History

Here is a compelling, convincing story on the importance of storytelling in LGBTQ+ culture and history:

Stories are the lifeblood of any culture, shaping our shared identity and history. For the LGBTQ+ community, our stories have been especially vital – they have given voice to our experiences, validated our struggles, and inspired generations to fight for equality.

The origins of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement can be traced back to pivotal moments like the Stonewall riots, which were fueled by the stories and defiant spirit of drag queens and others on the margins of society. Though some historians dispute Stonewall as the sole starting point, there’s no denying the power of that creation story – it galvanized a community and gave rise to a mass civil rights movement.

Beyond that seminal moment, our culture has been shaped by the courageous trailblazers who came before, from Del Martin and Frank Kameny to the authors who gave literary voice to the LGBTQ+ experience. Books like “Rubyfruit Jungle” and “Stone Butch Blues” were revolutionary in their time, defiantly celebrating queer identity when society sought to suppress it.

Even as our legal and social standing has improved, the need to nurture our culture and storytelling remains paramount. LGBTQ+ bookstores, once plentiful, have dwindled – but they still serve a vital role as community hubs, organizing spaces, and conduits between authors and readers. In an era of upheaval for the publishing industry, these bookstores must evolve to ensure our stories continue to be told, read, and passed down.

For it is through our stories that we find meaning, inspiration, and a sense of shared identity. As marginalized communities, we have had to fight for the right to tell our own narratives – and in doing so, we have shaped the broader culture in profound ways. Our stories are not just ours, but part of the human tapestry. They deserve to be nurtured, celebrated, and spread far and wide.Stories are how cultures grow and flourish. We learn from stories told by our parents. Religions are shaped by the stories they tell.
As gay men and women, our stories form our culture. Many historians dispute the notion that Stonewall was the beginning of the gay civil rights movement, pointing to the courageous work of men and women like Del Martin and Frank Kameny. Though those pioneers set the stage for the gay movement, it was the story of Stonewall which gave rise to a popular civil rights movement. Against the backdrop of the funeral of Judy Garland, drag queens, the lowest caste of gay society in New York at the time, fought back against the oppression of the NYPD. Thousands joined them in their struggle, and held the police at bay for three days. That is a worthy creation story for a civil rights movement.
Through our history of civil rights, response to the AIDS crisis, bullying by the religious right, and victories in the courts and ballot box, it is our culture which gives us the compass to move forward. In Christopher Bram’s book “Eminent Outlaws” he even argues that the group of post-World War II gay and lesbian authors shaped American culture, not just LGBT culture.
Lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual authors give shape and meaning to our experience. When “Rubyfruit Jungle” by Rita Mae Brown or “Stone Butch Blues” by Leslie Feinberg were first published they were trangressive. Though much has changed in the LGBT world in the intervening years, they remain fresh and inspirational. I love putting “Rubyfruit Jungle” into the hands of a young queer who has never heard of the book, and seeing that same young queer a few days later excited by the brilliant storytelling.
I believe we need to nurture our culture. As a culture withers and dies, so does its society. For many years the LGBT bookstore served the community: as a de facto community center, a safe space for our community, a political organizing point, a fundraising center for our organizations, and more. For all of that, I believe one of the most important functions was as a place for authors to find their audience.
Author events at Common Language bring together author, bookstore, reader, and even publisher. The publishing world is in turmoil. LGBT bookstores, which used to number in the hundreds are now down to about a dozen nationwide. And yet authors are still writing and readers are still looking for the next good book. LGBT bookstores, no matter how they evolve, must continue to be a vital part of that equation. Amazon.com doesn’t really care what you read, as long as you buy it from them. LGBT bookstores exist in order to help authors and audiences find each other. In an era when even some libraries are forced to bow to political pressure and censor what material is available, independent LGBT bookstores remain a vital part of our culture.
We are painfully aware that we do not live in a post-gay world. This is especially true in Michigan. We do have many outstanding LGBT writers in the state. Whether you celebrate the stories of Laurie Salzler, Kage Alan, Jackie Nacht, Lev Raphael, or the many others featured in this issue, all of them have in common the experience.