Arts & Entertainment
Pink pages
Center hosts LGBT book fair this weekend
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) is hosting its first OutWrite Book Fair Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Center has been doing book readings for several years, but never a day-long event.
“The Rainbow Book Fair in New York City has become quite popular and it was our inspiration to do a book fair in D.C.,” says David Mariner, the Center’s director. “Based on the great response we’ve had so far, I think it is quite likely this will become an annual event.”
The event kicks off tonight with an open mic night at the Center featuring Perry Brass, Jeff Mann and Philip Clark.
The authors scheduled to present readings are Lisa Gitlin at noon, Beverly Ann Kessler at 12:30 p.m., Jonathan Spikes at 2 p.m., Aaron Anson at 2:30 p.m., Robert DiFulgo at 4 p.m., Tom Mendicino 4:30 p.m., David Pratt at 5 p.m., Michael Graves at 5:30 p.m. and Ron Suresha at 6 p.m.
“I am looking forward to … a chance to share a profound message of love and acceptance with others who may be torn between their inherent sexuality and a community or family resistant to accepting them as they are,” says Anson, who will donate $10 from each book he sells to the Center. “I wish to inspire and encourage others to write and contribute to the equality movement by sharing their talent and stories.”
A group of independent publishers, including Steve Berman from Lethe Press, Brass from Belhue Press and Robert Giron from Gival Press, will lead a discussion about their work, the state of the field today and what the future looks like for LGBT publishing at 11 a.m.
Local writers, scholars and activists will discuss the LGBT literary history of D.C. from the 1920s to the 1980s and into today at 1 p.m. moderated by Jim Marks, founder of the Lambda Literary Foundation. Dan Vera will discuss the Harlem Renaissance era, Clark will talk about gay pulp novels and physique magazines.
Also present at this discussion will be Deacon Maccubbin and Jim Bennett who will talk about founding Lambda Rising, Deb Morrie who will speak about Lammas and lesbian women’s writing and Wayson Jones and Michelle Parkerson who will discuss African-American LGBT writing and the ENIKAlly Coffeehouse.
“There is always something compelling about stories about our community that are told by members of our community,” says Mariner of why LGBT-themed literature and works by LGBT authors are important. “Each of us has a different life experience when it comes to our sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, but there are also many commonalities.”
At 3 p.m., BookMen D.C. will host a discussion of the high-spirited erotic adventure, “Caracole” by Edmund White.
There will also be a celebration of the new book, “Milk and Honey: A Celebration of Jewish Lesbian Poetry” at 7 p.m. The book, edited by Julie R. Enszer, features poets like Ellen Bass, Robin Becker, Elana Dykewomon, Marilyn Hacker, Sharron Hass, Eleanor Lerman, Joan Nestle and Ellen Orleans
“It is wonderful to honor literature that affirms and celebrates these shared experiences, and to hear stories that we can relate to,” Mariner says. “Many of the authors draw on their own life-experience, which I think draws us to this literature.”
In addition to the readings and discussions, the Center will have both new and used LGBT-themed books and magazines for sale.
For more information, visit outwritedc.org.
The 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 14.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
You’ve done your share of marching.
You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.
You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.
Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.
You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.
Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.
If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.
Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.
Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.
Music & Concerts
Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall
Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony
Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.
The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.
Lawyers who fought gender affirming care ban at the Supreme Court remain optimistic
Supreme Court upholds ban on transgender care for minors
Hashmi to face Reid in Va. LG race
Shaheen, Collins reintroduce bill prohibiting anti-LGBTQ discrimination in jury service
These eight autistic LGBTQ people are making a difference
Supreme Court upholds ban on transgender care for minors
Milton Pride Fest to take place Saturday
Celebrate Pride month by reading these books
Faith leaders celebrate WorldPride at interfaith service
