men are still underrepresented and misunderstood. Grappling with the messy realities of gender expectations while giving a stark and moving account of his own experiences, Baldwin grants a nuanced understanding of what it's like to be a trans boy or man. With its unflinching portrayal of the vulnerability, confusion, dysphoria, empowerment, peace and joy that are all part of the transition process, this provides an invaluable support for trans men and is a memoir that breaks the mould.
What Obergefell v. Hodges Should Have Said: The Nation's Top Legal Experts Rewrite America's Same-Sex Marriage Decision
by Jack M. BalkinRewriting the Supreme Court’s landmark gay rights decision Jack Balkin and an all-star cast of legal scholars, sitting as a hypothetical Supreme Court, rewrite the famous 2015 opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, which guaranteed same-sex couples the right to marry. In eleven incisive opinions, the authors offer the best constitutional arguments for and against the right to same-sex marriage, and debate what Obergefell should mean for the future. In addition to serving as Chief Justice of this imaginary court, Balkin provides a critical introduction to the case. He recounts the story of the gay rights litigation that led to Obergefell, and he explains how courts respond to political mobilizations for new rights claims. The social movement for gay rights and marriage equality is a powerful example of how—through legal imagination and political struggle—arguments once dismissed as “off-the-wall” can later become established in American constitutional law.
The Morality of Gay Rights: An Exploration in Political Philosophy
by Carlos BallIn The Morality of Gay Rights, Ball presents a comprehensive exploration of the connection between gay rights and political philosophy. He discusses the writing of contemporary political and legal philosophers-including Rawls, Walzer, Nussbaum, Sandel, Rorty and Dworkin-to evaluate how their theoretical frameworks fit the specific gay rights controversies, such as same-sex marriage and parenting by lesbians and gay men, that are part of our nation's political and legal debates.
The Morality of Gay Rights: An Exploration in Political Philosophy
by Carlos BallIn The Morality of Gay Rights, Ball presents a comprehensive exploration of the connection between gay rights and political philosophy. He discusses the writing of contemporary political and legal philosophers-including Rawls, Walzer, Nussbaum, Sandel, Rorty and Dworkin-to evaluate how their theoretical frameworks fit the specific gay rights controversies, such as same-sex marriage and parenting by lesbians and gay men, that are part of our nation's political and legal debates.
The First Amendment and LGBT Equality: A Contentious History
by Carlos A. BallCarlos A. Ball argues that as progressives fight the First Amendment claims of religious conservatives and other LGBT opponents, they should take care not to forget the crucial role the First Amendment played in the early decades of the movement, and not to erode the safeguards of liberty that allowed LGBT rights to exist in the first place.
The First Amendment and LGBT Equality: A Contentious History
by Carlos A. BallCarlos A. Ball argues that as progressives fight the First Amendment claims of religious conservatives and other LGBT opponents, they should take care not to forget the crucial role the First Amendment played in the early decades of the movement, and not to erode the safeguards of liberty that allowed LGBT rights to exist in the first place.
The Gender Agenda: A First-Hand Account of How Girls and Boys Are Treated Differently
by Ros Ball Marianne Grabrucker James MillarFrom language and clothes, to toys and the media, society inflicts unwritten rules on each gender from birth. Aiming to make people aware of the way gender is constructed and constantly reinforced, this diary chronicles the differences two parents noticed while raising their son and daughter. Adapted from tweets and blogs the couple kept throughout parenthood, this collection shows how culture, family and even the authors themselves are part of the 'gender police' that can influence a child's identity, and offers ideas for how we can work together to challenge the gender stereotypes that are ingrained in our society.
Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women: Rising Like the Phoenix
by Kimberly BalsamPrevent victimization of sexual minority women by raising your awareness level! Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women: Rising Like the Phoenix is the first resource to examine trauma, violence, and stress as experienced by lesbian and bisexual women. You&’ll gain a better understanding of the stressors that these women experience, including the cultural/social trauma of living with homophobia and heterosexism as well as the individual traumas of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. This book contains never-before-seen data that investigates the prevalence, impact, and meaning of traumatic experiences in the lives of sexual minority women. In Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women, top researchers use direct quotes and case examples to illustrate and personalize the emotional strain these women endure. Furthermore, they address constructive individual and community responses that promote resilience and healing. The information and strategies contained in this book will help sexual minority women, as well as the practitioners who serve them, understand and heal from the impact of individual and cultural trauma. This book will increase your knowledge of: developmental issues facing lesbian and bisexual youths the impact of sexual abuse history on the "coming out" process ethnic/racial differences in trauma among lesbian and bisexual women the prevalence and impact of traumatic experience among HIV+ lesbian and bisexual women the unique stressors facing African-American lesbians-and how they cope organized religion&’s approaches to homosexuality and how this impacts lesbian and bisexual women Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women also shows how data on same-sex domestic violence and hate crimes can be gathered and used as a tool for social and political advocacy, bringing about positive changes that can improve the lives of many lesbian and bisexual women. This book is insightful reading for mental health, health, and social service professionals working with lesbian and bisexual clients or patients, and activists and individuals who work for organizations that serve the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender communities.
Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women: Rising Like the Phoenix
by Kimberly BalsamPrevent victimization of sexual minority women by raising your awareness level! Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women: Rising Like the Phoenix is the first resource to examine trauma, violence, and stress as experienced by lesbian and bisexual women. You&’ll gain a better understanding of the stressors that these women experience, including the cultural/social trauma of living with homophobia and heterosexism as well as the individual traumas of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. This book contains never-before-seen data that investigates the prevalence, impact, and meaning of traumatic experiences in the lives of sexual minority women. In Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women, top researchers use direct quotes and case examples to illustrate and personalize the emotional strain these women endure. Furthermore, they address constructive individual and community responses that promote resilience and healing. The information and strategies contained in this book will help sexual minority women, as well as the practitioners who serve them, understand and heal from the impact of individual and cultural trauma. This book will increase your knowledge of: developmental issues facing lesbian and bisexual youths the impact of sexual abuse history on the "coming out" process ethnic/racial differences in trauma among lesbian and bisexual women the prevalence and impact of traumatic experience among HIV+ lesbian and bisexual women the unique stressors facing African-American lesbians-and how they cope organized religion&’s approaches to homosexuality and how this impacts lesbian and bisexual women Trauma, Stress, and Resilience Among Sexual Minority Women also shows how data on same-sex domestic violence and hate crimes can be gathered and used as a tool for social and political advocacy, bringing about positive changes that can improve the lives of many lesbian and bisexual women. This book is insightful reading for mental health, health, and social service professionals working with lesbian and bisexual clients or patients, and activists and individuals who work for organizations that serve the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender communities.
Boulder
by Eva BaltasarWorking as a cook on a merchant ship, a woman comes to know and love Samsa, a woman who gives her the nickname ‘Boulder’. When Samsa gets a job in Reykjavik and the couple decides to move there together, Samsa decides that she wants to have a child. She is already forty and can’t bear to let the opportunity pass her by. Boulder is less enthused, but doesn’t know how to say no – and so finds herself dragged along on a journey that feels as thankless as it is alien.With motherhood changing Samsa into a stranger, Boulder must decide where her priorities lie, and whether her yearning for freedom can truly trump her yearning for love.Once again, Eva Baltasar demonstrates her pre-eminence as a chronicler of queer voices navigating a hostile world – and in prose as brittle and beautiful as an ancient saga.
Permafrost
by Eva BaltasarPermafrost’s no-bullshit lesbian narrator is an uninhibited lover, a no-hope employee, and a some-time suicidal student of her own dislocated self. As she tries to break out of the roles set for her by a controlling, overprotective mother, a relentlessly positive sister, and a society which imposes a gut-wrenching pressure to conform, she contemplates the so-called will to live when that life is given, rather than chosen. Attempting to bridge the gap between the perennially frozen reaches of her outer shell and the tender core of her being, watching her relationships with family fracture and her many lovers come and go, the protagonist’s reservations about staying alive become ever more pressing.Passionate, urgent and breathtakingly forthright, this fiction debut from Catalan poet Eva Baltasar was a word-of-mouth hit in its own language and is a gift for readers in English.
COVID-19 Assemblages: Queer and Feminist Ethnographies from South Asia (Ethnographic Innovations, South Asian Perspectives)
by Niharika Banerjea Paul Boyce Rohit K. DasguptaThis book documents and analyzes the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic through queer and feminist perspectives. A testament of dispossessions as well as a celebration of various forms of resilience, community building and critical responses, it chronicles the social history of queer and trans persons and women in South Asia and the diasporas. Through a creative and collaborative form of ethnographic writing, the book enters in conversation with the worlds of domestic helps, caregivers, cultural workers, students, sex workers and other precariously employed people. It examines the confining effects of the pandemic on the lived realities of many queer and trans individuals, the caste-oppressed and women across socio-economic backgrounds. The chapters in the volume piece together narratives of prejudice, hardship, self-expression and resistance from interviews, personal accounts, as well as poems and stories from activists, artists and other collaborators. The book pays particular attention to issues of power and asymmetrical relationships amidst COVID-19 and offers critiques to deepen the understanding of the uneven fault lines within which historically oppressed persons reside in South Asia. Exploring themes of migration, disability and sexual politics, this book is an essential reading for scholars and researchers of gender and sexuality studies, cultural studies, South Asian studies, sociology and social anthropology.