09 April 2021
This Monday 12th April bookshops in England and Wales are reopening! We can’t wait to be back among the books. Good job we’ve barely spent anything over the last few months of lockdown…
We love all bookshops, but have been overwhelmed by the support shown recently by queer bookshops for our Women’s Prize longlisted novel Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters.
To celebrate, we’re sharing a list of fantastic UK LGBT+ bookshops to shop with today.
Help share the word on Twitter.
QUEER LIT, MANCHESTER
Queer Lit started with 700 books but have now grown to stock over 1200 fabulous Queer titles. Follow them at @QueerLitUK
LIGHTHOUSE BOOKS, EDINBURGH
Lighthouse Bookshop is a queer-owned and woman led independent community bookshop based in Edinburgh. Follow them at @Lighthousebks
GAY’S THE WORD, LONDON
Gay’s The Word is the UK’s oldest LGBT bookshop, set up in January 1979 by a group of gay socialists as a community space where all profits were funnelled back into the business. This ethos continues today. Follow them at @GaystheWord.
CATEGORY IS BOOKS, GLASGOW
Category is Books was started by wusband and wusband team, Charlotte (they/them) and Fionn (‘Fin’) Duffy-Scott (they/them), who hope to create a space for the LGBTQIA+ community to learn about, be inspired by and share in our love of queer history, culture, writing and storytelling. Follow them at @CategoryisBooks.
PANED O GE, CARDIFF
Paned o Gê is an independent, queer bookshop, cafe, bar and event space in Cardiff; a social enterprise designed to highlight, promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ and Welsh talent and creators. Follow them at @panedoge
THE BOOKISH TYPE, LEEDS
The Bookish Type started out as pop-up bookstalls at events at various venues. The owners Ray and Nicola then set up a website and finally opened a bricks and mortar bookshop in September 2020. Follow them at @TypeLeeds
PORTAL BOOKSHOP, YORK
Portal Bookshop sells Science Fiction, Fantasy and all of the LGBTQIA books we can source from the UK, the US and beyond. Follow them @PortalBookshop
SHELFLIFE BOOKS & ZINES, CARDIFF
Shelflife Books & Zines is a not-for-profit radical bookshop in Cardiff working with independent publishers and DIY zine-makers to make space for marginalised and under-represented voices. Follow them @ShelflifeCdf