“Bluestockings” with Raquel Espasande

Queer Lit

Let’s go on a field trip! New York City is an amazing city for book shopping and LGBTQIA2S+ activism. Bluestockings Cooperative offers both. This amazing bookstore and community space almost feels too good to be true: nestled into the Lower East Side, Bluestockings has provided dyke dating, community support and all kinds of activism for well over two decades years now. Tune in today to hear lovely bookseller Raquel tell me more about the shop and its history.
And did you know? All the cool queers follow @bluestockingsnyc, @raqthebookseller and @queerlitpodcast on Instagram.

References:
Kathryn Welsh (now Grantham, owner of Black Bird Bookstore in California)
Gay’s The Word
Sara Ahmed
Transparency
Black and Pink New York
@Blackandpinknyc
Bluestockings.com
@bluestockingsnyc
@bluestockingscares
Samuel R. Delany’s Time Square Red, Time Square Blue
Rudy Giuliani

Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:

1. If you could dream up an LGBTQIA2S+ space, what would it look like?
2. What is your favourite thing about going to community-run spaces?
3. Raquel speaks a lot about trust. Why do you think it is that supposedly inclusive spaces do not always feel inclusive? What might we do to change this?
4. Which of the activist organisations or activities that Raquel mentions are you going to check out?