An Evening of Literature Queerness

The Proud Readers are taking over the Hornby Room at Central Library on Wednesday 25 November for An Evening of Literature Queerness, a night of poetry and discussion built around queer writing. It's hosted by Dan, the resident bookworm who runs the club, and features original poetry and discussion from the poet Femme, with other guest speakers still to be confirmed.

If the name sounds familiar, it's because The Proud Readers is an LGBTQIA+ book club based at Liverpool Central Library that meets on the last Wednesday of every month. This evening is their turn in the spotlight, and it forms part of the Homotopia Festival. Homotopia is the UK's longest-running LGBTQIA+ arts and culture festival, founded in 2004 and spending more than twenty years championing courageous artists and creating spaces where queer stories can flourish across Liverpool. This year's edition, We Come Together, is led by Executive Director Jayne Compton in her first year as Director, and runs from 17 October to 1 December, bringing together performance, visual art, film, music, workshops and club nights.

The Hornby Room is described as an iconic, welcoming space for queer voices in the Liverpool community, and that's exactly how the night is set up: as a community gathering around a shared love of reading. The poetry and discussion are the main draw, and the rest of the evening is built on that same spirit of queer literature and conversation.

It runs from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm on Wednesday 25 November at Central Library, William Brown Street, L3 8EW. Entry is free, but you'll need to book your place in advance.