Dreaming Queer Futures
Download the anthology by clicking the image above.
On May 18th, 2024, the Trans/gressive Writers' Workshop hosted a poetry workshop at The Ruby Fruit, a sapphic bar in Los Angeles. The weekend of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia led us to discuss, reflect, and write in affirmation and affinity with queerness, desire, needs, and form. For an afternoon, members of TWW Aiko Nakagawa, Josephine Defaye, M. Lopes da Silva, and Pravina Visakan guided workshop participants in writing and breathing exercises and discussion, culminating in a performance of each participant's work from the day's session. This book commemorates the efforts of the poets who wrote there.This collection of poetry is a profound exploration of trans and gender nonconforming needs and desires; within it the poets authentically examine their dis/connection with their bodies, their sensuality, their spirituality, and their political power. Alternately raw and lyrical, these pieces all come from the heart.For some poets here, declaring desire for community serves as the first step in creating community. Others name interference with their sense of community. Still others choose their own reality, writing a place into existence. Wars ceased, fire no more; connection is fostered through poetry.When we reunite with desires that systems of oppression divide us from, when we join together in learning and community, and when we finally are given the space to say what we need to say, we cannot be easily ignored.Please enjoy the work in these pages. We hope that this is only the beginning of the conversation that we started on that day.
Trans/gressive Writers' Workshop is an LA-based creative writing group for trans/gender+ humans hosted by @josiedefaye
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