NB Publishers
They Called Me Queer Kim Windvogel Kelly Eve Koopman
They Called Me Queer Kim Windvogel Kelly Eve Koopman
Across the continent, and throughout the world, South Africa has become known for its tolerance towards us, the LGBTQIA+ community. However, even if being who we are is legal, we live in a devastatingly segregated and unequal society, where the combination of race, class, gender and sexual identities still heavily impacts every part of our lives. This collection of stories is a testimony to who we are. It is an assertion of our struggles, but also our triumphs, our joys.
These are our stories of acceptance and rejection, of young love and old lovers, of the agonising thrills of coming out and coming into ourselves, of our sex lives, of our families and communities.
Writing by Haji Mohamed Dawjee, Lwando Scott, Ling Sheperd, Maneo Mohale, Chase Rhys, Wanelisa Xaba, Jamil F Khan, Khanya Kemami, Janine Adams, Craig Lucas and others.
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This compilation is filled with thoughts, stories and poetry written by Africans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and (LGBTQIA+) as a way of rejecting the idea of a single queer experience. The book covers a wide array of topics from intersectionality, heteronormativity, violence, the legalization of sex work to chapters about love, intimacy, and joy.
I still haven’t figured out how to properly review non-fiction but I would like to point out some of my favourite essays (and there were quite a few).
•Free, So Furiously by Maneo Mohale and Neo Baepi. There’s just something about conversations that I enjoy so much, they serve as a not-so-difficult way to learn and explore ideas.
•Blue Tea and The Beast by Chase Rhys an incredibly written short story covering abuse and suicide.
•Breaking Down the Walls: Colonial Legacies, Home and Heteronormativity by Jamil F Khan who documents his experiences in the homes he has lived in and highlights how heteronormativity even affects queer homes.
Do I recommend this book? Definitely! I know non-fiction can be a bit intimidating but this book is easy to follow and would be a lovely introduction to the South African queer experience.
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