Books Not Bans
Books Not Bans is a program initiated and sponsored by Fabulosa Books that sends boxes of LGBTQ+ books to LGBTQ+ organizations in conservative parts of America, places where bigoted politicians are demonizing and banning books with LGBTQ+ affirming content.
The program rolled out in May of 2023 and has been tremendously successful, earning a writeup in the Bay Area Reporter and receiving many heartfelt thank yous from recipients. Boxes have gone to an LGBT-affirming charter school in Alabama, an unaffiliated trans* support group in North Dakota, a Gay Straight Alliance in South Carolina, and LGBT Centers in Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama, and South Carolina.
Every box we send starts out as a query: we first find community groups and ask if they want books, then ask who their primary audience is so we can tailor the titles we send to their needs. (This is actually a lot of work and we'd like to thank Becka, our events coordinator for doing it!) Every box contains 20 or so books written by people representing a wide range of ethnicities and sexual identities chosen from a list of 65 Fabulosa best-sellers.
So far been entirely funded by Fabulosa customers (with a little help from Fabulosa). The store displays a description of the project and allows customers to either make contributions or purchase books which we can send for them. We've also invited two other bookstores to participate, and are coordinating so they send additional boxes. The list of books offered can be viewed at the end of this document. We are focusing on books for adults, tweens, and teens.
Support Books Not Bans and donate here!
Coming up: READ FOR FILTH
To promote awareness and raise funds for Books Not Bans, Fabulosa will host a 24 hour party called "Read for Filth: a Celebration of Banned Books" starting at 10am on Saturday, October 7, 2023. Held at the bookstore (489 Castro St.) and Milk Cafe (302 Valencia St. in the Misson), The event will feature four chapters.
1. READ FOR FAMILIES will feature a Drag Story Hour and fun art activities for young children. It will take place at a parklet in front of the store. 10am - 12:30pm
2. READ FOR COMMUNITIES, also held in the parklet, will feature drag shows and an open mic for community members to read from their favorite banned books and/or discuss how stories have transformed their lives. We will also collectively read from a short story and invite local politicians to present on the power of books and stories. 12:30pm - ?
3. READ FOR VARIETY. This will be held at the Milk Cafe and feature a variety show with music, drag, dirty queer readings, burlesque, and raffles. Tickets will be sold, booze and snacks will be served. It'll be a raucous party! ? - ?
4. READ THROUGH THE NIGHT. The final chapter will be a private overnight party inside Fabulosa- with a DJ! We'll also read an entire banned book aloud and live-stream it online. There'll be snacks and beverages, plus coffee in the morning. People will have the option to get pledges for staying up all night. ? - 10am
The program rolled out in May of 2023 and has been tremendously successful, earning a writeup in the Bay Area Reporter and receiving many heartfelt thank yous from recipients. Boxes have gone to an LGBT-affirming charter school in Alabama, an unaffiliated trans* support group in North Dakota, a Gay Straight Alliance in South Carolina, and LGBT Centers in Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama, and South Carolina.
Every box we send starts out as a query: we first find community groups and ask if they want books, then ask who their primary audience is so we can tailor the titles we send to their needs. (This is actually a lot of work and we'd like to thank Becka, our events coordinator for doing it!) Every box contains 20 or so books written by people representing a wide range of ethnicities and sexual identities chosen from a list of 65 Fabulosa best-sellers.
So far been entirely funded by Fabulosa customers (with a little help from Fabulosa). The store displays a description of the project and allows customers to either make contributions or purchase books which we can send for them. We've also invited two other bookstores to participate, and are coordinating so they send additional boxes. The list of books offered can be viewed at the end of this document. We are focusing on books for adults, tweens, and teens.
Support Books Not Bans and donate here!
Coming up: READ FOR FILTH
To promote awareness and raise funds for Books Not Bans, Fabulosa will host a 24 hour party called "Read for Filth: a Celebration of Banned Books" starting at 10am on Saturday, October 7, 2023. Held at the bookstore (489 Castro St.) and Milk Cafe (302 Valencia St. in the Misson), The event will feature four chapters.
1. READ FOR FAMILIES will feature a Drag Story Hour and fun art activities for young children. It will take place at a parklet in front of the store. 10am - 12:30pm
2. READ FOR COMMUNITIES, also held in the parklet, will feature drag shows and an open mic for community members to read from their favorite banned books and/or discuss how stories have transformed their lives. We will also collectively read from a short story and invite local politicians to present on the power of books and stories. 12:30pm - ?
3. READ FOR VARIETY. This will be held at the Milk Cafe and feature a variety show with music, drag, dirty queer readings, burlesque, and raffles. Tickets will be sold, booze and snacks will be served. It'll be a raucous party! ? - ?
4. READ THROUGH THE NIGHT. The final chapter will be a private overnight party inside Fabulosa- with a DJ! We'll also read an entire banned book aloud and live-stream it online. There'll be snacks and beverages, plus coffee in the morning. People will have the option to get pledges for staying up all night. ? - 10am
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Books Not Bans selections
(these will change as new titles become available). Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg Flamer - Graphic Novel All Boys Aren't Blue / Johnson Gender Queer / Kotbe Seeing Gender / Gottleib This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson Queer Body Power Dykes to Watch Out For / Bechtel Heartstopper / Oesman Ace / Chen Fine / Ewing Young and Queer America / Poth The T Guide - Gottmik and Gorgeous Rainbow History Class / McElhinney Song of Achilles / Miller Aristotle and Dante + sequel / Saenz Y'all Means All / Anthology All About Love / Bell Hooks Unconditional: Loving and Supporting Your Transgender Child Nonbinary Lives Bi / Shaw Pageboy by Eliot Page Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown Reclaiming Two Spirits / smithers Is it hot in here or am I Suffering / Zane They Both Die at the End + sequel / Silvera Sister Outsider - Audre Lorde Whipping Girl / Serano Beyond Gender Binary / Alok Vaid QUEER - guide for LGBTQ teens - Marke Bieschke Disability Visibility / Disability Visibility (Adapted for Young Adults): 17 First-Person Stories for Today Transgender History / Stryker Yes You Are Trans Enough Black on Both Sides You Should See Me in a Crown / Johnson Felix Ever After / Callender Boy Slut - Zachary Zane Girls Can Kiss Now / Gutowitz Hijab Butch Blues / Lamya H This One Summer / Tamaki Guncle / Rowley Just Your Local Bisexual Diaster / Mosqueda Out of the Blue / June Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School / Reyes Mermaid Witch and the Sea / Hall I Must be Living Twice - Eileen Myles Adrienne Rich poems Langston Hughs poems Queer Poets of Color Giovanní's Room / James Baldwin This Arab Is Queer - anthology Artie & the Wolf Moon / Stephens Unconditional: A Guide to Loving and Supporting Your LGBTQ Child / Eriksen Borderlands/La Frontera / Gloria Anzaldua One Last Stop - Casey McQuiston Cosmoknights - graphic novel / Templar A Short History of Queer Women / Loehr The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions Valencia - Michelle Tea The 57 Bus -Dashka Slater When We Rise - Cleve Jones My Gov't Means to Kill Me / Newson On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous / Vuong We Both Laughed in Pleasure / Sullivan Bi - bisexual pansexual nonbinary youth / Ritch Savin-Williams Stonewall / Duberman LGBT History Book Delilah Green Doesn't Care / Blake |
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