BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//BGSQD - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:BGSQD
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.bgsqd.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for BGSQD
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250330T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250330T163000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250302T204738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250318T162613Z
UID:15232-1743346800-1743352200@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:On Activism\, Friendships\, and Fighting\,  From ACT UP to the World: A book reading and conversation with Benjamin Heim Shepard and Ron Goldberg (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Conflict and resolution are the lifeblood of social movements. How\, and with whom\, do we find lasting friendship\, support\, and joy in a world in need of so much repair? \nIn On Activism\, Friendships\, and Fighting veteran organizer and social worker Benjamin Heim Shepard traces a pressing dynamic of social movements: friendship and conflict. Shepard and ACT UP veteran Ron Goldberg\, author of of Boy with the Bullhorn: A Memoir and History of ACT UP New York\, will hold a reading and conversation about friendship and social movements\, conflict and resolution in ACT UP. Shepard’s work builds on oral histories with more than thirty movement organizers—from AIDS\, queer\, trade union\, community\, Occupy\, and harm reduction-based movements—reflecting on the lessons\, meanings\, and future directions of movements and collective organizing efforts. The book examines the reasons and ways the interviewees became involved in activism\, the friendships they formed\, and the conflicts they faced. This includes asking questions such as: where do friendships support or undermine these efforts? How can conflicts be resolved? Is there room to agree to disagree? And where do people find lasting support?  Implications and questions about democracy and community practice will be explored. \nGoldberg’s work is a coming-of-age memoir of life on the front lines of the AIDS crisis with ACT UP New York. From the moment Ron Goldberg stumbled into his first ACT UP meeting in June 1987\, the AIDS activist organization became his life. For the next eight years\, he chaired committees\, planned protests\, led teach-ins\, and facilitated their Monday night meetings. He cruised and celebrated at ACT UP parties\, attended far too many AIDS memorials\, and participated in more than a hundred zaps and demonstrations\, becoming the group’s unofficial “Chant Queen\,” writing and leading chants for many of their major actions. Boy with the Bullhorn is both a memoir and an immersive history of the original New York chapter of ACT UP\, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power\, from 1987 to 1995\, told with great humor\, heart\, and insight. \nUsing the author’s own story\, “the activist education of a well-intentioned\, if somewhat naïve nice gay Jewish theater queen\,” Boy with the Bullhorn intertwines Goldberg’s experiences with the larger chronological history of ACT UP. \n  \n\n\nTo reserve a copy of both/either On Activism\, Friendships\, and Fighting (Common Notions\, March 25\, 2025\, paperback\, $22) and/or Boy with the Bullhorn (Fordham University Press\, September 3\, 2024\, paperback\, $22.95)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of [title(s)] for March 30th event.” \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n  \n\n\nWhat they are saying: \n“When I needed a friend\, Ben was there for me. This books explains how I knew\, instinctively\, that I could trust him. We had overlapped in ACT UP\, and I had read his work on collective power\, but there was something in his affect\, heart\, and character\, that let me know that Ben holds friendship as a place of grappling\, listening\, opening\, and acting together. That he expands connection and relationship by embracing us in our weaknesses and vulnerability\, as much as our creative contributions and original thought. Here is the handbook to the way and the why that Ben Shepard befriends so well.” —Sarah Schulman\, American playwright and author of Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York\, 1987–1993 \n“I have known how brilliant\, insightful\, and rigorous Ben Shepard now for over two decades\, and I relish the blossoming and intersectionality of his work and life; of course this project is necessary and alive–essential to our kinship groups and social structures (right now!). I am in such deep admiration of what is collected and celebrated here—I hope to teach this in my poetry and literature classes and reckon with all the love and conflict it mindfully works to integrate. I can’t underscore enough this voluminous archive of history\, documentation\, and activism. And there’s so much more I want to say (and stay in) in its important and unveiling (revealing/revelatory?) discussion of friendship.” —Prageeta Sharma\, the author of five collections of poetry; her forthcoming poetry collection Onement Won  will be published from Wave Books in the fall of 2025. She is the Henry G. Lee Professor of English at Pomona College. \n“A great read on activist relationships—the reason many of us join movements and too many of us leave. This book offers gossipy tidbits and rich insight. Like many of us\, especially at a time like this\, Ben wonders\, ‘How do we get beyond our silos?’ In answer\, he shares the insights of scores of his ‘strange and wonderful’ activist friends\, on the conflicts and caregiving within movements.” —Lesley Wood\, Professor of Sociology\, friend of activists and activist friend\, York University \n“I found myself thoroughly engaged with Benjamin Shepard’s remarkable book on friendship\, which is focused on human connections\, and disconnections\, that occur in the process of working toward a common goal.  I love these stories\, and I think this book has much to say about friendship itself and\, of course\, about the making of a social world.” —Jay Parini\, author of Borges and Me. \n“I’ve known Benjamin Shepard for decades\, watching his writing on movements and collective power\, affinity groups which take on drug companies and defend community gardens\, battling the WTO and supporting each other. Friendship is a theme of Shepard’s work\, but so is the play\, and inevitably differences of opinion\, the conflict which spins out of efforts to combat institutional injustice\, reducing harms\, and dovetailing in their own countless directions\, spurning still new clashes of ideas and movements. Looking to oral histories\, On Activism\, Friendships\, and Fighting: Oral Histories\, Strategies\, and Conflicts traces some of this trajectory\, looking at the ways movements cope with the very notion of difference.  A leap away from the orthodox or party lines\, this is Benjamin Heim Shepard’s most ambitious\, and compelling work yet.” -Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz\, American historian and writer \n“What happens when personal friendships collide with collective missions?  On Activism\, Friendships\, and Fighting masterfully engages the reader with fascinating oral histories of people who must negotiate the complexities of friendships while dealing with differences arising when public political struggles intersect with private loyalties. Through candid interviews\, Ben Shepard introduces us to activists recounting how friendships serve as sources of strength\, energy\, and solidarity\, yet how they can often sow conflict\, betrayal\, and burnout. This wonderful book brings to life Hannah Arendt’s ‘political meaning of friendship’ idea; it insightfully illustrates these tensions and triumphs and the human connections that could enhance or break collective actions in the name of social justice.” —Peter M. Nardi\, author of Gay Men’s Friendships: Invincible Communities\, and Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Pitzer College \n“The furies hover above these stories about friends and their shadows\, good selves battling with themselves\, rivals and heroes\, hubris and true heroism. Homer\, our first great storyteller\, wrote about Ulysses —his only hero. Shepard has many. Their stories remind us that friendship has changed and so have we. These changes reveal themselves through his singular storytelling.” —Irwin Epstein\, Professor Emeritus\, CUNY\, author of Men as Friends (Koehlerbooks\, 2023). \n“Ben Shepard knows that understanding the dynamics of radical friendship is the foundation of radical movements. In this book organizers will find many of the necessities that won’t fit neatly on our strategy charts.” —James R. Tracy\, editor\, A Southern Panther: Conversations with Malik Rahim \n“It’s not easy to live up to Aristotelean ethics. When we do\, its transformative.” In his previous book\, Ben Shepard showed us how essential friendships are to movement building. On Activism\, Friendships\, and Fighting shows us how critical they are movement survival in Trump Time. Ben’s new book instructs us through the stories of rebel friendships\, collectives\, and alliances that triumphed\, that blew apart\, that survived\, that fought bitterly\, that disintegrated and then regenerated\, that were suppressed\, that refused to be suppressed—all along carrying forward the vital tasks of resistance and advocacy. The alternately exhilarating and maddening lives we lead as activists and comrades are here in full\, along with some hard lessons and much love.—Eric Laursen\, author of The Operating System: An Anarchist Theory of the Modern State \n“I love this book! The relationships forged through struggle are the foundation of all social movements. They are as complex and beautiful as the organizers interviewed for this book. Activist-scholar Ben Shephard knows this in theory and in practice because he lives it everyday.” — Lynn Lewis\, Editor\, Women Who Change the World: Stories from the Fight for Social Justice and founder\, The Picture the Homeless Oral History Project \n“On Activism\, Friendships\, and Fighting: Oral Histories\, Strategies\, and Conflicts is a book about friendship. Friendships are typically birthed in proximity or circumstance (neighbors\, classmates\, coworkers). They are often time-limited\, simply fading away rather than blowing up from a conflict. We all know people we ‘used to be friends with’.  There are other books out there about friendship\, many inspired by the ‘loneliness epidemic’ that began with COVID isolation. All of them offer the same antidote: make friends\, more friends. Find a new hobby\, enroll in a class\, get involved in your place of worship. This is especially targeted to people who are older\, looking for new friends their own age. But here Benjamin Shepard writes a more accurate prescription for people of any age: make friends with people with whom you share a passion that brings meaning to your life. Together you can make a difference in the world.  The people in this book had to do one very specific thing before they could make those friends: they had to be vulnerable. They had to share their own stories\, their own struggles\, their own dreams. That decision was terrifying for some of them\, but all found that it was only in opening up that they could find their tribe. Finding your affinity group does not eliminate the potential for conflict\, and Ben shows how those conflicts play out in various groups: “What unites us and what divides us?” The shared purpose often\, but not always\, is enough to keep the friendships intact. It’s only when the conflicts become attacks that friendships and affinity groups fall apart. You may be surprised to learn that the most personal\, most vicious attacks came from inside the groups\, not outside. When those personal\, internal attacks persist – often without confrontation – those groups splinter\, often beyond repair. Ben provides cautionary tales\, but also solutions from those willing to have hard conversations and nurture friendships. Can activist groups that are not homogeneous survive? Can the personal friendships within – based on respect and a shared sense of purpose – overcome class differences or disagreements about tactics and ideology? How do you avoid the impulse to treat allies like enemies? Is everything black or white? As the late\, great Andy Vélez of ACT UP put it\, “You don’t have to like everyone. You just have to be willing to do the work.” And the most important work is listening\, listening with an open mind and heart. It is also a book about the importance of storytelling. Only with a diversity of voices can the true stories of oppression\, healing\, and hope be told. Lin-Manuel Miranda was spot-on when he wrote “Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story?” The answers in Ben’s book are “Everyone. Everyone. You.” — Victoria Noe\, Author of the Friend Grief series F*g Hags\, Divas and Moms: The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community and What Our Friends Left Behind: Grief and Laughter in a Pandemic \n  \nBy day\, Benjamin Shepard\, PhD\, works as Professor of Human Services at City Tech/CUNY.  By night\, he works to keep NYC from turning into a giant shopping mall. \nHe is also the author/editor of over a dozen books:  White Nights and Ascending Shadows\, From ACT UP to the WTO\, The Beach Beneath the Streets\, Play\, Creativity and Social Movements\, Queer Political Performance and Protest\, Rebel Friendships\, Illuminations on Market Street: (a Story about Sex and Estrangement\, AIDS and Loss\, and Other Preoccupations in San Francisco)\, Community Projects as Social Activism\,  Brooklyn Tides: On the Fall and Rise of a Global Borough\, Sustainable Urbanism\, Travels in a Conflicted World\, and On Friendship\, Activism\, and Fighting.  \nIn 2010\, he was named to the Playboy Honor Role as one of twenty professors “who are reinventing the classroom.” \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/on-activism-friendships-and-fighting/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/March-30-Activism-Friendship-Fighting-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250402T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250402T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250114T190813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250305T222058Z
UID:15134-1743616800-1743627600@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar: Queer Economies of Care: Community\, Desire\, and the Politics of Necessity (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS\nAbout the Seminar\nCLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and the Barnard Center for Research on Women are thrilled to announce the Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar in the city\, a six-week program exploring the transformative legacy of Amber Hollibaugh—a radical lesbian feminist\, scholar\, artist\, and lifelong activist for queer survival economies. \nFacilitated by interdisciplinary artist and educator Gili Rappaport\, this seminar invites participants to dive into themes of queer survival\, care\, and community resilience in the face of economic hardship\, criminalization\, and marginalization. Participants will engage with foundational texts\, recorded dialogues\, and contributions from local artists and activists while contributing to a living archive honoring queer histories and futures. \nThe Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar (2024) relaunches CLAGS’ public education series\, Seminars in the City\, originally held in July 1998. \nThe Amber Hollibaugh Seminar is co-sponsored by the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (@bgsqd) and Barnard Center for Research on Women. \n\nWhy Join?\nThis seminar is more than a class—it’s a space to build community\, a book club to reflect on queer survival strategies\, and an homage to Amber’s vision of community care and radical solidarity. Participants will explore the intersections of class\, desire\, and kinship through a rich syllabus of readings\, discussions\, and creative work. \nWhether you’re an organizer\, artist\, body worker\, visionary\, builder\, or community member\, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn\, share\, and contribute to an archive of queer care and resistance. \nSchedule\nDates: March 12 – April 16\, 2025\nTime: Wednesdays\, 6–9 PM\nLocation: Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (208 West 13th Street\, NYC) \nPlease note: The April 16th meeting will NOT take place at the Bureau. We will post the location for that date as soon as we have that confirmed. \nThis is an in-person experience. Unfortunately\, we cannot accommodate remote participants at this time. \nWhat to Expect\nEach week focuses on a key theme: \n\nWeek 1: Queer Survival Economies — Honoring Amber Hollibaugh’s Legacy\nWeek 2: Public Space\, Gentrification\, and Queer Displacement\nWeek 3: Oral Histories and Resilient Queer Spaces\nWeek 4: Queer Desire and Class as Radical Resistance\nWeek 5: Trans and BIPOC Narratives on Survival and Criminalization\nWeek 6: Community-Based Economies and Mutual Aid\n\nReading list (excerpts provided free of charge\, available through the CLAGS archive) \n\nAmber Hollibaugh\, My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home\nLeah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha\, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home\nAudre Lorde\, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name\nGloria Anzaldúa\, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza\nbell hooks\, Belonging: A Culture of Place\nAlexis Pauline Gumbs\, M Archive: After the End of the World\nJosé Esteban Muñoz\, Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity\nVivek Shraya\, I’m Afraid of Men\nGayle Rubin\, Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality\nLeah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha\, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice\nTourmaline\, Black Trans Feminism is the Future\nEric A. Stanley and Nat Smith (Eds.)\, Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex\nSylvia Rivera\, Queens in Exile\, The Forgotten Ones\nDean Spade\, Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next)\nAdrienne Maree Brown\, Pleasure Activism\nAlexis Pauline Gumbs\, Dub: Finding Ceremony\n\nParticipation Details \n\nOpen to NYC publics\, free of charge\nWe encourage applications from first-time students\, people from underrepresented communities\, and interests that reflect the city’s diversity of cultures\, aesthetics\, and creative practices. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible space for all participants. If you need any accommodations to fully participate in the seminar\, please note this in the application form.\n20 spots available—apply soon!\nParticipants will have the option to contribute to a collaborative publication and CLAGS archive project\n\nNO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS\nAbout Amber Hollibaugh\nAmber Hollibaugh was a legendary radical/lesbian/feminist/scholar/artist. A lifelong political activist and organizer\, she was on the founding board of Queers for Economic Justice and served as QEJ’s Executive Director from 2011-2014. She established Queer Survival Economies (QSE)\, a project at the Barnard Center for Research on Women addressing the intersections of sexuality\, poverty\, homelessness\, labor\, and the criminalization of survival. Hollibaugh was the Founding Director of the Lesbian AIDS Project at GMHC\, the first effort of its kind to organize with and for lesbians living with HIV. Amber also served as the Director for Aging Initiatives at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She fought for class and poverty issues to be addressed by an otherwise very bourgeois LGBTQ movement. Amber was a fierce advocate for transnational solidarity and movement building around sexuality\, bodily autonomy and pleasure. Her publications included the book My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home\, and she directed and co-produced the documentary film The Heart of the Matter. Her works have been translated into several languages\, and she worked very closely with activists in China and India. \nImage credit: Joaquin Golez @othereros
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/queer-economies-of-care-5/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/march12th-april16th_Queer_Economies_Instagram_lavender.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="CLAGS%3A The Center for LGBT Studies":MAILTO:info@clags.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250404T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250404T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250314T173639Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250314T193121Z
UID:15324-1743789600-1743800400@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:An Evening with Ben Fink: Celebrating the Launch of “Noble Deeds\,” Hosted by Joe E. Jeffreys (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:The Bureau of General Services—Queer Division hosts a special evening celebrating the publication of Noble Deeds: Mythic Portraits of the Imperial Court. This NYC launch\, hosted by drag historian Joe E. Jeffreys\, will spotlight Ben Fink’s groundbreaking book\, which vividly captures the pageantry and philanthropy of one of the oldest LGBTQ+ organizations. \nJoin us at The LGBT Community Center\, 208 13th St\, RM 101\, on Friday\, April 4\, 2025\, from 6 PM to 9 PM. \nBen and  Joe E Jeffries will discuss the historical and cultural significance of the Imperial Court System and the creation of NOBLE DEEDS. \nBen will share his inspiration behind the portraits\, share stories from the book\, and present a slideshow of images that showcase the unique artistic approach of the work. \nNoble Deeds by Ben Fink is not just a book but a monumental tribute to the enduring legacy and vibrancy of the Imperial Court\, one of the oldest and most influential LGBTQ+ organizations in the world. Over a span of seven years\, Ben Fink devoted over 10\,000 hours to this project\, meticulously capturing the essence of more than 650 iconic figures within the Imperial Court through his lens and art. This expansive hardbound coffee table book\, which is a self-published endeavor is a limited edition run with an even more exclusive book box set\, presents a collection of these portraits\, each one a testament to the individual’s unique contributions and the collective impact of the Court. \nEach image in Noble Deeds is a masterful blend of photography and illustrated techniques\, brought to life through an eight-color printing process that adds a vibrant painting-like quality to the art. These portraits are not just pictures; they are visual storytelling pieces that create narratives fitting for the personalities portrayed. They build upon the elaborate costumes and personas crafted by the subjects themselves during their year-long reigns as emperors\, empresses\, dukes\, duchesses\, princes\, princesses\, and their nonbinary counterparts. \nThe book offers readers a deep dive into a beguiling blend of myth and reality that defines the Imperial Court. Through stunning portraits enhanced by evocative imagery\, Fink not only captures but also celebrates the spirit of these figures—each portrayal resonating with the dignity\, flamboyance\, and commitment of its subject. The portraits range from regal depictions to intimate glimpses into the personal moments of these community icons\, each framed within the broader narrative of LGBTQ+ history and activism. \nAlongside the visual feast\, Noble Deeds also presents a meticulously researched history of the Imperial Court\, co-written by Ben Fink and a noted historian within the court system\, Daniel Barrows. This narrative spans over 5\,000 words\, detailing the Court’s evolution from its humble beginnings in 1965 to its pivotal role in community service\, philanthropy\, and activism today. The history component of the book does more than recount facts; it weaves the personal tales of those depicted in the portraits with the larger story of the Court’s impact on society. \nThis book is a must-have for anyone interested in the intersection of art\, history\, and LGBTQ+ activism. From its compelling narrative to its breathtaking visuals\, Noble Deeds serves as a vital document of the pageantry and philanthropy that have characterized the Imperial Court for over six decades. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of Noble Deeds ($160)\, please write to the Bureau at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of Noble Deeds for April 4 event.” \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person in room 101 of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n  \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n  \nAbout the Author: \nBorn in Baltimore in 1963\, multidisciplinary artist and photographer Ben Fink found refuge and a deep connection in the expressive power of art from an early age. His distinctive talent gained him access to the Memphis College of Art and later the University of Memphis\, where he explored the traditions of painting\, graphic design\, photography\, and art history. Ben relocated to New York City in the late ’90s\, attaining success as a photographer for major corporate brands and iconic food personalities. Ben has provided visuals for more than 300 cookbooks\, earning attention in high-profile national publications and accolades from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and James Beard Foundation. His works delve into complex social themes and showcase haunting narratives\, establishing him as a notable figure in photography circles. His latest book\, Noble Deeds\, highlights issues of personal identity and social rebellion through painterly portraits. \n  \nAbout the host: \nJOE E. JEFFREYS is a multiplatform drag historian and pundit. He has published on the subject in encyclopedia\, essay anthologies\, journals\, and zines\, while his drag- happy videos have screened at galleries and museums internationally\, including the Tate Modern. \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/ben-fink-noble-deeds/
LOCATION:The Lesbian\, Gay\, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 101\, New York\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-4_25-Ben-Fink.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250405T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250405T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250316T180046Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250316T180046Z
UID:15330-1743865200-1743872400@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Bywater Books and the Publishing Triangle Present "Brave New Worlds" (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Brave New Worlds: \nTelling our stories in a time of erasure and censorship. \nAs queer writers\, we have learned that embracing the diversity of our cultural experiences and identity informs the ways we write and the stories we tell. But these are dark days\, and we need literature that can lift us up and give us hope. How do the current political and cultural climates impact the types of stories writers need to tell\, and what genres we use to tell them? What are the impacts of threats of reprisal and erasure? Is there still a place for Happily Ever After narratives? What do those conventions even look like for our literary community today? Tomorrow? \nJoin Bywater Books authors Samara Breger\, Anna Burke\, Cheryl A. Head\, and Ann McMan in an important and thoughtful discussion moderated by Carol Rosenfeld. \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/bywater-books-and-publishing-triangle/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-5-Bywater-Pub-Triangle-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Publishing Triangle":MAILTO:staff@publishingtriangle.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250406T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250406T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250319T204929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250324T145542Z
UID:15349-1743951600-1743958800@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Sensations Magazine: First Century of the American Gay Rights Movement\, 1924-2024\, Research Presentation with Poetry (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Historian\, publisher\, and poet David Messineo shares highlights from his recent research findings on “The First Century of the American Gay Rights Movement\, 1924-2024” – the theme of the 2024 Sensations Magazine – and is joined by poets Alyta Adams\, Joel Allegretti\, Davidson Garrett\, Steve Koenig\, and others TBA\, sharing their original poems published in the issue. \nA Q&A will follow the presentation. No open mic. \nSensations Magazine is an award-winning literary magazine based in New Jersey\, publishing independently since 1987.  Copies of the 2024 Sensations Magazine are available for purchase at the Bureau for $25–reduced to $20 at the event! \nThe event is free to attend and open to the public. \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \n  \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books or publications. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/sensations-magazine/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-6-Sensations-Magazine-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250407T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250407T213000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250303T164826Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250312T230622Z
UID:15239-1744050600-1744061400@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (in-person Brooklyn Institute for Social Research course)
DESCRIPTION:The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research presents Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz at the Bureau \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \n“Queerness is not yet here\,” José Esteban Muñoz declares. And yet\, his work is animated by sympathetic\, often exuberant explorations and nuanced analyses of queer performance and queer activism—from the evanescent installations of Felix Gonzales-Torres to the reparative performances of Nao Bustamante. What does it mean\, then\, to propose that queerness has yet to arrive? What are the dimensions of normativity—political\, aesthetic\, temporal—that seek to forestall it? And with what tools might queerness be\, eventually\, realized? Drawing on a wide variety of thinkers\, concepts\, and discourses\, from Ernst Bloch to Lauren Berlant\, from “structures of feeling” to “counterpublics\,” from psychoanalysis to theories of race\, sexuality\, and performance\, Muñoz takes an interdisciplinary and decidedly optimistic approach to queerness as a horizon of radical potentiality. Whether breaking new ground with his theory of disidentification—an anti-normative orientation for queers and people of color that both embraces and subverts stereotypes—or attending to the potency of gesture in drag and dance\, Muñoz helps us envision and construct queer worlds using materials scavenged from the normative trappings of identity. If queerness is not here yet\, how\, thinking with Muñoz\, can we bring it about? \nIn this course we’ll read from José Muñoz’s classic Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity\, examining along the way other essays by him and work by the artists he cites\, including\, among others\, Bustamante\, Gonzalez-Torres\, Amiri Baraka\, Frank O’Hara\, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. We’ll ask: how does “disidentification” traverse the dual allure of identification with and transgression of dominant cultural meanings? What strategies does aesthetics offer\, if what we are seeking is a rearrangement of everyday practices as well as structural and communal change? How might theory itself be re-conceptualized from the perspective of artistic practices? And how might our own engagement—or disidentification—with contemporary discourses bring about queerness in the here and now? \n“Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (In-Person)” is being held in partnership with the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, an all-volunteer queer cultural center\, bookstore\, and event space hosted by The Lesbian\, Gay\, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. For a limited time\, the Bureau is selling José Muñoz’s Cruising Utopia at a 20% discount ($22.40 instead of $28)—just mention the course when purchasing in-store! \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET*\nApril 07 — April 28\, 2025\n4 weeks\n$335.00 \nThree scholarship spaces are reserved for each course\, because we realize that not everyone can afford to pay the full fee. Students who cannot pay the full fee should email us at info@thebrooklyninstitute.com to learn about our scholarship options. We will not ask questions about your financial situation\, but we do ask that you use the system in good faith and consider the needs of other students and faculty members. \nRegister here!\n*Please note: the Bureau is not open on Mondays. We will open for this course at 6 PM. \nImage: David Wojnarowicz\, Science Lesson (detail)\, 1982-83.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/future-queer-bisr/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-BISR-Jose-Esteban-Munoz.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250409T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250409T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250114T191047Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250305T222352Z
UID:15136-1744221600-1744232400@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar: Queer Economies of Care: Community\, Desire\, and the Politics of Necessity (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS\nAbout the Seminar\nCLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and the Barnard Center for Research on Women are thrilled to announce the Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar in the city\, a six-week program exploring the transformative legacy of Amber Hollibaugh—a radical lesbian feminist\, scholar\, artist\, and lifelong activist for queer survival economies. \nFacilitated by interdisciplinary artist and educator Gili Rappaport\, this seminar invites participants to dive into themes of queer survival\, care\, and community resilience in the face of economic hardship\, criminalization\, and marginalization. Participants will engage with foundational texts\, recorded dialogues\, and contributions from local artists and activists while contributing to a living archive honoring queer histories and futures. \nThe Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar (2024) relaunches CLAGS’ public education series\, Seminars in the City\, originally held in July 1998. \nThe Amber Hollibaugh Seminar is co-sponsored by the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (@bgsqd) and Barnard Center for Research on Women. \n\nWhy Join?\nThis seminar is more than a class—it’s a space to build community\, a book club to reflect on queer survival strategies\, and an homage to Amber’s vision of community care and radical solidarity. Participants will explore the intersections of class\, desire\, and kinship through a rich syllabus of readings\, discussions\, and creative work. \nWhether you’re an organizer\, artist\, body worker\, visionary\, builder\, or community member\, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn\, share\, and contribute to an archive of queer care and resistance. \nSchedule\nDates: March 12 – April 16\, 2025\nTime: Wednesdays\, 6–9 PM\nLocation: Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (208 West 13th Street\, NYC) \nPlease note: The April 16th meeting will NOT take place at the Bureau. We will post the location for that date as soon as we have that confirmed. \nThis is an in-person experience. Unfortunately\, we cannot accommodate remote participants at this time. \nWhat to Expect\nEach week focuses on a key theme: \n\nWeek 1: Queer Survival Economies — Honoring Amber Hollibaugh’s Legacy\nWeek 2: Public Space\, Gentrification\, and Queer Displacement\nWeek 3: Oral Histories and Resilient Queer Spaces\nWeek 4: Queer Desire and Class as Radical Resistance\nWeek 5: Trans and BIPOC Narratives on Survival and Criminalization\nWeek 6: Community-Based Economies and Mutual Aid\n\nReading list (excerpts provided free of charge\, available through the CLAGS archive) \n\nAmber Hollibaugh\, My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home\nLeah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha\, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home\nAudre Lorde\, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name\nGloria Anzaldúa\, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza\nbell hooks\, Belonging: A Culture of Place\nAlexis Pauline Gumbs\, M Archive: After the End of the World\nJosé Esteban Muñoz\, Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity\nVivek Shraya\, I’m Afraid of Men\nGayle Rubin\, Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality\nLeah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha\, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice\nTourmaline\, Black Trans Feminism is the Future\nEric A. Stanley and Nat Smith (Eds.)\, Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex\nSylvia Rivera\, Queens in Exile\, The Forgotten Ones\nDean Spade\, Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next)\nAdrienne Maree Brown\, Pleasure Activism\nAlexis Pauline Gumbs\, Dub: Finding Ceremony\n\nParticipation Details \n\nOpen to NYC publics\, free of charge\nWe encourage applications from first-time students\, people from underrepresented communities\, and interests that reflect the city’s diversity of cultures\, aesthetics\, and creative practices. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible space for all participants. If you need any accommodations to fully participate in the seminar\, please note this in the application form.\n20 spots available—apply soon!\nParticipants will have the option to contribute to a collaborative publication and CLAGS archive project\n\nNO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS\nAbout Amber Hollibaugh\nAmber Hollibaugh was a legendary radical/lesbian/feminist/scholar/artist. A lifelong political activist and organizer\, she was on the founding board of Queers for Economic Justice and served as QEJ’s Executive Director from 2011-2014. She established Queer Survival Economies (QSE)\, a project at the Barnard Center for Research on Women addressing the intersections of sexuality\, poverty\, homelessness\, labor\, and the criminalization of survival. Hollibaugh was the Founding Director of the Lesbian AIDS Project at GMHC\, the first effort of its kind to organize with and for lesbians living with HIV. Amber also served as the Director for Aging Initiatives at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She fought for class and poverty issues to be addressed by an otherwise very bourgeois LGBTQ movement. Amber was a fierce advocate for transnational solidarity and movement building around sexuality\, bodily autonomy and pleasure. Her publications included the book My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home\, and she directed and co-produced the documentary film The Heart of the Matter. Her works have been translated into several languages\, and she worked very closely with activists in China and India. \nImage credit: Joaquin Golez @othereros
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/queer-economies-of-care-6/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/march12th-april16th_Queer_Economies_Instagram_lavender.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="CLAGS%3A The Center for LGBT Studies":MAILTO:info@clags.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250310T195138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250311T135544Z
UID:15291-1744311600-1744318800@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Griffin Hansbury in Conversation with Eileen Myles (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Celebrating the paperback launch of his Stonewall Award-winning novel Some Strange Music Draws Me In\, Griffin Hansbury will read and talk with acclaimed author Eileen Myles. Topics may include: trans life across generations\, growing up working class\, Boston accents\, queer pessimism\, the 1980s\, Patti Smith\, escaping the suburbs\, queer survival in MAGA families. \nTo reserve a copy of Some Strange Music Draws Me In (W. W. Norton and Company\, April 15\, 2025\, paperback\, $18.99) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Some Strange Music for April 10 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n\n\n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n\n  \nAbout Some Strange Music Draws Me In: \nThis provocative novel tells an emotionally gripping story about friendship\, family\, and transgender awakening in a working-class American town. It’s the summer of 1984 in Swaffham\, Massachusetts\, when Mel (short for Melanie) meets Sylvia\, a tough-as-nails trans woman whose shameless swagger inspires Mel’s dawning self-awareness. But Sylvia’s presence sparks fury among her neighbors and throws Mel into conflict with her mother and best friend. Decades later in Trump’s America\, Max (formerly Mel) is on probation from his teaching job for\, ironically\, defying speech codes around trans identity. Back in Swaffham\, he must navigate life as part of a fractured family and face his own role in the disasters of the past. \nPraise for Some Strange Music Draws Me In: \n“One of the best works of literary fiction I’ve read not just this year but in the last several.” – Drew Broussard\, Lit Hub \n“At once an analysis of gender\, sex\, and\, yes\, class\, it’s also populated with characters so real you’ll wish you could hang out with them and keep them safe.”  – Rufus Hickock\, BUST Magazine \n“This gorgeous\, propulsive novel is filled with beauty and danger\, youth and wisdom and the life-saving lifelines of counterculture. With writing so tense and honest and real\, I recognized this place and these people deeply\, and felt them all in my heart long after the book was finished.” – Michelle Tea\, author of Knocking Myself Up \n“I loved this devastating marvel of a book.” – Andrea Lawlor\, author of Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl \n“From the first brilliant sentence I knew I was going to love this book\, and I did. Griffin’s writing is poetic and searching and I felt like I had lived these characters’ lives even though we’re worlds apart.” – Ariel Schrag\, author of Adam \n“This funny\, defiant\, and passionate novel will make you want to play Patti Smith’s Horses at full volume as a soundtrack while you’re still reading. Some Strange Music Draws Me In is the coming-of-age\, reckoning-with-gender story we have all needed for decades\, the kind that can change and save your life.” – James Hannaham\, author of Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta  \nhttps://griffinhansburywriter.com/some-strange-music-draws-me-in/ \n  \n  \nGriffin Hansbury (he/him) is the author of Vanishing New York and Feral City (as Jeremiah Moss). A Pushcart Prize and Stonewall Book Award winner\, his writing has appeared in several publications\, including n+1\, the New York Times\, the New Yorker and Paris Review. He works as a psychoanalyst in Manhattan. \n  \nEileen Myles (they/them) is a poet\, novelist\, and art journalist whose practice of vernacular first-person writing has made them one of the most recognized writers of their generation. Pathetic Literature\, which they edited\, came out in Fall of 2022. a “Working Life”\, their newest collection of poems\, is out now. They live in New York and in Marfa\, Texas. \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/griffin-hansbury/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-10-Griffin-Hansbury-Eileen-Myles-banner-rev1-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T120000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250311T193756Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250311T193924Z
UID:15313-1744455600-1744459200@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:lesbian book club: April edition (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:We’ll be reading fiction and non-fiction — classic\, contemporary\, revealing and visionary. As a group we will decide what to read each month\, focusing on lesbian authors and/or related topics. Co-founded by lesbian book lovers Judi Komaki and Piper Olsen. \n\n\nFor our April 12th meeting\, we’ll read Bessie Smith: A Poet’s Biography of a Blues Legend by Jackie Kay (Vintage\, 2021\, paperback\, $16.95). Purchase a copy from the Bureau before April 12th and receive a 15% discount ($14.41 instead of $16.95). Just mention the lesbian book club when making your purchase. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n\n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \nRegistration is not required. 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/lesbian-book-club-april-edition/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-lesbian-book-club-Bessie-Smith.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T180000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250310T204910Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250310T205807Z
UID:15294-1744470000-1744480800@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Queerbook Picture Day (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:This is the last picture day event for the first year of Queerbook project. Everyone from the LGBTQIA+ community is welcome to have their portrait taken to be included in the project. \nQueerbook is a cyanotype print portrait series created by Daniel Cavanaugh. Reminiscent of school portraits\, somewhere between documentation and representation\, the series is attempts to offer the LGBTQIA+ community an opportunity to present as themselves and honor each other. The series began during Pride weekend of 2024 during a free picture day provided by the artist at Colorway Studios in Brooklyn. So far throughout the year\, over 120+ people have sat for the Queerbook portrait series\, the Class of 2024-2025. \nPlease join us at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division for this picture day on April 12\, 2025 from 3 to 6pm and sit for your portrait. All are welcome\, as time permits.  \nA selection of the series is currently on display at the Bureau as part of a group exhibition entitled\, What Are You Looking At? \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/queerbook-picture-day/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/QUEERBOOK-FLYER-0412-Daniel-Cavanaugh.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250414T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250414T213000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250303T165118Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250312T230416Z
UID:15242-1744655400-1744666200@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (in-person Brooklyn Institute for Social Research course)
DESCRIPTION:The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research presents Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz at the Bureau \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \n“Queerness is not yet here\,” José Esteban Muñoz declares. And yet\, his work is animated by sympathetic\, often exuberant explorations and nuanced analyses of queer performance and queer activism—from the evanescent installations of Felix Gonzales-Torres to the reparative performances of Nao Bustamante. What does it mean\, then\, to propose that queerness has yet to arrive? What are the dimensions of normativity—political\, aesthetic\, temporal—that seek to forestall it? And with what tools might queerness be\, eventually\, realized? Drawing on a wide variety of thinkers\, concepts\, and discourses\, from Ernst Bloch to Lauren Berlant\, from “structures of feeling” to “counterpublics\,” from psychoanalysis to theories of race\, sexuality\, and performance\, Muñoz takes an interdisciplinary and decidedly optimistic approach to queerness as a horizon of radical potentiality. Whether breaking new ground with his theory of disidentification—an anti-normative orientation for queers and people of color that both embraces and subverts stereotypes—or attending to the potency of gesture in drag and dance\, Muñoz helps us envision and construct queer worlds using materials scavenged from the normative trappings of identity. If queerness is not here yet\, how\, thinking with Muñoz\, can we bring it about? \nIn this course we’ll read from José Muñoz’s classic Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity\, examining along the way other essays by him and work by the artists he cites\, including\, among others\, Bustamante\, Gonzalez-Torres\, Amiri Baraka\, Frank O’Hara\, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. We’ll ask: how does “disidentification” traverse the dual allure of identification with and transgression of dominant cultural meanings? What strategies does aesthetics offer\, if what we are seeking is a rearrangement of everyday practices as well as structural and communal change? How might theory itself be re-conceptualized from the perspective of artistic practices? And how might our own engagement—or disidentification—with contemporary discourses bring about queerness in the here and now? \n“Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (In-Person)” is being held in partnership with the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, an all-volunteer queer cultural center\, bookstore\, and event space hosted by The Lesbian\, Gay\, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. For a limited time\, the Bureau is selling José Muñoz’s Cruising Utopia at a 20% discount ($22.40 instead of $28)—just mention the course when purchasing in-store! \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET*\nApril 07 — April 28\, 2025\n4 weeks\n$335.00 \nThree scholarship spaces are reserved for each course\, because we realize that not everyone can afford to pay the full fee. Students who cannot pay the full fee should email us at info@thebrooklyninstitute.com to learn about our scholarship options. We will not ask questions about your financial situation\, but we do ask that you use the system in good faith and consider the needs of other students and faculty members. \nRegister here!\n*Please note: the Bureau is not open on Mondays. We will open for this course at 6 PM. \nImage: David Wojnarowicz\, Science Lesson (detail)\, 1982-83.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/future-queer-bisr-2/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-BISR-Jose-Esteban-Munoz.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250407T172225Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250416T145828Z
UID:15386-1744828200-1744833600@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:2025 Publishing Triangle Awards Finalists Reading (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:The Publishing Triangle presents its Awards Finalists Reading on Wednesday\, April 16\, the day before the 2025 Publishing Triangle awards ceremony. Join host Rob Byrnes as he welcomes RK Fauth\, Joshua Garcia\, Omotara James\, Ruben Reyes Jr.\, and Margot Douaihy as they read from some of the best LGBTQ+ fiction and poetry published in 2024. \n  \n*** \nSpecific books and awards: \nAudre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry \nSong of My Softening\, by Omotara James (Alice James Books) \nA Dream in Which I Am Playing with Bees\, by RK Fauth (Texas Tech University Press) \nFerro-Grumley Award for LGBTQ+ Fiction \nThere is a Rio Grande in Heaven\, by Ruben Reyes Jr. (Mariner Books) \nThom Gunn for Gay Poetry \nPentimento\, by Joshua Garcia (Black Lawrence Press) \n\nJoseph Hansen Award for LGBTQ+ Crime Writing \nBlessed Water\, by Margot Douaihy (Zando/Gillian Flynn Books) \n  \n\nTo reserve a copy of any of these books\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a book/books for April 16th event” in the subject line. And let us know the title(s) of the book(s) in the body of the email.\n\nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!\n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/2025-pub-triangle-finalists/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/April-16-2025-Pub-Triangle-Finalists-banner-Rev2-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Publishing Triangle":MAILTO:staff@publishingtriangle.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250418T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250418T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250228T153836Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250402T173706Z
UID:15223-1745002800-1745010000@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Crossings: Creative Ecologies of Cruising\, by João Florêncio & Liz Rosenfeld—Book Launch (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:Join us to celebrate the publication of João Florêncio & Liz Rosenfeld’s new book Crossings: Creative Ecologies of Cruising. A creative dialogue between a queer artist and a queer academic reminiscing about and thinking with their cruising experiences\, Crossings takes queer sex practices and cultures seriously as ways of knowing and world-making. The result is an erotic hybrid form hovering between scholarship and avant-garde experimentation\, between critical manifesto and sex memoir. Here\, the voices of each author\, merged together in one\, invite the reader to inhabit the erotic spacetime between self and other\, the familiar and the strange\, desire and pleasure\, climax and release. That is\, the spaces and temporalities of cruising itself. \n  \n“Finally\, a book about cruising that is actually about friendship—sex and sensibility\, desire as gateway to more connection\, more critical engagement\, more dreaming. Yes\, Crossings rescues cruising from the drudgery of hyper-individualist masculinist posturing\, invoking the sweet caress of ruined bodies against policing in all its forms. Guidebook\, ode\, invocation\, and creative intervention\, it’s all here in this tender faggotry.” \n—Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore\, author of Touching the Art \n  \nThe event will feature introductory words by Shaka McGlotten and Grace Lavery\, followed by a performance reading of book excerpts by the authors\, and a book signing. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of CROSSINGS (Rutgers University Press\, April 15\, 2025\, paperback\, $22.95)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve CROSSINGS for April 18th” in the subject line. \n  \nThe event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, room 210 of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n  \nJOÃO FLORÊNCIO is professor of gender studies and chair of the sex media and sex cultures research area at Linköping University\, Sweden. He is the author of Bareback Porn\, Porous Masculinities\, Queer Futures: The Ethics of Becoming-Pig. \nLIZ ROSENFELD is an interdisciplinary artist\, writer\, and educator. Born in New York City\, they are based in Berlin. \nGRACE LAVERY is a writer and academic. She is the author of several books\, including Pleasure and Efficacy: Of Pen Names\, Cover Versions\, and Other Trans Techniques. \nShaka McGlotten is the author of Dragging: Or\, in the Drag of a Queer Life and Virtual Intimacies: Media\, Affect\, and Queer Sociality. They teach media studies and anthropology at Purchase College-SUNY\, where they also serve as Chair of the Gender Studies program.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/crossings/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Crossings-NYC-promo-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250421T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250421T213000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250303T165338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250312T230326Z
UID:15245-1745260200-1745271000@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (in-person Brooklyn Institute for Social Research course)
DESCRIPTION:The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research presents Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz at the Bureau \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \n“Queerness is not yet here\,” José Esteban Muñoz declares. And yet\, his work is animated by sympathetic\, often exuberant explorations and nuanced analyses of queer performance and queer activism—from the evanescent installations of Felix Gonzales-Torres to the reparative performances of Nao Bustamante. What does it mean\, then\, to propose that queerness has yet to arrive? What are the dimensions of normativity—political\, aesthetic\, temporal—that seek to forestall it? And with what tools might queerness be\, eventually\, realized? Drawing on a wide variety of thinkers\, concepts\, and discourses\, from Ernst Bloch to Lauren Berlant\, from “structures of feeling” to “counterpublics\,” from psychoanalysis to theories of race\, sexuality\, and performance\, Muñoz takes an interdisciplinary and decidedly optimistic approach to queerness as a horizon of radical potentiality. Whether breaking new ground with his theory of disidentification—an anti-normative orientation for queers and people of color that both embraces and subverts stereotypes—or attending to the potency of gesture in drag and dance\, Muñoz helps us envision and construct queer worlds using materials scavenged from the normative trappings of identity. If queerness is not here yet\, how\, thinking with Muñoz\, can we bring it about? \nIn this course we’ll read from José Muñoz’s classic Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity\, examining along the way other essays by him and work by the artists he cites\, including\, among others\, Bustamante\, Gonzalez-Torres\, Amiri Baraka\, Frank O’Hara\, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. We’ll ask: how does “disidentification” traverse the dual allure of identification with and transgression of dominant cultural meanings? What strategies does aesthetics offer\, if what we are seeking is a rearrangement of everyday practices as well as structural and communal change? How might theory itself be re-conceptualized from the perspective of artistic practices? And how might our own engagement—or disidentification—with contemporary discourses bring about queerness in the here and now? \n“Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (In-Person)” is being held in partnership with the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, an all-volunteer queer cultural center\, bookstore\, and event space hosted by The Lesbian\, Gay\, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. For a limited time\, the Bureau is selling José Muñoz’s Cruising Utopia at a 20% discount ($22.40 instead of $28)—just mention the course when purchasing in-store! \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET*\nApril 07 — April 28\, 2025\n4 weeks\n$335.00 \nThree scholarship spaces are reserved for each course\, because we realize that not everyone can afford to pay the full fee. Students who cannot pay the full fee should email us at info@thebrooklyninstitute.com to learn about our scholarship options. We will not ask questions about your financial situation\, but we do ask that you use the system in good faith and consider the needs of other students and faculty members. \nRegister here!\n*Please note: the Bureau is not open on Mondays. We will open for this course at 6 PM. \nImage: David Wojnarowicz\, Science Lesson (detail)\, 1982-83.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/future-queer-bisr-3/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-BISR-Jose-Esteban-Munoz.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250423T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250423T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250331T163123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250414T154050Z
UID:15371-1745434800-1745442000@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Q&A and Book Signing: The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide for Lonely Planet by Alicia Valenski (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an exciting evening at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division as we celebrate Lonely Planet’s The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide: Interviews\, Itineraries\, & Inspiration from Insiders in 50 Proud Places Around the Globe written by queer\, neurodivergent travel author Alicia Valenski. Alicia will be joined in conversation by Ed Salvato\, an LGBTQ+ tourism industry author and educator interviewed about his expertise in the book’s introduction and conclusion.\n  \nThe LGBTQ+ Travel Guide centers around people\, not just places\, with LGBTQ+ locals in each place offering personal portraits\, in their own words\, of what makes their destination sparkle. \nQueer community members from different backgrounds and walks of life offer honest\, helpful insights for LGBTQ+ travelers planning to visit their city\, along with inspiration for armchair travelers around the world. \nThe LGBTQ+ Travel Guide includes: \n\n50+ LGBTQ+ travel destinations around the world where the queer community can thrive outside of just Pride parades in the USA\, Europe\, Africa\, South America\, Asia\, Canada\, Australia\, and more\nInsider recommendations and travel tips from LGBTQ+ locals and tastemakers highlighting queer-owned businesses and queer-friendly experiences and excursions throughout\nStunning photography and beautifully illustrated maps for each destination\, featuring color-coded points of interest\nIntimate interviews that bring the reader into LGBTQ+ communities in a personal way with honest\, helpful insights for queer travelers planning to visit their city\, along with inspiration for armchair travelers around the world\n\nPacked with practical information on what to see and do\, and sprinkled with dozens of insider travel tips and inspiration\, The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide is for readers who don’t let their gender expression or sexual orientation hold them back from seeing all the beauty in the world. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide (Lonely Planet\, March 18\, 2025\, hardcover\, $30)\, write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide for April 23rd event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThe Q&A will run from 7:30-8:15 p.m. Guests are welcome to arrive from 7 p.m.\, and there will be time after the chat for a book signing from 8:15-9 p.m. \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n  \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n  \nAbout the speakers: \nAlicia Valenski (she/her) is an American travel writer and the author of The LGBTQ+ Travel Guide with Lonely Planet. With a journalism degree from Penn State\, Alicia cut her teeth as a writer and editor at the Charlotte Observer before rising to the lofty heights of senior editor at theSkimm. Now\, she’s navigating life in the Netherlands with her partner\, their dog\, and a GPS that’s forever confused by the country’s endless bike paths. You can find her on Substack at aliciavalenski.substack.com or on social media at @aliciavalenski. \n  \nEd Salvato is a leading LGBTQ travel expert whose work for over 25 years has centered on the safety\, concerns\, and evolving needs of LGBTQ travelers. As former editor-in-chief of OUT Traveler and ManAboutWorld\, and editor of the groundbreaking Out & About gay travel newsletter\, Ed has long provided vital information and insights for queer travelers navigating a complex world. He co-authored The Handbook of LGBT Tourism & Hospitality\, and has advised destinations\, hotels\, travel advisors and travel brands on creating truly inclusive and welcoming experiences. He served for six years on the board of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA)\, including five years as Treasurer.  \n\nEd speaks globally on LGBTQ travel safety and inclusion and is a professor of tourism and hospitality at New York University’s Tisch Center of Hospitality\, where\, in addition to his regular course load\, he created the first course dedicated to inclusion and belonging in tourism. He is proud that his contributions have been included in the LGBTQ+ Travel Guide and grateful to be included in this important conversation.\n\n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/lgbtq_travel_guide/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-23-Lonely-Planet-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250425T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250425T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250318T171717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250322T155839Z
UID:15346-1745607600-1745611200@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Warhol Superstar\, Jackie Curtis Undressed: Joey Preston in Conversation  (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:This event celebrates the release of Jackie Curtis Undressed\, a memoir by Joey Preston\, Jackie Curtis’s cousin and executor. In his new book\, Preston shares a collection of stories and memories that paint an intimate portrait of his famous cousin—the legendary downtown performance artist and Warhol superstar\, Jackie Curtis.  \nIn conversation with researcher Jenny Mohan\, Preston will reflect on his first-hand experiences of Jackie’s meteoric rise in the downtown art scene\, alongside a generation of other iconic talents. The memoir also delves into the lives of their unconventional family\, particularly their renowned grandmother\, Slugger Ann\, whose East Village bar was a cornerstone in both cousins’ lives. \nThe event will feature select materials from the Jackie Curtis Papers\, part of The Center Archive\, offering a unique glimpse into Jackie’s world. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of Jackie Curtis Undressed (paperback\, $16.95)\, write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Jackie Curtis Undressed for April 25th event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n  \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n  \nJoey Preston is a lifetime native New Yorker as well as Executor to the Estate of his First Cousin and Godfather\, Warhol Star\, Jackie Curtis. After decades of supporting Jackie’s work and memory\, Joey has emerged as a two-time author who reflects on his interpersonal and professional experiences as witnessed through his eyes and feelings of a close family member.  \nJoey has always spent his life in the support of Jackie\, not only during their family and professional lives together\, but also in the public sharing of Jackie’s memory through stage managing\, directing\, producing for stage and film\, speaking engagements\, as well as Associate Producer of the major film documentary\, “Superstar In A Housedress – The Life and Legend of Jackie Curtis”.  \nAs keeper of the legal flame\, Joey continues to represent Jackie’s literary plays and poetry after four decades since Jackie’s death. Jackie’s archival files are now permanently available for review at the LGBT Center in New York City for posterity and future generations to enjoy. \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/jackie-curtis-undressed-joey-preston/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-25-Joey-Preston-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250426T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250426T160000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250311T183924Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250311T183924Z
UID:15310-1745679600-1745683200@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Two Books in One Year (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Launching a debut novel (Rabbis of the Garden State) and a debut book of poetry (It Wasn’t Easy to Reach You)\, both from Dan Meltz\, who will be in conversation with Rob Byrnes. \nTo reserve a copy of Rabbis of the Garden State (Rattling Good Yarns Press\, May 6\, 2025\, paperback\, $18.95) and/or It Wasn’t Easy to Reach You (Trail to Table\, February 14\, 2025\, paperback\, $20)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve book for April 26 event” in the subject line and let us know which book in the body of the email. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n\n\n  \n\nDan Meltz was raised in the low-rent reaches of Jersey\, 16 minutes from Times Square\, and has lived in Manhattan for fifty years. He’s a retired technical writer and teacher of Deaf young people\, with a B.A. from Columbia (no honors). Both his first book of poems\, “It Wasn’t Easy to Reach You\,” from Trail to Table\, and his first novel\, “Rabbis of the Garden State\,” from Rattling Good Yarns\, have been published in 2025. \n  \nRob Byrnes is the Lambda Literary Award-winning author of six novels and several short stories and essays. He has been a member of The Publishing Triangle Steering Committee for more than a decade\, and currently serves as Treasurer. He has been inducted into the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival Hall of Fame and has been recognized with a Gay City News Impact Award and inclusion on City & State NY’s annual “Gay Power 100” list.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/dan-meltz/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-26-Dan-Meltz-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250427T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250427T173000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250311T153124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250409T183206Z
UID:15306-1745766000-1745775000@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Strange & Unyielding Spring Launch: Amber Dawn + Anton Solomonik + Dia Felix + Emily Zhou (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:It’s a freaky\, filthy\, and likely rage fueled get-together. It’s also a book launch. Little Puss Press and Arsenal Pulp press join forces to bring you: Anton Solomonik\, with his debut book Realistic Fiction; and Amber Dawn with her new poetry collection—Buzzkill Clamshell\, along with Emily Zhou and Dia Felix to up the literary unruliness.  \nReadings to be followed by a book signing.  \nTo reserve any of the above titles\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve book(s) for April 27 event\,” and please let us know which titles you’d like us to reserve for you in the body of the email. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n  \nWhat are people saying? \nAbout Realistic Fiction: “My heart overflows at this long-awaited story collection\, which blends Sonic the Hedgehog aesthetics with the exacting interior investigations of a trans Thomas Mann\, and which answers that question through unforgettable narrators who passionately strive to become less than they are\, and who fail.” \n—Jeanne Thornton\, Lambda Award-winning author of Summer Fun and A/S/L \n  \nAbout a body more tolerable: “a sophomore collection that creeps\, howls\, floats\, shatters. an Indigenous speaker grapples with survival\, the foster care system\, the body\, conceptions of motherhood\, and trans girlhood in this heart-wrenching leap that returns what is most precious to us through lush language and keen lyricism.” \n–Kinsale Drake\, National Poetry Series-winning author of The Sky Was Once a Dark Blanket \n  \nAbout Buzzkill Clamshell: “The poems in Buzzkill Clamshell showcase the author’s trademark wit and emotional range as they map the terrain of sexuality\, aging\, chronic illness\, and trauma with gorgeous language that is somehow both shocking and subtle.” \n-Kai Cheng Thom\, author of Falling Back in Love With Being Human \n  \nParticipants’ bios: \nAnton Solomonik is a writer and illustrator living in Brooklyn. He’s the co-host of the World Transsexual Forum\, a discussion panel and open mic series for trans writers and artists. His first book\, Realistic Fiction\, launches in April 2025 by LittlePuss Press. \n  \nAmber Dawn is a writer and creative facilitator living on unceded Coast Salish Territories (Vancouver\, BC). She is the author of several books\, including two novels (Lambda Literary Award winner Sub Rosa and Sodom Road Exit) and two poetry collections (Where the words end and my body begins and My Art Is Killing Me and Other Poems). \n  \nDia Felix is a writer and media producer currently living in the Hudson River Valley. \n  \nEmily Zhou‘s first book\, Girlfriends\, won the 2023 Publishing Triangle’s Leslie Feinberg Award and was a finalist for the 2023 Lambda Literary Award in Transgender Fiction. She is the “Editrix-At-Large” at LittlePuss Press and a fiction editor at Joyland Magazine. Her shorter writing has appeared in Literary Hub\, e-flux journal\, Xtra\, Club Curran\, and a few other places. She lives in New York. \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/strange-unyielding-spring-launch/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-27-Strange-and-Unyielding-banner-REV1-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T213000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250303T165757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250312T230234Z
UID:15249-1745865000-1745875800@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (in-person Brooklyn Institute for Social Research course)
DESCRIPTION:The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research presents Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz at the Bureau \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \n“Queerness is not yet here\,” José Esteban Muñoz declares. And yet\, his work is animated by sympathetic\, often exuberant explorations and nuanced analyses of queer performance and queer activism—from the evanescent installations of Felix Gonzales-Torres to the reparative performances of Nao Bustamante. What does it mean\, then\, to propose that queerness has yet to arrive? What are the dimensions of normativity—political\, aesthetic\, temporal—that seek to forestall it? And with what tools might queerness be\, eventually\, realized? Drawing on a wide variety of thinkers\, concepts\, and discourses\, from Ernst Bloch to Lauren Berlant\, from “structures of feeling” to “counterpublics\,” from psychoanalysis to theories of race\, sexuality\, and performance\, Muñoz takes an interdisciplinary and decidedly optimistic approach to queerness as a horizon of radical potentiality. Whether breaking new ground with his theory of disidentification—an anti-normative orientation for queers and people of color that both embraces and subverts stereotypes—or attending to the potency of gesture in drag and dance\, Muñoz helps us envision and construct queer worlds using materials scavenged from the normative trappings of identity. If queerness is not here yet\, how\, thinking with Muñoz\, can we bring it about? \nIn this course we’ll read from José Muñoz’s classic Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity\, examining along the way other essays by him and work by the artists he cites\, including\, among others\, Bustamante\, Gonzalez-Torres\, Amiri Baraka\, Frank O’Hara\, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. We’ll ask: how does “disidentification” traverse the dual allure of identification with and transgression of dominant cultural meanings? What strategies does aesthetics offer\, if what we are seeking is a rearrangement of everyday practices as well as structural and communal change? How might theory itself be re-conceptualized from the perspective of artistic practices? And how might our own engagement—or disidentification—with contemporary discourses bring about queerness in the here and now? \n“Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (In-Person)” is being held in partnership with the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, an all-volunteer queer cultural center\, bookstore\, and event space hosted by The Lesbian\, Gay\, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. For a limited time\, the Bureau is selling José Muñoz’s Cruising Utopia at a 20% discount ($22.40 instead of $28)—just mention the course when purchasing in-store! \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET*\nApril 07 — April 28\, 2025\n4 weeks\n$335.00 \nThree scholarship spaces are reserved for each course\, because we realize that not everyone can afford to pay the full fee. Students who cannot pay the full fee should email us at info@thebrooklyninstitute.com to learn about our scholarship options. We will not ask questions about your financial situation\, but we do ask that you use the system in good faith and consider the needs of other students and faculty members. \nRegister here!\n*Please note: the Bureau is not open on Mondays. We will open for this course at 6 PM. \nImage: David Wojnarowicz\, Science Lesson (detail)\, 1982-83.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/future-queer-bisr-4/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/April-BISR-Jose-Esteban-Munoz.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250501T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250501T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250418T162715Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250418T162715Z
UID:15431-1746122400-1746129600@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Opening Reception for My Romantic Ideal (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:My Romantic Ideal \nA Queer Photography exhibition curated by Slava Mogutin \nMay 1 – August 31\, 2025 \nOpening reception: Thursday\, May 1\, 6-8 PM\nBureau of General Services—Queer Division\nRoom 210 of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W 13th Street\, NYC 10011 \nFeatured Artists\nAlejandro Ruiz (US-Mexico) @alexandroruixx\nBen Prince (US) @benprinceusa\nBenjamin Fredrickson (US) @benjaminfredrickson2\nBrian Kenny (US) @briankennny\nBruce LaBruce (Canada) @brucelabruce\nCameron Lee Phan (Vietnam-US) @cameronleephan\nCarter Peabody (US-Mexico) @carter_pbd\nDonovan Quiroz (Mexico) @dnvn1\nFrancis Schichtel (US) @francis_schichtel\nGerardo Vizmanos (Spain-Germany) @gerardovizmanos\nGio Black Peter (Guatemala-US) @gioblackpeter11\nJan Wandrag (South Africa-US) @janwandrag\nŁukasz Leja (Poland-US) @lukaszleja\nLuke Abby (UK-Germany) @lukeabby\nMatt Lambert (US-Germany) @dielamb\nMiguel Villalobos (Venezuela-US) @miguelvillalobosnyc\nPaul Mpagi Sepuya (US) @pagmi\nQuil Lemons (US) @quillemons\nRobert Flynt (US) @robertflyntfoto\nRoss Collab (US) @rosscollab\nScott Hug (US) @mr._hug\nSlava Mogutin (Russia-US) @slavamogutin\nStanley Stellar (US) @stellar.fse\nStuart Sandford (UK-Mexico) @stuartsandford\nTom Bianchi (US) @tombianchi\nTony Solis (Mexico) @tonysolisyosoy\nTyler Matthew Oyer (US) @tmostudio\nVictor Jeffreys II (US) @victorjeffreysii \nCuratorial statement: \nMy Romantic Ideal is a queer photography exhibition that explores the intersections of intimacy\, desire\, and identity in the contemporary landscape of escalating culture wars\, with state-sponsored\, religious and corporate homophobia and censorship on the rise on both sides of the Atlantic. \nAs queer artists\, we occupy spaces where love and lust collide\, where fantasy and reality dissolve\, and where the body becomes both a site of pleasure and protest. This collection of work from 28 emerging and established photographers—each with their unique vision\, background\, and experience—offers a kaleidoscopic view into the multifaceted and often contradictory nature of queer romance. \nThe title of the exhibition reflects the tension between societal expectations of romance and the deeply personal\, rebellious\, and liberating expressions of love and desire that queer artists present. Romantic ideals have historically been dictated and shaped by heteronormative frameworks\, but here\, we subvert and redefine them through a queer lens. Each artist challenges\, queers\, and reclaims the concept of romanticism in their own way\, whether through intimate portraiture\, raw documentation of lived experiences\, or surreal\, dreamlike compositions. \nAs a curator\, I aimed to gather a selection of artists whose work resonates with the complexities of queer love\, desire\, and identity in their many forms. These photographers are not simply documenting a queer reality—they are creating new paradigms of romanticism\, fueled by their journeys and passions. Together\, their works form a vibrant intergenerational dialogue about the politics of love\, the performance of romance\, and the transformative power of queer eroticism. \nMy Romantic Ideal is not just an exhibition of photography\, but a declaration of the many ways we\, as queer artists\, claim and redefine love—on our own terms\, with all its contradictions\, joys\, and struggles. \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/opening-reception-my-romantic-ideal/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/MY_ROMANTIC_IDEAL_BGSQD_flyer2_WEB.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250502T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250502T203000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250407T195858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250418T163124Z
UID:15391-1746212400-1746217800@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:FORGOTTEN ANGELS - A Matter of Honor Lesbian Nurses during the Vietnam War (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:An Award Winning New Stage and Film Project by Lesbian Writer\, Director\, Producer Ann P Meredith \nProduced by Swordfish Productions Pictures & Theatricals \nWinner 1st Place Open Meadows Foundation Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwright and the Don and Bruce Brown Foundation’s Donna R Burnes Award \nSCRIPTED PERFORMANCE – May 2nd\, 2025\, 7-8:30pm \nCast – Lisa Davis\, Anne Marie Cicciu\, & Ann Meredith \n  \n\n\nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n\n  \nVIETNAM: the most Unpopular & Disliked War in the History of our Country \nShockingly 11\,000 U. S. Women Served in this Most Hated War \n231\,741 Women are 17.3 % of the Military Active-Duty Force \n171\,000 Women are 21.4% of the National Guard & Reserves \n29\,000 are Lesbian & 39\,900 Women Reported Sexual Assaults \n  \nWomen in the Military Face Unique Challenges \nRetention\, Military Sexual Assault\, Gender Discrimination\, Murder\, Under & Unpaid Salaries\, Illegal Discharges\, Inadequate Healthcare 80% of LGBTQ Sexual Harassment Bias-Hate Crimes \n  \nFor More Information Contact: Swordfish Productions Pictures & Theatricals +1.917.806.9078 \nwww.annpmeredith.com \n annpmeredith7@gmail.com \nspecialfilm@gmail.com
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/forgotten-angels/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/May-2-Forgotten-Angels-banner-REV2-1-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250503T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250429T160321Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250429T160321Z
UID:15455-1746284400-1746291600@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Immigrating to the Netherlands for Queer and Trans Folks (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:A workshop for queer and trans Americans who would like information about immigrating to the relatively safe haven of the Netherlands\, a country that is consistently ranked at the top of world rule-of-law indices. \nJeremy Bierbach\, a queer immigration lawyer qualified at the bar of Amsterdam\, and himself an immigrant from the United States\, will explain everything about the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (often called the “DAFT”)\, a treaty that makes it relatively easy for any US citizen to get a residence permit (a long-term visa) for the Netherlands for the purpose of being an entrepreneur (i.e. as a business owner or freelancer); a US citizen can also be joined by their spouse or partner\, even if that person is not a US citizen and even if they are not married or legally partnered. \nImmigrating this way also provides a path\, after five years’ residence\, to long-term resident status (i.e. a “green card” for the EU) and even citizenship. Subjects covered will include the immigration procedure itself\, as well as issues relating to recognition of name and gender changes and the health care system. There will be plenty of time for Q&A. \n  \n\n\nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n\n  \nJeremy Bierbach (he/him) is originally from Pittsburgh\, Pennsylvania. In 2001\, Jeremy emigrated to the Netherlands\, where he studied law at the University of Amsterdam and became an attorney specialized in EU civil rights law and Dutch immigration and citizenship law. He lives with his husband in Zaandam\, just outside Amsterdam.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/immigrating-to-the-netherlands/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/May-3-Immigrating-to-the-Netherlands-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250504T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250504T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250410T162613Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250414T150131Z
UID:15406-1746370800-1746378000@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Between Worlds\, Between Words — poets in conversation with Irena Klepfisz (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Between Worlds\, Between Words \nThe Polish Cultural Institute New York and exquisites queer and trans reading series are excited to announce “Between Worlds\, Between Words\,” an afternoon of poetry and conversation celebrating the work of Irena Klepfisz taking place on Sunday\, May 4th\, 3pm\, at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division. Irena Klepsfisz is the author of several poetry collections including her newest publication\, Pomiedzy swiatami/Between Worlds: Selected Poems and Essays\, translated in English and Polish. \nThe afternoon at the Bureau will feature cross-generational readings by queer Jewish poets Ariel Goldberg\, Clairette Atri Mizrahi\, Ayaz O. Muratoglu\, and Irena Klepfisz. Following the readings there will be a conversation moderated by danilo machado and Em Marie Kohl of exquisites\, touching upon themes of diaspora\, identity\, and translation. Audience members will be able to participate in a Q&A and enjoy the opportunity to mingle after the event at the Bureau\, with refreshments provided by the Polish Cultural Institute New York. This event is free\, with suggested donations supporting the Bureau. \n  \n\n\nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n\n  \nMore about the participants and organizers: \nIrena Klepfisz is a lesbian poet\, essayist\, translator\, activist and a practicing secular Jew. She was a co-founder and co-editor of the ground breaking Conditions magazine\, co-editor of The Tribe of Dina\, and promoter and translator of the works of Yiddish women writers. She taught Jewish Women’s Studies at Barnard College for 22 years and English and Women’s Studies at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for women. She has focused much of her activism on reconciliation between Jews and Palestinians. Her recent work Her Birth and Later Years: Poems New and Collected 1971-2021 was the winner of the Audre Lorde Lesbian Poetry Prize from the Publishing Triangle and a finalist for the 2022 Jewish Book Council prize in poetry. In 2024\, a bilingual edition of her poetry and prose appeared in Poland titled Pomiedzy swiatami/Between Worlds and published by slowo/obraz terytoria. \n  \nAriel Goldberg is a writer\, curator\, and educator devoted to trans and queer lineages and lesser-known histories of photography. Goldberg’s books include The Estrangement Principle (Nightboat Books\, 2016) and The Photographer (Roof Books\, 2015). Their exhibition Images on which to build\, 1970s-1990s was on view from 2022-2024 in at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati\, Leslie-Lohman Museum in NYC\, and the Chicago Cultural Center. Goldberg was a recipient of the 2020 Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Book Grant and a 2024 Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellow at the New York Public Library\, to support their book-in-progress on trans and queer image cultures of the late 20th century. A proud member of ACT-UAW 7902\, Goldberg has taught at Bard College\, The New School\, New York University\, Pratt Institute\, Cooper Union\, and Rutgers University. Goldberg is in the Winter 2025 Apprenticeship Program at the New York Peace Institute and works independently as a Conflict Mediator. \n  \nClairette Atri Mizrahi studied Social Psychology at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). She holds an MFA in Creative Writing in Spanish from New York University and is currently working on her PhD in Critical Social / Personality Psychology at the Graduate Center (CUNY) in NYC. Her first poetry collection\, De la Boca de Mi Madre (self-published)\, explores the intergenerational saying-without-saying\, an alternative way of using language\, of Syrian-Jewish women in Mexico. Her theater script Nunca estás y estás has been selected for various staged readings and play development programs including Cimientos (2024) at IATI Theater and DramaLab (2019) at King Juan Carlos I Center. \n  \nAyaz Orme Muratoglu is a poet\, critic\, and translator working between Istanbul and New York. From 2022-24\, he worked as an audio and technical manager at the Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church\, and he curated and edited the 2023-24 chapbook series for the feminist poetry press Belladonna*. Ayaz was born on a Tuesday in April. \n  \nexquisites is a Brooklyn-based queer and trans poetry series co-founded by Em Marie Kohl and danilo machado. Since 2022\, exquisites has hosted over 170 poets at their collectively-curated first Thursday readings held in community spaces throughout Brooklyn. For April-August 2025\, exquisites monthly readings will be at Aberdeen Community Garden in Bushwick. Exquisites also hosts workshops and\, to date\, has published four anthologies. exquisites has received support from the Brooklyn Arts Council (2023\, 2024) and Poets & Writers (2023-2025)\, and is a fiscally-sponsored community project with Fractured Atlas. \n  \nPolish Cultural Institute New York\, established in 2000\, is a diplomatic mission to the United States serving under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. The mission of the Polish Cultural Institute New York is to share Polish heritage\, history and art with American audiences\, and to promote Poland’s contributions to the success of world culture.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/between-worlds-between-words/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/FINAL_exquisites_PCINY_thebureau_facebook-exquisites-reading-series.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T204500
DTSTAMP:20260404T024146
CREATED:20250421T180510Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T144655Z
UID:15445-1746730800-1746737100@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Book Reading: Exiting the Bluegrass Turnpike by Benjamin Rue Silliman (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Benjamin Rue Silliman reads from his debut novel Exiting the Bluegrass Turnpike\, a story about a kid being outed in high school in Kentucky\, and the kindness and love from an unexpected friend. He will be joined in conversation by Maria Pirrone. \n  \n“Exiting the Bluegrass Turnpike is a fierce and tender page-turner about a young man’s journey from darkness towards authenticity. Silliman’s heartfelt and perceptive story is needed now more than ever—an urgent reminder of how compassion and kindness can save lives.”                         – Jonathan Corcoran – Author of No Son of Mine: A Memoir (April 2024)\n\n  \n\nTo reserve a copy of Exiting the Bluegrass Turnpike (Rabbit House Press\, March 4\, 2025\, paperback\, $17.95)  please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Exiting the Bluegrass Turnpike for May 8 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n\n\n  \nBenjamin Rue Silliman is the author of Exiting the Bluegrass Turnpike. Born and raised in Lexington\, Kentucky\, and is a graduate of Ole Miss\, NYU\, Columbia\, and North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Benjamin is an accounting professor (and department chair) at St. John’s University. He is married to his husband Frank. This is his debut novel. \n  \nMaria M. Pirrone\, Esq.\, CPA\, is an associate professor of accountancy at St. John’s University in the Tobin College of Business. Maria has published numerous articles in the field of taxation in theJournal of AccountancyandCPA Journal; she and Benjamin are currently collaborating on an article focusing on the fifty years of the Earned Income Tax Credit. Maria is a triple alumna of St. John’s\, including a J.D.\, and holds a graduate degree in tax law from New York Law School.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/exiting-the-bluegrass-turnpike/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/May-8-Benjamin-Silliman-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250509T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250509T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024147
CREATED:20250324T164425Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250324T171050Z
UID:15358-1746817200-1746824400@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Craig Smith and Ben Wise: The Collection (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Join authors Craig Smith and Ben Wise for a discussion of their book The Collection (2024). The Collection features matchbooks collected at gay clubs\, bars\, hotels\, and restaurants in the United States between 1971-1982. The matchbooks were collected by Larry Blagg and eventually archived in the Rare Books and Manuscripts Collection at Cornell University. Smith and Wise discovered Blagg’s collection at Cornell while conducting research into the lyrics\, legislation\, and literature that stigmatizes marginalized communities in the United States and abroad. They photographed the collection on-site at Cornell in 2023 and this new book was finished in the Summer of 2024. A second\, limited edition book entitled American Ace was also created and published by Invisible Hand Press (Tivoli\, NY) featuring sixty-two matchbook reproductions made with two-color risograph print technology\, including a letterpress cover with hand painted gold tint emblem. Smith and Wise’s presentation will address the contemporary actions at the local\, state\, and federal level that perpetuate stigma and consider other book projects utilizing archives to explore the cultural epochs that shape community. \nThe Collection book features sixty-six full color photo-lithography reproductions of the matchbooks in a hardcover with dust jacket. The books were made in an edition of 1000\, with Smith and Wise designing the book with Shapco Press in Minneapolis who also handled the printing. Both The Collection and American Ace will be available for purchase at the event. \n\n\n  \nTo reserve a copy of both/either The Collection (Shapco Printing\, 2024\, hardcover\, $75)  and/or American Ace (Invisible Hand Press\, 2024\, paperback\, $75)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of [title(s)] for May 9th event.” \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n  \n\n\nDr. Craig Smith is an American media artist whose art and research focuses on the process\, aesthetics\, and ethics of human‐to‐human interactivity in contemporary art\, especially photography\, sound\, and socially engaged performances. Smith has been awarded grants from numerous organizations including the New York State Council on the Arts as well as the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Smith’s published books about art practice and social engagement include Relational Art: A Guided Tour (2024) with Bloomsbury Publishing\, LLC\, the Training Manual for Relational Art (2009) by CEPA Gallery\, as well as On the Subject of the Photographic (2007) by the University of the Arts London. \nSmith’s exhibitions of photography\, live sound performances\, lectures\, and other art media have been featured at an international range of museums\, galleries\, art fairs\, athletic facilities\, and financial organizations including the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.\, PS1 MOMA Contemporary Art Institute in New York\, The Tate Modern in London\, The George Eastman House in Rochester\, the Cantor Film Center (NYU)\, the Hudson River Museum\, the Mao Live House (Beijing)\, CAFA (Beijing) and the Burchfield Penney Art Center (Buffalo) as well as galleries and art fairs including CEPA Gallery (Buffalo)\, Galerie Schuster Photo (Berlin)\, the Douglas Hyde Gallery (Dublin)\, RARE Art (New York)\, SCM Hong Kong\, ARTSPACE Sydney\, The Kent Gallery and White Columns (New York)\, Elsewhere Museum\, and the Scope Art fairs in London\, New York\, and Miami. \nSmith has held teaching positions at numerous universities and colleges including New York University\, Goldsmiths College\, and the London College of Communication (University of the Arts London). Smith joined the University of Florida in 2010. \n  \nAssociate Professor Ben Wise (Ph.D. Rice University\, 2008) is a historian of modern America\, and specializes in southern history\, gender and sexuality\, and cultural history. He joined the History Department at the University of Florida as an Assistant Professor after teaching at Harvard University and holding a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of North Carolina\, Chapel Hill. \nHis first book\, William Alexander Percy: The Curious Life of a Mississippi Planter and Sexual Freethinker\, was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2012. In 2009 he was awarded the C. Vann Woodward Prize for the best dissertation in the field of southern history. His research has been supported by grants and awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities\, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation\, the Center for the Study of the American South at the University of North Carolina\, and the Regional Humanities Center at Tulane University. His articles have appeared in The Journal of American Studies\, Southern Cultures\, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography\, The William Mitchell Law Review\, and in the edited volume\, Southern Masculinity: Perspectives on Manhood in the South Since Reconstruction. \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/craig-smith-and-ben-wise-the-collection/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/May-9-The-Collection-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250510T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250510T120000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024147
CREATED:20250507T184227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250507T224103Z
UID:15467-1746874800-1746878400@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:lesbian book club: May edition (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:We’ll be reading fiction and non-fiction — classic\, contemporary\, revealing and visionary. As a group we will decide what to read each month\, focusing on lesbian authors and/or related topics. Co-founded by lesbian book lovers Judi Komaki and Piper Olsen. \n\n\nFor our May 10th meeting\, we’ll discuss Courting Justice: Gay Men and Lesbians V. the Supreme Court by Joyce Murdoch and Deb Price (Basic Books\, paperback\, 2002). Joyce Murdoch will join us to talk about her book. \nFor our June 14th meeting\, we’ll read If Not\, Winter: Fragments of Sappho\, translated by Ann Carson (Vintage\, paperback\, 2003\, $20). Purchase a copy before June 14th\, and receive a 15% discount ($17 instead of $20). Just mention the lesbian book club when making your purchase. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n\n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \nRegistration is not required. 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/lesbian-book-club-may-2025/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/May-10-lesbian-book-club.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250514T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250514T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024147
CREATED:20250507T200353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250507T200353Z
UID:15470-1747227600-1747242000@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Center Closing at 5 PM
DESCRIPTION:Our host\, The LGBT Community Center\, will close at 5 PM on Wednesday\, May 14th. \nSo the Bureau will only be open from 1 to 5 PM on May 15th.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/center-closing-at-5-pm/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250515T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250515T203000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024147
CREATED:20250325T142410Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250428T184314Z
UID:15367-1747335600-1747341000@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:OUTspoken: The Publishing Triangle’s Reading Series\, May Edition (in person & live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:The Publishing Triangle presents its monthly OUTspoken Reading Series as host Carol Rosenfeld welcomes Christopher Bollen\, Griffin Hansbury\, Keetje Kuipers\, Sue Landers\, Esther Lin\, and Robert Raasch. \n\nJoin us in-person or watch the live-stream to hear from some of queer literature’s most dynamic established and up-and-coming voices. \n\n\n\nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n 
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/outspoken-may-2025/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/May-15-OUTspoken-banner-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250522T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250522T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024147
CREATED:20250418T145319Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250512T162344Z
UID:15426-1747940400-1747947600@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Queer Happened Here by Marc Zinaman with Ande Whyland (in person and live-streaming)
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the release of Queer Happened Here: 100 Years of NYC’s Landmark LGBTQ+ Places with author Marc Zinaman and special guest and book contributor Ande Whyland to celebrate the iconic queer spaces that have shaped LGBTQ+ culture\, community\, and activism for decades. \n7 pm: Doors Open \n7:15 – 8 pm: Marc Zinaman in conversation with Ande Whyland \n8 – 8.15 pm: Audience Q & A \n8.15 – 9 pm: Book Signing and Sales \n9 pm: Event Ends \nPlease RSVP here. Note: RSVPs are encouraged\, but not required. Seating is limited and will be first come\, first served. \nThe event is co-sponsored by Village Preservation. \nWe hope you can join us! \n  \nSigned copies of Queer Happened Here will be available for purchase on the night of the event\, along with Whyland’s monograph\, Shots\, 1980–1986. \nTo reserve a copy of Queer Happened Here (Prestel Publishing\, April 29\, 2025\, hardcover\, $50) and/or Shots\, 1980-1986\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve book for May 22 event” in the subject line and let us know which book(s) you’d like us to reserve in the body of the email. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\nAlso live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel: \nyoutube.com/@bgsqd \n  \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n  \nAbout Marc Zinaman \nMarc Zinaman is a New York City-based writer and historian. Since 2021\, he has been running the social media account @Queer_Happened_Here\, which maps the forgotten LGBTQ+ history of the city. He has also been a contributing writer for the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project and Making Queer History website. He was the contributing editor of the book Getting In: NYC Club Flyers from the Gay 1990s\, and currently serves on the planning committee for the forthcoming American LGBTQ+ Museum. \n  \nAbout Ande Whyland \nWhen artist/photographer Ande Whyland moved to the East Village in 1980\, it was like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. She landed in Club 57\, a now legendary performance/ gallery space that was a headquarters of the astounding East Village art explosion of the 1980s. Ande’s candid photos made her a vital new member of this exclusive underground enclave. It also gave her inside access to other venues that fostered the burgeoning\, party-fueled scene – including The Pyramid Club\, Area\, Jackie 60\, Wigstock\, The Mermaid Parade\, Easter Parade and Slipper Room to name a few. \nThese photos have been published in numerous books and magazines including two separate issues of Artforum\, a full page in the Whitney Museum of Art catalogue “The American Century: 1950-2000.” Four photographs were chosen for the “East Village USA Show” at The New Museum\, and an extensive slide show for the Club 57 exhibition at MOMA. Her book “Shots\, 1980–1986” captures this period with writings by those whose photos are featured in the book. Her latest book “Balloons and Feathers\,” out last year captures the Burlesque stars from the early 2000’s also in their own words. Both books are available on BLURB. \n  \nAbout Queer Happened Here \nA sprawling\, unique visual history of New York City’s queer spaces\, Queer Happened Here documents the evolution of LGBTQ+ culture\, community\, and activism within Manhattan’s dynamic landscape over the course of a century\, spanning from 1920 to 2020. \nNew York’s LGBTQ+ history is everywhere\, but rarely is it visibly documented. Aside from current venues and a handful of landmark plaques\, important queer spaces from the city’s past have otherwise been forgotten about\, or remain entirely hidden. \nThis multifaceted book joyfully and poignantly explores a century of LGBTQ+ gathering spaces across Manhattan through hundreds of historic photographs\, flyers\, posters\, club membership cards\, magazine spreads\, and more. Author Marc Zinaman’s carefully researched\, engaging text includes first-person accounts and little-known facts that range from the humorous to the heartbreaking. \nFrom 1920s bathhouses\, drag balls\, and the ascent of homophobia during World War II\, to the protests and parades of the 1960s and 1970s\, to the horrors of AIDS; from the vibrant nightlife scene of the 1990s to 2018’s Rainbow Wave\, which saw a record number of queer elected officials in the US\, to the rise of geosocial dating apps\, every major milestone of LGBTQ+ social history is thoughtfully documented. \nPublished by Prestel. To find out more\, visit penguinrandomhouse.com
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/queer-happened-here/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/May-22-Queer-Happened-Here-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250523T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250523T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T024147
CREATED:20250410T174928Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250428T185658Z
UID:15412-1748026800-1748030400@www.bgsqd.com
SUMMARY:Book Release: Marcos Gonsalez presents In Theory\, Darling (in person only)
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the launch of In Theory\, Darling: Searching for José Esteban Muñoz and the Queer Imagination by Marcos Gonsalez. Combining memoir and cultural criticism\, Gonsalez brings us along with him as he searches for Muñoz’s legacy in the streets of New York and situates themself in the lineage of the queer elders who have come before him. In Theory\, Darling shows us what made Muñoz such a significant figure for so many and serves as a reminder of just how life-giving theory can be. \nMarcos Gonsalez will be joined in conversation by scientist and writer Joe Osmundson. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of In Theory\, Darling (Beacon Press\, May 20\, 2025\, hardcover\, $26.95)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve In Theory\, Darling for May 23rd event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nThis event will take place in person at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, on the second floor (room 210) of The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. \n\n\n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\n  \nThe Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. \nAll are welcome to attend\, with or without a donation. \n\nWe will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event\, but we can also take credit card donations at the register or on Venmo @BGSQD \n\n\n  \nMarcos Gonsalez is an author\, an essayist\, a scholar\, and assistant professor of English at Adelphi University. The author of Pedro’s Theory: Reimagining the Promised Land (2021)\, his research on queer and trans Latinx aesthetics and cultural production has been supported by the Ford Foundation and Mellon Foundation. His essays\, articles\, and reviews have appeared or are forthcoming in Literary Hub\, Transgender Studies Quarterly\, Inside Higher Education\, Ploughshares\, Catapult\, Los Angeles Review of Books\, The New Inquiry\, and elsewhere. \n  \nJoseph Osmundson is a scientist and writer. His latest book\, VIROLOGY\, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award and Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction\, and was called “dazzling” by the New York Times.
URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/in-theory-darling/
LOCATION:Bureau of General Services–Queer Division\, 208 West 13th Street\, Room 210\, New York\, NY\, 10011\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.bgsqd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/May-23-In-Theory-Darling-banner-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR