GAYLETTER

Any practice that aims to control who has access to information, such as banning or removing books from libraries and schools, has always been about delineating whose voices and ideas matter in this society. The objections to who and what readers have access to amounts to a fight over who we empathize and align ourselves with in this world. In this moment of rampantly rising attempts to challenge and ban books across the U.S., books that explicitly take on issues of sexuality, race, gender, or that explore multiple intersections of these identities, are typically the first to face backlash. These are often books that reflect back the feelings and experiences of the underrepresented. The vocal minority advocating for the removal of certain books from public life complain about unfiltered depictions of sex and sexuality (often labeled as “pornographic”), violence, matters of race or racism, even citing “death” as a topic that warrants censoring.

Books have a power that no other media has successfully replicated — they fully immerse you, the reader, alongside the consciousness of someone else. To engage with a story in print is to take it into your mind, to feel and think with the text, and it’s that realm of thoughts and experiences that can be the best bridge to understand someone else’s life, it’s the closest we may ever get to seeing the world through another’s eyes. And it’s exactly this ability to inhabit alternative selves, to empathize and connect, that makes these books targets for removal. …

It’s pride 2019 in New York City, do you know where your children are? Hopefully reading our wrap up of the not-to-be-missed events happening over the next week and a half. We tried to weed through all the corporate sponsored shitshows (we might have one in here, but it’s a truly special one clearly planned by a smart queen atop the 46th floor of a glass tower in FiDi). Mostly we’ve tried to focus on events that truly represent what it means to have pride — the ones made by and for the rebellious, non-conformist queers who are ready to throw a brick in the name of human rights and have a dance in the name of a good time.

It’s 50 years since Stonewall: let’s celebrate what we’ve learned and make light of our mistakes (s/o Absolut). Especially as a new flourish of diversity and equity is ushered in throughout our community, we should acknowledge our past and present shortcomings while we look brightly towards the future. And what better way to do that than with parades, parties, and poppers.

R.I.P. Marsha P. Johnson

Kim Petras photographed by Luke Gilford for GAYLETTER issue 9.

THURSDAY JUNE 20

EVENT: ‘A BIGGER SPLASH’ AFTER-PARTY HOSTED BY GAYLETTER
This Thursday there is only one place you need to be. We are hosting a screening of David Hockney’s 1973 Semi-fictionalized documentary biopic. The film is set after a difficult break-up, where Hockney is left unable to paint, much to the concern of his friends. …