BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//BGSQD - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH 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;VALUE=DATE:20250629 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250630 DTSTAMP:20260406T110956 CREATED:20250526T152514Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250526T152514Z UID:15562-1751155200-1751241599@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Closed for Pride DESCRIPTION:The Bureau will be closed\non June 29 for Pride.\nHappy Pride\, friends!!! URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/closed-for-pride/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250704 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250705 DTSTAMP:20260406T110956 CREATED:20250526T152642Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250526T152642Z UID:15564-1751587200-1751673599@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Closed for July 4th DESCRIPTION:The Bureau will be closed on Friday\, July 4th. \nHappy holiday! URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/closed-for-july-4th/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=: END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250709T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250709T193000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250701T170911Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250701T170911Z UID:15636-1752085800-1752089400@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:EMOTICON LOVER. A performative event. (in person only) DESCRIPTION:Celebrating the release of his zine EMOTICON LOVER\, artist John Hanning invites the audience back to 1983—to remember\, reflect\, and honor those we’ve loved and lost. \nRooted in memory and shaped by the legacy of AIDS candlelight marches\, the evening offers space for remembrance\, resistance\, and connection. The event opens with spoken words by Camilo Godoy. \nCopies of the zine will be available for purchase. \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\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 URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/emoticon-lover/ 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/2025/07/July-9-Emoticon-Lover-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:20250713T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250713T153000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250703T190935Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250707T150423Z UID:15641-1752415200-1752420600@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:A Reading with Leigh Curran ("Going Nowhere Sideways") and Richard Willett ("A Friend of Dorothy's") (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Playwrights Leigh Curran and Richard Willett\, longtime friends and colleagues\, read from their first novels\, each set back in time. \nAbout Going Nowhere Sideways: \nAugust\, 1969. Molly Williams is young\, conservative and inexperienced when she discovers her boyfriend necking with his male roommate in a Greenwich Village restaurant. She freaks out\, hitches a ride to Woodstock\, does drugs for the first time and winds up in a medical emergency tent in the arms of Johnson\, a gentle\, spiritual Asian-American. When things don’t work out with Johnson\, Molly becomes emotionally\, physically\, and artistically involved with her former sister-in-law\, Nancy\, in a relationship full of fire. In Leigh Curran’s Going Nowhere Sideways\, Molly survives twenty years of emotional adventure and emerges a full-blooded\, middle-aged woman with her sense of humor and authenticity intact. \nAbout: A Friend of Dorothy’s \nIt’s 1986 in New York City and 27-year-old Eric Summerfield knows that “yuppies” are supposed to be obnoxious\, easily dismissed\, but he envies the clarity of their delusions\, their seeming ability to keep mortality at bay. He yearns\, in fact\, to be one of them. The catch: He’s no Wall Street insider\, but instead the underpaid employee of a Canadian chain bookstore in Midtown Manhattan\, a Canuck himself\, and gay\, and AIDS suddenly seems to be everywhere\, including in the body of his flamboyant friend and coworker Dale\, who inexplicably singles out a reluctant Eric to be his chief caregiver. It’s an experience that will change both of them. Richard Willett’s A Friend of Dorothy’s is a timeless\, universal coming of age novel\, in which the crucible of illness compels one young man to reach for something greater. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of A Friend of Dorothy’s (Magic Show Press\, June 15\, 2025\, paperback\, $17.99)\, and/or Going Nowhere Sideways (Fithian Press\, 1999\, paperback\, $14.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a book(s) for July 13 event” in the subject line and specify titles 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  \nLeigh Curran is an award-winning playwright\, novelist\, poet and teacher. Her first novel\, Going Nowhere Sideways\, looks at the coming of middle age when the struggle to stay the same is no longer an option. It was published by Fithian Press and is now available through on-line bookstores. \n  \nCanadian-American Richard Willett is best known as an award-winning playwright and screenwriter whose plays have been produced in New York\, Los Angeles\, and internationally. He wrote his only novel\, A Friend of Dorothy’s\, when he was in his twenties. Excerpts appeared in the legendary gay literary magazine Christopher Street and in Permafrost at the University of Alaska\, as well as being short-listed for New American Library’s Men on Men: Best New Gay Fiction\, but the novel itself was never published before now. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/leigh-curran-richard-willett/ 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/2025/07/July-13-Willett-banner-REV-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:20250716T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250716T200000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250611T152634Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250707T152938Z UID:15619-1752688800-1752696000@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Robert W. Fieseler discusses his new book AMERICAN SCARE: Florida's Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Join award-winning journalist and author Robert W. Fieseler as he discusses his new book AMERICAN SCARE: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives. A vital exposé for both our history and our present day\, AMERICAN SCARE tells the riveting story of how the Florida government destroyed the lives of Black and queer citizens in the twentieth century—with chilling parallels to today. \nRobert Fieseler will be joined in conversation by author and critic Bill Goldstein. \nThis event is presented in partnership with The American LGBTQ+ Museum‘s book club\, The Lavender Literary Society \nTo reserve a copy of AMERICAN SCARE: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives (Dutton\, June 17\, 2025\, hardcover\, $34)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve American Scare for July 16 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  \nRobert W. Fieseler is a journalist investigating marginalized groups and a scholar excavating forgotten histories. A National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Journalist of the Year and recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship\, his debut book Tinderbox won seven awards\, including the Edgar Award\, and his reporting has appeared in Slate\, Commonweal\, and River Teeth\, among others. Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is pursuing a PhD at Tulane University as a Mellon Fellow. He lives with his husband on the gayest street in New Orleans. \n  \nBill Goldstein reviews books and interviews authors for NBC’s Weekend Today in New York\, and was the founding editor of The New York Times books website. A graduate of the University of Chicago\, Goldstein received a PhD in English from the City University of New York Graduate Center. He is writing a biography of Larry Kramer\, to be published by Crown\, and was awarded a 2024-25 Public Scholars grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities to support his work on the book. He is the author of The World Broke in Two: Virginia Woolf\, T. S. Eliot\, D. H. Lawrence\, E. M. Forster\, and the Year that Changed Literature\, published in 2017. \n  \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/robert-w-fieseler/ 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/2025/06/July-16-American-Scare-banner.REV-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:20250720T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250720T160000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250708T150501Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250708T150628Z UID:15663-1753023600-1753027200@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Drag Story Hour with Lil Miss Hot Mess\, author of MAKE YOUR OWN RAINBOW: A DRAG QUEEN'S GUIDE TO COLOR (in person only) DESCRIPTION:Join author and drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess for a very special Drag Story Hour\, as we celebrate her recently-released book Make Your Own Rainbow: A Drag Queen’s Guide to Color.  Kids of all ages are also invited to sing and dance along as she reads her classics If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It and The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish\, Swish\, Swish.  Bonus points to those who attend dressed in their most colorful and fabulous looks\, as drag is all about letting your inner light sparkle brightly on the outside! \nPlease note: \nThis event will take place in person at The LGBT Community Center\, 208 W. 13th St.\, NYC\, 10011. The Bureau currently features a very adult exhibition of photographs\, so this event will take place in a kid-friendly room on the second floor of The Center. \n\n\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\n\n  \nReserve a copy of Make Your Own Rainbow (Running Press Kids\, May 13\, 2025\, hardcover\, $18.99) or any Lil Miss Hot Mess book by writing to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Make Your Own Rainbow for July 20th event” in the subject line. If you’d like to reserve other titles\, please just let us know in the body of the email. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \n  \nAbout Make Your Own Rainbow: A Drag Queen’s Guide to Color : \nBy Lil Miss Hot Mess\, Illustrated by Olga de Dios \nRunning Press Kids\, 2025 (more info) \nExplore a kaleidoscope of colors beyond the rainbow in this celebratory and empowering book by Drag Story Hour storyteller Lil Miss Hot Mess! \nDrag queens love to dance to their own beat\, speak their minds\, and let their best selves shine. They love all the colors of the rainbow—as well as all the colors beyond! \nFrom scarlet\, marigold\, lemon\, and emerald\, to azure\, periwinkle\, Byzantium\, and onyx\, the world’s diverse range of colors allows drag queens and kings to be authentic and creative. And you\, too\, can use any color or hue to express yourself and your fierce imagination! Travel through a colorful\, playful\, and uplifting world with Drag Story Hour superstar Lil Miss Hot Mess and whimsical illustrator Olga De Dios in their latest inclusive picture book. \n  \nLil Miss Hot Mess is the author of the children’s books Make Your Own Rainbow: A Drag Queen’s Guide to Color\, If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It\, and The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish\, Swish\, Swish\, and has written essays for HuffPost\, Slate\, and Wired. She serves on the board of Drag Story Hour\, and has appeared on world-class stages like SFMOMA\, Stanford University\, and Saturday Night Live. Follow her on social media @LilMissHotMess\, and learn more at lilmisshotmess.com. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/lil-miss-hot-mess/ 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/2025/07/July-20-LMHM-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:20250721T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250721T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250707T161426Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250707T171609Z UID:15650-1753122600-1753131600@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:A Gathering of the Tribes Presents: THE STOOP PROJECT: NO SUCH THING AS WRITER’S BLOCK Facilitated by: UGBA (in person only) DESCRIPTION:NO SUCH THING AS WRITER’S BLOCK \nFacilitated by: UGBA \nThis is a generative writing workshop\, open to all skill levels.\n \n$5 DONATION\, RESERVE YOUR SPOT – MONDAY\, JULY 21\n  \nABOUT THE WORKSHOP\nIn this session\, I will be sharing tools gathered over my 15+ year career as a professional writer and writing-workshop facilitator to equip writers (both novice and veteran) with the confidence to quiet that little voice in their head that says: I’ve gone as far as I can. I haven’t got anything left. It’s a lie! There are always more words—sometimes you just need an instructor willing to teach you how to find them: I am that instructor! \n  \nTHE STOOP PROJECT: SUMMER SERIES 2025\nHosted by A Gathering of the Tribes\, The Stoop Project: Summer Series 2025 features a curated selection of generative writing workshops by bearded poet Thomas Fucaloro. Sessions are open to all skill levels and will be held in person every third Monday from June through August 2025 at The Center’s bookstore\, Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, in NYC. Each workshop will be led by a different facilitator and focus on a unique theme. A $5 donation reserves your spot — see calendar for all event listings. \nIn tandem with the workshops\, each month Tribes will select a featured book from the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division. \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. \nPlease note: the Bureau is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. We will open at 6 PM on Monday\, July 21st\, for this workshop\, which will begin at 6:30 PM.\n  \nTHE HISTORY OF THE STOOP\nThe Stoop Poetry Workshop (1991–1995) was established and facilitated by Tribes’ founder Steve Cannon with fellow Lower East Side poet Bob Holman. Conceived on the stoop of Cannon’s East 3rd Street residence\, the workshop served as a creative incubator held before the Nuyorican Poets Café’s Friday Night Slams — allowing poets to refine their work and perform it the same evening. An extraordinary roster of poets participated in the Workshop\, including reg e. gaines\, Edwin Torres\, Tracie Morris\, Dana Bryant\, Mia Hansford\, Keith Roach\, Paul Beatty\, Willie Perdomo\, Dael Orlandersmith\, Ed Morales\, Ra\, and Mike Tyler. \nBuilding on Cannon’s ethos of “Each one\, teach one\,” The Stoop Project expands the original vision of the Workshop by inviting a wide array of guest facilitators to carry forward its spirit of collective growth\, experimentation\, and intergenerational exchange. \n  \nABOUT THE FACILITATOR\nUGBA (‘oog ba’) Ungrateful Black Artist (pronoun inclusive) is a queer poet\, rapper\, playwright\, actor\, and activist based out of Brooklyn\, NY. UGBA is the founder/host of CEREMONIES—a Brooklyn-based monthly Black-Queer artist showcase held in honor of Essex Hemphill. UGBA is also the founder of “Dark-Skin Support Group\,” a virtual support network for dark-skin Black Americans in need of a space to discuss the realities of colorism. In 2020\, UGBA was named a “Black LGBTQ+ playwright you need to know ” by Time Out NY. UGBA is the former script assistant for the Pulitzer Prize-winning and 5 time TONY nominated Broadway show “Fat Ham.” He is an alumnus of the Public Theater’s #BARS program and Emerging Writers Group 2020-2023 cohort. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/stoop-project-july-21/ 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/2025/07/July-21-Gathering-of-the-Tribes.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250723T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250723T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250707T163616Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250707T164455Z UID:15657-1753297200-1753304400@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:The Wicker/Johnson Papers Party! (in person only) DESCRIPTION:The Wicker/Johnson Papers Party! \nAll are invited to come join us at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division for a night of celebration! \nSince 1976\, Randy Wicker has collected an archive of activism and gay love in his Hoboken home\, where Marsha P. Johnson and many other queer New Yorkers lived over the past 50 years. While running his business Uplift Lighting in the Village for 30 years\, Wicker opened their home to countless queer friends and lovers whilechampioning progressive causes. Johnson\, a Stonewall Riots veteran and co-founder  of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries\, shared his home and participated in many campaigns during their time together. In processing since 2021\, Randy & Marsha’s papers are now available for researchers to tell the stories of the Uplift family. This collection preserves Randy & Marsha’s work as activists\, and also the lives of their extended gay family of lovers\, friends\, street people\, activists\, Uplift Lighting employees\, and residents of Hoboken’s legendary “Hotel Wicker” apartment. \nShare this invitation with any friends of the family\, and join us in celebrating their lives! \nCome ready to share your favorite memories and enjoy ephemera\, photos\, & films from the archive—and footage shot for the documentary currently in production directed by Devlyn Camp\, archivist of the collection & host of the podcast Queer Serial: American LGBTQ+ History Before Stonewall. \n**This event will be filmed as part of that documentary!** \nThis event is hosted by archivist Devlyn Camp and The LGBT Community Center National History Archive in collaboration with the Bureau. \nRSVP free at wickerjohnsonparty.eventbrite.com\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 \nContact Devlyn ourhistorypod@gmail.com or the Bureau contact@bgsqd.com with any questions. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/wicker-johnson-papers-party/ 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/2025/07/W_J-PARTY-FB-Devlyn-Camp.png ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250818T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250818T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250717T170759Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250717T170906Z UID:15675-1755541800-1755550800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:A Gathering of the Tribes Presents: THE STOOP PROJECT: WRITE BAD: POEMS THAT BREAK THE SILENCE Facilitated by: Roya Marsh (in person only) DESCRIPTION:WRITE BAD: POEMS THAT BREAK THE SILENCE \nFacilitated by: Roya Marsh \nThis is a generative writing workshop\, open to all skill levels. \nABOUT THE WORKSHOP\nThis workshop space will inspire writers to confront their fears and doubts with unapologetic courage and creativity. Write Bad is the space to be your most daring self and write the thing you’ve been running from. We will look at the work of Barbara Fant\, Donte Collins\, and KB Brookins. Participants will be called to continue writing beyond the session\, reminding them that the act of writing boldly is an ongoing practice. Courage is the most important tool in our writing toolkit. \n$5 DONATION\, RESERVE YOUR SPOT – MONDAY\, August 18\n  \nTHE STOOP PROJECT: SUMMER SERIES 2025\nHosted by A Gathering of the Tribes\, The Stoop Project: Summer Series 2025 features a curated selection of generative writing workshops by bearded poet Thomas Fucaloro. Sessions are open to all skill levels and will be held in person every third Monday from June through August 2025 at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division\, the independent\, all-volunteer queer bookstore in room 210 of The LGBT Community Center\, in NYC. Each workshop will be led by a different facilitator and focus on a unique theme. A $5 donation reserves your spot — see calendar for all event listings. \nIn tandem with the workshops\, each month Tribes will select a featured book from the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division. \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  \nTHE HISTORY OF THE STOOP\nThe Stoop Poetry Workshop (1991–1995) was established and facilitated by Tribes’ founder Steve Cannon with fellow Lower East Side poet Bob Holman. Conceived on the stoop of Cannon’s East 3rd Street residence\, the workshop served as a creative incubator held before the Nuyorican Poets Café’s Friday Night Slams — allowing poets to refine their work and perform it the same evening. An extraordinary roster of poets participated in the Workshop\, including reg e. gaines\, Edwin Torres\, Tracie Morris\, Dana Bryant\, Mia Hansford\, Keith Roach\, Paul Beatty\, Willie Perdomo\, Dael Orlandersmith\, Ed Morales\, Ra\, and Mike Tyler. \nBuilding on Cannon’s ethos of “Each one\, teach one\,” The Stoop Project expands the original vision of the Workshop by inviting a wide array of guest facilitators to carry forward its spirit of collective growth\, experimentation\, and intergenerational exchange. \n  \nABOUT THE FACILITATOR\nBronx\, New York native\, Roya Marsh is a poet\, performer\, educator\, and activist. She is the author of dayliGht\, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Lesbian Poetry and SAVINGS TIME (MCDXFSG). Roya works feverishly toward Queer liberation and dismantling white supremacy. She is the co-founder of the Bronx Poet Laureate\, a PEN America Emerging Voices Mentor\, Lambda Literary faculty\, and the awardee of the Lotos Foundation Prize for Poetry and the 2024 Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) Grant from Bronx Council on the Arts. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/stoop-project-august-18/ 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/2025/07/August-18-Stoop-Project.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250905T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250905T203000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250821T222057Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T162256Z UID:15723-1757098800-1757104200@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Book Launch - A History of Intimacy Professionals in Entertainment (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the launch of A History of Intimacy Professionals in Entertainment by Brooke M. Haney! \nJoin us for a reading and conversation with Nicole Callender\, Teniece Divya Johnson\, Olivia Troy\, and author Brooke M. Haney—four trailblazing intimacy coordinators who helped shape the industry. \nThis groundbreaking book is the first to trace the history of intimacy professionals in film\, TV\, and theatre—highlighting how they’ve built safer\, more respectful creative spaces that enable brave\, compelling storytelling. From #MeToo to COVID-19\, and union action to global collaboration\, it’s a love letter to the movement and the people who made it possible. \nWhether you’re a producer\, director\, actor\, educator\, student\, or simply passionate about safer\, more equitable creative spaces and the storytelling of sex\, this event offers an inspiring look inside a movement that is transforming the entertainment industry. \nTo reserve a copy of A History of Intimacy Professionals in Entertainment (Routledge\, July 31\, 2025\, paperback\, $48.99) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve History of Intimacy Professionals for September 5 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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/history-intimacy-professionals/ 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/2025/08/September-5-History-of-Intimacy-Pros-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:20250906T160000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250906T173000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250829T154109Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T151942Z UID:15762-1757174400-1757179800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:The New Negro: 100th Anniversary Celebration (in person only) DESCRIPTION:OUTWRIGHT LTD and the Bureau present: \nThe New Negro: 100th Anniversary Celebration \nJoin us in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the publication of the groundbreaking anthology\, The New Negro: An Interpretation (New York: Albert and Charles Boni\, 1925)\, edited by the esteemed philosopher and “Dean of the Harlem Renaissance” Alain Locke. This was the first collection of writings by a cross section of African American essayists\, poets\, and novelists issued by a major publishing company for a wide American audience. This celebration will discuss the book’s history and impact\, as well as some of the key figures involved in its genesis\, including Jessie R. Fauset\, Georgia Douglas Johnson\, and Paul U. Kellogg. \nIn the words of scholar Henry Louis Gates\, the Harlem Renaissance was “surely as gay as it was Black.” \nRefreshments! Door Prizes! \nCopies of: \nThe New Negro\, by Alain Locke (Scribner Book Company\, 1999 [originally published 1925]\, paperback\, $24) \nand \nThe New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke\, by Jeffrey C. Stewart (Oxford University Press\, 2020\, paperback\, $31.99) \n\n\n\nwill be available for purchase. To reserve a copy of either/both\, please write to us in advance at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve The New Negro and/or the Alain Locke bio for September 6th event” in the subject line.\n\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\nRegistration is not required. Seating is first come\, first served. \n\n\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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/the-new-negro/ 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/2025/08/September-6-New-Negro-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:20250908T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250908T213000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250822T180843Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250822T182751Z UID:15728-1757356200-1757367000@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Compulsory Heterosexuality: an Introduction to Adrienne Rich (in-person only/registration required) DESCRIPTION:Is heterosexuality a coercive institution that aids and abets the oppression of women? So argues Adrienne Rich in her famous essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence\,” which gave voice to a nascent lesbian liberation movement in search of alternatives to heterosexual feminism. A major poet\, Rich was also one of the key theoretical and literary voices of the women’s liberation movement\, and her prose work is by now canonical in the field of gender studies. And with her poetry\, Rich created a body of verse that investigated social\, cultural\, and political conditions for women in the last half of the twentieth century\, as well as the personal toll of feminist politics. Her writings have been at the heart of numerous feminist controversies\, from trans exclusionary radical feminism to pornography\, but have nonetheless continued to shape lesbian feminist discourse into the present day. How can we understand Rich’s unique corpus of poetry and feminist theory? How\, for Rich\, does one inform the other? And what is the problem with heterosexual feminism? How do gender\, sexuality\, reproduction\, and liberation relate? \nIn this course\, we will explore Adrienne Rich’s complicated legacy as theorist\, activist\, and poet by reading her work alongside the work of her fiercest critics and allies in the feminist movement\, including Mary Daly\, Susan Sontag\, Andrea Dworkin\, Michelle Cliff\, and Audre Lorde. Beginning with Rich’s foundational theorization of compulsory heterosexuality\, we will read her essays on sexual violence\, lesbian love\, women’s education\, motherhood\, pornography\, and racism alongside key poems from her oeuvre spanning the crucial years of women’s liberation. In what ways have women’s bodies historically been viewed as being at the service of men\, and how has heterosexuality instantiated that belief? What would it mean to build a “women’s culture” and how might this further feminism’s aims? What political potentials lie in viewing motherhood as an institution\, rather than an innate desire or calling? What role might anger\, disagreement\, and even violence play in the feminist fight to end patriarchal oppression? \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET\nSeptember 08 — September 29\, 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: https://thebrooklyninstitute.com/items/courses/new-york/adrienne-rich/\nIf you experience difficulties entering your card at checkout\, please feel free to call 718-422-7767 or email info@thebrooklyninstitute.com for assistance. \nThe course meetings 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. The Bureau is closed on Mondays\, but will open for these meetings at 6 pm on the scheduled Mondays. \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/compulsory-heterosexuality-adrienne-rich-1/ 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/2025/08/September-BISR-Adrienne-Rich.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250910T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250910T203000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250723T171224Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T161642Z UID:15686-1757530800-1757536200@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:AUTHOR EVENT: "The Lightning People Play" | Tim Cummings in conversation with Paul Sparks (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Join award-winning actor & author Tim Cummings (Alice the Cat) and Emmy-nominated actor Paul Sparks (House of Cards) as they crack open Tim’s new novel\, The Lightning People Play\, about a crew of brilliant teens who put up a play to raise money for a seizure-alert dog and their play opens an unexpected portal. Author Gayle Brandeis (The Art of Misdiagnosis) calls it “a breathtaking celebration of creativity and neurodivergence and connection” and Jeff Zenter (Morris-award winner for The Serpent King) says\, “Cummings weaves vivid\, gripping tales filled with heart and irreverent humor\, and told in an electric\, irresistible voice.” \nTo reserve a copy of The Lightning People (Black Rose Writing\, June 26\, 2025\, paperback\, $21.95)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve The Lightning People for September 10 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 \nEven better: \nsign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n\n  \nTim Cummings: Tim’s debut novel\, Alice the Cat (Fitzroy Books) was chosen as an American Book Awards ‘Best Book’ Finalist for 2023\, received a Bronze Medal in the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards\, and is a Finalist in both the 2024 National Indies Excellence Awards for Teen Fiction and the Independent Author Network’s Book of the Year Awards. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a BFA from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. He has appeared in 200+ projects across theatre\, film\, television\, voice-over\, and new media. Recent publications  include F(r)iction\, Scare Street\, Lunch Ticket\, MeowMeow PowPow\, From Whispers to Roars\, Drunk Monkeys\, Hare’s Paw\, Lit Angels\, The Wax Paper\, Excerpt\,  and Critical Read/RAFT\, for which he won the ‘Origins’ contest for his essay\, “You Have Changed Me Forever.” Tim is an octopus and spider enthusiast. He goes wild for anything with eight legs. He possesses enviable collections of stickers\, labradorite\, night-sky projector lights\, vintage vinyl\, and rare first-edition hardcover copies of some of his favorite novels. No one has ever made a better vat of chili\, and his lasagna is infallible. He teaches writing for UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. \n  \nPaul Sparks: Paul is currently shooting THE STALEMATE opposite Ben Foster. He recently completed production on THE MORTUARY’S ASSISTANT\, based on the popular horror video game\, as well as Sterlin Harjo’s new series\, THE LOWDOWN\, starring Ethan Hawke. Sparks appears in Michael Shannon’s directorial debut\, ERIC LARUE and in the upcoming Amazon limited series\, THE BETTER SISTER\, opposite Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel. Recent theatre appearances include Samuel D. Hunter’s latest\, GRANGEVILLE at Signature Theatre and WAITING FOR GODOT opposite Michael Shannon at Theatre for a New Audience. Paul starred in 3 seasons of the Apple+ series PHYSICAL opposite Rose Byrne. Additional series credits include JOE PICKETT and WACO for Paramount+\, Stephen Kings’ CASTLEROCK for Hulu\, HBO’s THE NIGHT OF and BOARDWALK EMPIRE\, Netflix’s HOUSE OF CARDS\, Starz’ THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE and SWEETBITTER. He has received SAG and Emmy Award nominations for his work in television. Among his many films are THOROUGHBREDS; THE GREATEST SHOWMAN; MIDNIGHT SPECIAL; MUD; SPARROWS DANCE; BLACKBIRD. Sparks’ distinguished work on stage has earned him seven Drama Desk Awards nominations as well as three Outer Critics Circle\, two Lucille Lortel and a Drama League Award nomination. \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/tim-cummings/ 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/2025/07/September-10-Tim-Cummings-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:20250912T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250912T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250825T175233Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T175233Z UID:15743-1757703600-1757710800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Questioning AI\, Louffa Press Anthology Book Launch (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Louffa Press is pleased to present a new anthology of critical essays\, artwork\, fiction and poetry on the theme of Queer-y-ing or Questioning Artificial Intelligence (AI). What can we learn from studying AI using a queer lens? A feminist lens? An inclusive lens? A democratic lens? A socio-political lens? An egalitarian lens? A moral lens? To what extent does AI know about feminist/LGBTQ/POC perspectives? These and other inquiries are at the heart of this publication. \nReaders include Beatriz Albuquerque\, Rae Armantrout\, Rebecca Goodman\, Robert Anthony Gibbons\, Jee Leong Koh\, Paco Marquez. Hosted by publisher of Louffa Press\, David Moscovich. \nThis event is funded in part by Poets & Writers with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. \nFor more information\, visit www.louffapress.net \n  \nTo reserve a copy of Questioning AI\, edited by David Moscovich (Louffa Press\, July 17\, 2025\, paperback\, $) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Questioning AI for September 12 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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n\n  \nBiographies of participants: \nBeatriz Albuquerque (Porto\, Portugal) is an artist\, performer\, teacher and researcher (they/them). They hold a Doctorate from Columbia University in New York with a Foundation for Science and Technology Scholarship and a Fulbright/Luso-American Foundation Scholarship. They completed their Master of Fine Arts at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prizes and awards include the Myers Art Award from Columbia University\, the Revelation Award from the 17th Cerveira Biennial and the Ambient Series Performance Award\, PAC/edge Performance Festival\, Chicago. They have held several individual and collective exhibitions including Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago\, Chicago Cultural Center; Chelsea Art Museum\, The Kitchen\, Emily Harvey Foundation\, Anthology Film Archives\, Queens Museum\, MoMA PS1 in New York; Istanbul Biennial; Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art; Brazilian Museum of Sculpture and Ecology in São Paulo; Museum of Contemporary Art of Bogota; Museum of Contemporary Art of Caracas; Museu Vila Velha in Vila Real\, Graça Brandão Gallery\, Serralves Museum\, Nuno Centeno Gallery\, among others. www.beatrizalbuquerque.com \n  \nDescribing the poems in Rae Armantrout’s latest book\, Go Figure\, Library Journal says\, “she has honed enduring art on the ephemera that constitute a consciousness in motion through the present.” Charles Bernstein says\, “Her sheer\, often hilarious\, ingenuity is an aesthetic triumph.” Armantrout’s 2018 book\, Wobble\, was a finalist for the National Book Award that year. In 2010\, Versed won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and The National Book Critics Circle Award. Her poems have appeared in many anthologies and journals including Poetry\, Conjunctions\, Lana Turner\, The Nation\, The New Yorker\, The London Review of Books\, Harpers\, The Paris Review\, Postmodern American Poetry: a Norton Anthology and several editions of The Best American Poetry. She is Professor Emerita at UC San Diego. \n  \nRobert Anthony Gibbons has been published in over thirty literary magazines and in several notable anthologies. His first collection\, Close to the Tree\, was published by Three Rooms Press in 2012. His chapbook\, Flight\, was published by Poets Wear Prada in 2019. You Almost Home\, Boy\, was published by Harlequin Creatures (2019). With Brooklyn based artist\, Amy Williams\, Some Little Words was published by 440 Gallery\, Brooklyn (2021)\, then Whom the Higher Gods Forgot (2022.) He has received funding from the Puffin Foundation\, United States Artists\, the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Brooklyn Council of the Arts. A native Floridian\, Robert came to New York City in search of his muse Langston Hughes and found a vibrant contemporary poetry community at the Cornelia Street Cafe\, the Green Pavilion\, Nomad’s Choir\, Brownstone Poets\, Hydrogen JukeBox\, Saturn Series\, and Phoenix\, among other venues. \n  \nRebecca Goodman is the author of Forgotten Night (Spuyten Duyvil 2023)\, Aftersight (Spuyten Duyvil\, 2015) and The Surface of Motion (Green Integer 2008). She teaches Creative Writing at Chapman University. \n  \nJee Leong Koh is the author of Steep Tea (Carcanet)\, named a Best Book of the Year by UK’s Financial Times and a Finalist by Lambda Literary in the USA. His hybrid work of fiction\, Snow at 5 PM: Translations of an insignificant Japanese poet\, won the Singapore Literature Prize in English fiction. He was also shortlisted for the prize for The Pillow Book (Math Paper Press/Awai Books)\, Connor and Seal (Sibling Rivalry)\, Sample and Loop (Bench Press)\, and Inspector Inspector (Carcanet). Koh’s work has been translated into Japanese\, Chinese\, Malay\, Vietnamese\, Russian\, and Latvian. Originally from Singapore\, Koh lives in New York City\, where he heads the literary non-profit Singapore Unbound. \n  \nPaco Márquez poetry has appeared in Fence\, The Literary Review\, Apogee\, Philosophy and Global Affairs and Huizache\, among others. His chapbook Portraits in G Minor was published by Folded Word Press in 2017. Originally from Mexico\, Paco moved to California with his family at the age of 13. In college\, he studied philosophy and literature at UC Berkeley. At age 42\, he acquired an MFA in creative writing poetry from New York University. Paco has served as poetry editor at Washington Square\, OccuPoetry\, and 128 Lit.   www.pacomarquez.net \n  \nDavid Moscovich (it/its) is the Romanian-American author of four novels: You Are Make Very Important Bathtime\, LIFE+70[Redacted]\, Blink if You Love Me\, and Manhattan Other. Workday [CAPTCHA Poems] will be released by BlazeVOX in 2025. Moscovich runs Louffa Press\, a small press publisher of chapbooks and artist books. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/questioning-ai-louffa-press/ 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/2025/08/September-12-Louffa-Press-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:20250913T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T120000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250825T192211Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T192211Z UID:15751-1757761200-1757764800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:lesbian book club reads The New Fuck You (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 September 13th meeting\, we’ll read The New Fuck You: Adventures in Lesbian Reading\, edited by Eileen Myles and Liz Kotz (Semiotext(e)\, paperback\, 1995\, $14.95). Purchase a copy before September 13th\, and receive a 15% discount ($12.70 instead of $14.95). 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-the-new-fuck-you/ 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/2025/08/LESBIAN-BOOK-CLUB-Piper-Toohey-Olsen.png ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T163000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250717T160102Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250717T160910Z UID:15670-1757775600-1757781000@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Double Take: Two Voices\, One Night: An Evening of Readings and Conversation with Franklin Abbott and Vinny Cusenza (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Join us for an evening of readings and conversation with Franklin Abbott and Vinny Cusenza \nFranklin Abbott will celebrate his poetic memoir My Ordinary Life \nMy Ordinary Life is as therapeutic as it is poetic with an affirmation of trauma that begins to allow it to surface and be healed.\nInterwoven are stories of friends who were lost\, the pain and fear of isolation\, the confusion of the world opening and closing again. Abbott interweaves his own aging\, the deaths of both of his parents and the growing awareness and appreciation of the simple gifts of everyday life. \nVincent Cusenza celebrates the publication of his historical/thriller/romance debut novel Blood and Soil. \nThe only things that closeted Columbia undergrad Tony has in common with Jake\, a mixed-race mountaineer with bad love luck\, are his bone-bred biases and a raw attraction that defies his notions of happiness. \nThey meet in August 1960 in the Highlands\, a hidden outpost of Appalachia on Manhattan’s doorstep\, where summer colonists from the city\, struggling locals\, and an insular mountain tribe uneasily coexist. Eddie\, a troubled rebel\, has just lost his girl to Jake’s brother\, and chafes under the thumb of his white-nationalist uncle\, Sheriff Schmidt\, who is locked in a racially charged reelection battle. \nThree mysterious murders and the sheriff’s cover-up of the crimes upend Tony and Jake’s lives and roil their clannish world. The two men find themselves pitted against Schmidt in a high stakes search for the truth\, and must confront their mutual distrust and the Highland’s Nazi past to save their bond and their very lives. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of My Ordinary Life (RFD Press\, April 23\, 2025\, paperback\, $19.95) and/or Blood and Soil (Pen and Pencil Press\, July 1\, 2025\, paperback\, $18.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve My Ordinary Life and/or Blood and Soil for September 13 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \nYou can also purchase both books (click on titles below) on our online shop at bookshop.com/shop/bgsqd: \nMy Ordinary Life \nBlood and Soil \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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n  \nVinny Cusenza co-wrote his first novel\, The Adventures of Pen and Pencil\, in fourth grade with his best friend Steve Drayzen. Besides novels\, he writes personal and travel essays\, memoir\, and epistolary meditations on his place in the world. He has won awards for his photography\, founded a small New England inn\, sang with Liza Minnelli onstage in Central Park\, and herded rhinos. Vinny lives in Park Slope\, Brooklyn with husband Steve and Neko\, their transsexual cat. \n  \nFranklin Abbott is the editor of three anthologies on men and masculinity\, a CD of original songs and poetry and 3 collections of poetry including his latest\, My Ordinary Life\, from RFD Press.  He is an original radical faerie\, a long-time community activist and founded the Atlanta Queer Literary Festival.  Abbott worked for over 40 years as a psychotherapist in private practice with special interest in spirituality\, medical trauma\, relationships and group dynamics.  A native Southerner he lives in Atlanta’s Decatur community. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/double-take/ 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/2025/07/September-13-Abbott-and-Cusenza-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:20250915T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250915T213000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250822T182435Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250822T182634Z UID:15731-1757961000-1757971800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Compulsory Heterosexuality: an Introduction to Adrienne Rich (in-person only/registration required) DESCRIPTION:Is heterosexuality a coercive institution that aids and abets the oppression of women? So argues Adrienne Rich in her famous essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence\,” which gave voice to a nascent lesbian liberation movement in search of alternatives to heterosexual feminism. A major poet\, Rich was also one of the key theoretical and literary voices of the women’s liberation movement\, and her prose work is by now canonical in the field of gender studies. And with her poetry\, Rich created a body of verse that investigated social\, cultural\, and political conditions for women in the last half of the twentieth century\, as well as the personal toll of feminist politics. Her writings have been at the heart of numerous feminist controversies\, from trans exclusionary radical feminism to pornography\, but have nonetheless continued to shape lesbian feminist discourse into the present day. How can we understand Rich’s unique corpus of poetry and feminist theory? How\, for Rich\, does one inform the other? And what is the problem with heterosexual feminism? How do gender\, sexuality\, reproduction\, and liberation relate? \nIn this course\, we will explore Adrienne Rich’s complicated legacy as theorist\, activist\, and poet by reading her work alongside the work of her fiercest critics and allies in the feminist movement\, including Mary Daly\, Susan Sontag\, Andrea Dworkin\, Michelle Cliff\, and Audre Lorde. Beginning with Rich’s foundational theorization of compulsory heterosexuality\, we will read her essays on sexual violence\, lesbian love\, women’s education\, motherhood\, pornography\, and racism alongside key poems from her oeuvre spanning the crucial years of women’s liberation. In what ways have women’s bodies historically been viewed as being at the service of men\, and how has heterosexuality instantiated that belief? What would it mean to build a “women’s culture” and how might this further feminism’s aims? What political potentials lie in viewing motherhood as an institution\, rather than an innate desire or calling? What role might anger\, disagreement\, and even violence play in the feminist fight to end patriarchal oppression? \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET\nSeptember 08 — September 29\, 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: https://thebrooklyninstitute.com/items/courses/new-york/adrienne-rich/\nIf you experience difficulties entering your card at checkout\, please feel free to call 718-422-7767 or email info@thebrooklyninstitute.com for assistance. \nThe course meetings 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. The Bureau is closed on Mondays\, but will open for these meetings at 6 pm on the scheduled Mondays. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/compulsory-heterosexuality-adrienne-rich-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/2025/08/September-BISR-Adrienne-Rich.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T193000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250717T190927Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250908T184831Z UID:15682-1758133800-1758137400@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:I'm Prancing As Fast As I Can Conversation with Jon Kinnally\, Hosted by Blair Fell (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Jon Kinnally celebrates the publication of his memoir I’m Prancing As Fast As I Can: My Journey from a Self-Loathing Closet Case to a Successful TV Writer with Some Self-Esteem.\n \nHost Blair Fell will lead a conversation with Jon Kinnally with some selected readings from Jon. \nWARNING: Those who don’t remember my past are doomed to repeat it. \nI’m Prancing As Fast As I Can is a coming of Gay story that takes us from a scared\, self-hating kid who spends most of his time under his desk staring at the hunky man on the Doan’s Pills box\, to becoming a writer on Will & Grace\, helping to make it a little easier for other scared\, self-hating kids who might also be hiding and staring at their secret desire. It’s a journey through Olympic mustaches and when Chér’s name had an accent and losing your virginity to a trucker and chasing Gay bashers in six-inch heels dressed as a drag bunny and a terrible virus and memorials and memorials and memorials and ACTing UP and using the word “lover” and having a fan who’s also a serial killer and Gay penguins and spreading your boyfriends’ ashes with your new boyfriend and Prop 8 and getting to write lines for divas on Ugly Betty and Gay marriage and more stuff like that and in the end ketamine therapy to help it all make sense. \nThis event is co-sponsored by The Other Side of Silence: \n“As NYC’s oldest and longest-producing LGBTQ+ theater company\, The Other Side of Silence (TOSOS) is dedicated to an honest and open exploration of the life experience and cultural sensibility of the LGBTQ+ community and to preserving and promoting our literary past in a determined effort to keep our theatrical heritage alive.” \n  \nTo reserve a copy of I’m Prancing as Fast as I Can (Permuted Press\, August 12\, 2025\, paperback\, $18.99)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve I’m Prancing for September 17 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \nYou can also purchase I’m Prancing as Fast as I Can on our online shop at bookshop.com/shop/bgsqd. \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\nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n  \n\nJon Kinnally was born in Syracuse\, New York\, and went to college at Oswego State\, before moving to a then-affordable Manhattan\, where he pursued acting and performed with his writing partner\, Tracy Poust\, in their comedy group Loud Blouse. \nAfter relocating to Los Angeles\, they got a job on a new show called Will & Grace and stayed with it for it’s entire eight seasons\, eventually running it and returning for the reboot. Over the years\, there were many Emmy nominations as well as a Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Writing in Episodic Comedy in 2018. \nHe has also worked on several other shows with Tracy\, including Ugly Betty—Emmy and NAACP award nominations—and The Crazy Ones which they ran\, and had the privilege to write for the great Robin Williams. \nHe currently lives in Spain with his husband\, Chris\, and their cats\, Howard Bannister and Elliott. \n\n  \nBlair Fell writes and lives in New York City. Blair’s television work includes Queer as Folk\, and the Emmy Award–winning California Connected. He’s written dozens of plays including the award-winning plays Naked Will\, The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun\, and the downtown cult miniseries Burning Habits. His personal essays have appeared in HuffPost\, Out\, Daily News (New York)\, and more. He’s a two-time winner of the prestigious Doris Lippman Prize in Creative Writing from the City College of New York\, including for his early unfinished draft of The Sign for Home. Concurrently with being a writer\, Blair has been an ASL interpreter for the Deaf since 1993\, and has also worked as an actor\, producer\, and director. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/prancing-as-fast-as-i-can/ 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/2025/07/September-17-Prancing-TOSOS-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:20250918T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250918T200000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250827T182021Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250908T190409Z UID:15756-1758220200-1758225600@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:OUTspoken: The Publishing Triangle's Reading Series\, September Edition (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:The Publishing Triangle presents the September edition of its monthly OUTspoken Reading Series as host Rob Byrnes welcomes Franklin Abbott\, Vincent Cusenza\, Liza Flum\, Jon Kinnally\, Finn Mott\, and Kara Zajac. \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\nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/outspoken-september-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/2025/08/September-18-OUTspoken-banner-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250920T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250920T203000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250911T162720Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250911T162720Z UID:15814-1758394800-1758400200@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:TELL: Misunderstood (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:TELL is a monthly queer storytelling show hosted and curated by Drae Campbell. It is the longest running event at the Bureau! 11 years and going. Each month there is a different theme and a different line up of queer artists who tell true stories from their lives on a theme. \nThe theme for September 2025 is Misunderstood\, featuring storytellers Rudy Ramirez\, Dusty Childers\, and Everett Bragg. \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 \nSuggested donation to benefit the storytellers and the Bureau: $10. \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\n  \n  \n\nDrae Campbell is the host and curator of TELL\, an award winning podcast that can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts. \nTheater: The Nosebleed (Lincoln Center Theater\, Woolly Mammoth Theater & National Tour\, Lortel Nominated)\, Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater)\, Only You Can Prevent Wildfires (Teatro Circulo)\, My Old Man (Dixon Place)\, Storm Still (DirectorFest\, Drama League)\, La Cage Aux Folles (Barrington Stage Company).         \nFilm and TV:Senior Escort Service\, Blunderpuss\, It’s Very Common\, TOW. \nTV: Bull\, New Amsterdam. \nBFA\, The University Of The Arts   \nIg @draebiz and @tellqueerz   \n\n  \nDusty Childers (Dust Tea Shoulders/ @duddylynn) is a multi-disciplinary artist (and self proclaimed style icon) who directs\, provides dramaturgy\, curates\, hosts\, conjures costumes\, styles\, speaks their truth in front of audiences\, drags it up\, dances\, twirls flags and fans\, and instructs the future via the public school classroom. Dusty’s body and body of work has graced the likes of Sundance\, SXSW\, True/False\, The Guggenheim\, St. Anne’s Warehouse\, The Whitney\, BAM\, Parsons\, International Center of Photography\, Signature Theater\, Institute of Contemporary Art Philadelphia\, Town Hall\, Joe’s Pub\, Abrons Art Center\, NY Live Arts\, The Wild Project\, Dixon Place\, Irving Plaza\, The Knockdown Center (Bushwig)\, The PIT\, Don’t Tell Mama\, Rockwood Music Hall\, The Slipper Room\, Judson Memorial Church\,The MIX NYC Queer Experimental Film Festival\, La MaMa\, Metropolitan Bar\, Sid Gold’s Request Room\,The Delancey\, Bureau Of General Services Queer Division\, Starr Bar\, Wise Men\, Governor’s Ball\, Club Cumming\, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival\, This n’ That\, C’mon Everybody\, Nowhere Bar\, House of Yes\, Bushwick Bazaar\, Drom\, The Deep End\, and the Soho Playhouse (NY Fringe Festival). He has worked alongside MacArthur Genius Taylor Mac\, acclaimed writer/performer Justin Sayre\, performance artist Machine Dazzle\, artist Nayland Blake\, pop star and DJ Ana Matronic\, director Silas Howard\, Bitch (of Bitch and Animal)\,drag artist Charlene Incarnate\, performance artist/puppeteer Glenn Marla\, rapper Mister Wallace\, singer Big Dipper\, director Stephen Winter\, performance artist/writer Dan Fishback\, filmmaker/drag performer Sequinette Jaynesfield\, choreographer/singer Miguel Gutierrez\, burlesque star World Famous *BOB*\, professional clown Eric Schmalenberger and singer Amber Martin (among countless others). Dusty and his work have appeared in Art In America\, Artforum\,OUT Magazine\, Electric Dirt (by Queer Appalachia)\, TimeOut NY\, Velour Magazine\, Next Magazine\, Aljazeera\, NY Times\, OutThere Magazine (UK) and Ud & Se (Dutch). \n  \nRudy Ramirez is a director\, writer and teaching artist specializing in the development of new work and new artists. They have directed and developed work for a number of organizations around the country\, including the Contemporary American Theater Festival\, The Lark\, Latino Theater Company\, National Queer Theater\, New York Theatre Workshop\, New York University\, Octopus Theatricals\, The Playwrights’ Center\, Signature Theatre\, and the University of Texas at Austin. They are the Associate Artistic Director of The VORTEX in Austin\, TX\, where they were named Best Director of 2017 in the Austin Chronicle Readers Poll. They have written and performed two autobiographical shows\, Promised Land: A Radical Queer Revival and Footnotes for People Who Don’t Speak Spanish. They have an MA in Performance Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and an MFA in Directing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. They are currently the Benedetti Resident Artist at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts where they will be working on their musical about the life of Emma Goldman\, Emma When You Need Her. \n  \nEverett Bragg is an Austin Texas native. He is a Transmasc comedian\, videographer and host of DEI Comedy in Austin. Everett’s comedy is a unique perspective on the misunderstanding of being a Trans Man in the state of Texas while the threat of reproductive rights and trans rights are being stripped away. Not only does his comedy make audiences laugh but teaches native Texans that Trans people are not a threat and deserve equality everywhere. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/tell-misunderstood/ 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/2025/09/September-20-TELL-Misunderstood-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:20250922T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250922T213000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250822T183223Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250822T183446Z UID:15735-1758565800-1758576600@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Compulsory Heterosexuality: an Introduction to Adrienne Rich (in-person only/registration required) DESCRIPTION:Is heterosexuality a coercive institution that aids and abets the oppression of women? So argues Adrienne Rich in her famous essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence\,” which gave voice to a nascent lesbian liberation movement in search of alternatives to heterosexual feminism. A major poet\, Rich was also one of the key theoretical and literary voices of the women’s liberation movement\, and her prose work is by now canonical in the field of gender studies. And with her poetry\, Rich created a body of verse that investigated social\, cultural\, and political conditions for women in the last half of the twentieth century\, as well as the personal toll of feminist politics. Her writings have been at the heart of numerous feminist controversies\, from trans exclusionary radical feminism to pornography\, but have nonetheless continued to shape lesbian feminist discourse into the present day. How can we understand Rich’s unique corpus of poetry and feminist theory? How\, for Rich\, does one inform the other? And what is the problem with heterosexual feminism? How do gender\, sexuality\, reproduction\, and liberation relate? \nIn this course\, we will explore Adrienne Rich’s complicated legacy as theorist\, activist\, and poet by reading her work alongside the work of her fiercest critics and allies in the feminist movement\, including Mary Daly\, Susan Sontag\, Andrea Dworkin\, Michelle Cliff\, and Audre Lorde. Beginning with Rich’s foundational theorization of compulsory heterosexuality\, we will read her essays on sexual violence\, lesbian love\, women’s education\, motherhood\, pornography\, and racism alongside key poems from her oeuvre spanning the crucial years of women’s liberation. In what ways have women’s bodies historically been viewed as being at the service of men\, and how has heterosexuality instantiated that belief? What would it mean to build a “women’s culture” and how might this further feminism’s aims? What political potentials lie in viewing motherhood as an institution\, rather than an innate desire or calling? What role might anger\, disagreement\, and even violence play in the feminist fight to end patriarchal oppression? \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET\nSeptember 08 — September 29\, 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: https://thebrooklyninstitute.com/items/courses/new-york/adrienne-rich/\nIf you experience difficulties entering your card at checkout\, please feel free to call 718-422-7767 or email info@thebrooklyninstitute.com for assistance. \nThe course meetings 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. The Bureau is closed on Mondays\, but will open for these meetings at 6 pm on the scheduled Mondays. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/compulsory-heterosexuality-adrienne-rich-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/2025/08/September-BISR-Adrienne-Rich.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T200000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250912T152704Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T175541Z UID:15831-1758740400-1758744000@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Crime Ink: Iconic—Queer Crime Fiction Inspired by Icons | New York Launch Party (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Join us for an evening celebrating the groundbreaking anthology Crime Ink: Iconic (An Anthology of Crime Fiction Inspired by Queer Icons)\, edited by award-winning novelist John Copenhaver and Bywater Books publisher Salem West. This vibrant collection reclaims space for LGBTQ+ voices in crime fiction\, a genre that has too often sidelined queer writers. \nThe need for Crime Ink: Iconic is clear: a 2023 study of thirty major crime anthologies revealed that\, of 517 stories published\, fewer than one percent were written by LGBTQ+ authors. \nResponding to this gap\, Crime Ink: Iconic gathers more than two dozen celebrated queer writers who draw inspiration from cultural icons such as James Baldwin\, Radclyffe Hall\, Oscar Wilde\, Candy Darling\, and Laverne Cox. The result is a collection that spans cozy mystery\, noir\, psychological thriller\, and procedural—placing queer voices and characters firmly at the center. \nFor this event\, Copenhaver will be joined by contributors Robyn Gigl\, award-winning author and a leading voice in contemporary legal thrillers; Ann Aptaker\, Lambda Literary Award–winning novelist and noted figure in queer noir; and Christopher Bollen\, acclaimed author of psychologically rich crime fiction. Together\, they will discuss the anthology’s origins\, the icons who inspired their stories\, and the importance of ensuring LGBTQ+ perspectives are represented in one of the world’s most enduring literary genres. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of Crime Ink: Iconic (Bywater Books\, September 2\, 2025\, paperback\, $23.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Crime Ink for September 24 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \nYou can also purchase Crime Ink: Iconic (click on title below) on our online shop at bookshop.com/shop/bgsqd: \nCrime Ink: Iconic \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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n\nANN APTAKER’s Cantor Gold Crime series has been the recipient of Lambda Literary and Golden Crown Literary Society’s Goldie Awards. Her short stories have appeared in the anthologies Fedora\, Mickey Finn: 21st Century Noir\, Private Dicks & Disco Balls\, Scattered\, Smothered\, Covered & Chunked\, Our Happy Hours: LGBT Voices from the Gay Bars\, Switchblade Magazine\, Black Cat Mystery Magazine\, the Guns & Tacos novella series\, and the online zine Punk Soul Poet. \n  \nCHRISTOPHER BOLLEN is the author of six literary thriller novels\, including Havoc\, The Lost Americans\, and A Beautiful Crime. He writes for a number of publications including the New York Times\, Vanity Fair\, and Interview Magazine. He lives in New York City. \n  \nJOHN COPENHAVER is an award-winning author whose latest novel\, Hall of Mirrors\, was named a New York Times Crime Novel of the Year. His debut\, Dodging and Burning\, won the Macavity Award\, and The Savage Kind earned the Lambda Literary Award. A founding member of Queer Crime Writers\, he teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University\, mentors in the University of Nebraska MFA program\, and lives in Richmond\, VA\, with his husband\, artist Jeffery Paul Herrity. \n  \nROBYN GIGL is the author of four novels featuring Erin McCabe\, a transgender criminal defense attorney. Time magazine selected her novel\, Survivor’s Guilt\, as one of the 100 best Mystery/Thriller books of All Time. It was also named as one of the best crime novels of 2022 by the New York Times\, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly\, and won the Publishing Triangle’s Joseph Hansen Award for LGBTQ+ Crime Writing. Her fourth novel\, Nothing But the Truth\, was selected by the New York Times as one of the best crime novels of 2024. \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/crime-ink/ 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/2025/09/September-24-Crime-Ink-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:20250925T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250925T203000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250908T194648Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250909T142358Z UID:15803-1758826800-1758832200@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Quill R Kukla: Sex Beyond "Yes" with Avgi Saketopoulou (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Philosopher Quill R Kukla questions traditional notions of consent in this honest\, humanistic reimagining of what it means to have pleasurable\, ethical\, and respectful sex. \nEvery discussion of sexual ethics revolves around consent\, but is this notion enough to help us understand good sex? How does the dominance of consent help or prevent us from negotiating the complexities of intimacy and pleasure? \nGeorgetown professor Quill R Kukla argues that the idea that consent is the gatekeeper between the realms of good and bad sex does not give us the tools we need to navigate pleasure and intimacy. They claim that traditional discussions of consent make no room for the reality that we can have good sex even though we may get drunk or high\, or become forgetful with age\, or be limited by social pressures and power relationships. \nKukla explores the ambiguous realms in which sexual agency requires much more than the ability to just say “yes” or “no” to sex. They confront moments of discomfort: How does consent work for people with dementia\, a condition that is also associated with increased libido? Or in sex work\, where sexual contracts challenge our traditional conceptions of ethical sex? How can we express our agency when exploring new kinks\, where our hesitations and ambivalence are part of the thrill? Or even in everyday sex—where partners inevitably differ in enthusiasm\, power dynamics\, and experience? \nCombining rigorous research and universal lessons that apply both in and out of the bedroom\, Kukla approaches the concepts of sexual agency\, sexual pleasure\, and consent with unapologetic verve. Challenging readers to think beyond reductive concepts of consent\, gender\, and freedom\, Sex Beyond “Yes” reframes the communication and social support we need to establish sexual relationships founded on genuine respect\, open discourse\, and unhindered joy. \nTo reserve a copy of Sex Beyond “Yes” (W. W. Norton & Company\, September 2\, 2025\, hardcover\, $24)\, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Sex Beyond ‘Yes’ for September 25 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \nYou can also purchase Sex Beyond “Yes” on our online shop at bookshop.com/shop/bgsqd. \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 \nEven better: \nsign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n\n  \nQuill R Kukla lives in Washington\, DC\, and Berlin. They are Professor of Philosophy and Disability Studies at Georgetown University\, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal. They are also an amateur competitive boxer and powerlifter\, the parent of a young adult\, and the devoted caretaker of a corgi and two cats. This is their fourth book. \n  \nAvgi Saketopoulou is a Cypriot and Greek psychoanalyst in NYC\, and a member of the faculty of NYU’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. She is the author of Sexuality Beyond Consent: Risk\, Race\, Traumatophilia and a lover of queers and of motorcycles. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/quill-r-kukla-sex-beyond-yes/ 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/2025/09/September-25-Sex-Beyond-Yes-banner-2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250926T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250926T200000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250911T214052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250918T182743Z UID:15821-1758909600-1758916800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Fight the Power! 15 Years of HOMOCATS Opening Reception DESCRIPTION:Fight the Power! 15 Years of HOMOCATS \nJ. Morrison \nExhibition Dates: September 26 – November 23\, 2025 \nOpening Reception: Friday\, September 26\, 2025\, 6-8 PM \nHOMOCATS and the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division are excited to present Fight the Power! 15 Years of HOMOCATS\, an art exhibition celebrating 15 years of the HOMOCATS zine series. J. Morrison created the HOMOCATS at a printmaking residency at the Anderson Ranch in Colorado in 2010. Morrison was inspired during Obama’s presidency to create a zine advocating for affordable health care\, marriage equality\, and equal rights. 15 years on\, HOMOCATS continues this quest with a mission to fight phobias\, champion equal rights for all\, combat harmful cultural stereotypes\, and challenge stigmas\, all while protesting the current U.S. administration. Paying homage to historic queer symbols such as the rainbow flag and pink triangle\, Morrison’s work also engages pop art and pop culture with playfulness and humor. \nThe exhibition takes its name from the first HOMOCATS zine\, “Fight the Power\,” and features some of the original posters that were first shown in 2013 at the Bureau’s original location\, at Strange Loop Gallery in Chinatown\, NYC. The exhibition also includes a selection of digital c-prints (seen on TV shows)\, print editions\, and artwork from the series. HOMOCATS zines and hand-screen-printed apparel are available for purchase at the Bureau. \nThe zines are beloved and collected by many museums\, universities\, and libraries worldwide\, including the NY Public Library\, MoMA\, the Whitney\, and the Met. The zines were featured in the “Over the Rainbow” exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and are currently on view at the University of Texas Fine Art Library in Austin. \nFor more information about HOMOCATS and J. Morrison visit: homocats.com \nImage from “Fight the Power” 2020 riso edition URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/fight-the-power-15-years-of-homocats/ 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/2025/09/September-26-HOMOCATS-opening-reception-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:20250927T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250927T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250905T175912Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T175225Z UID:15794-1758985200-1758992400@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:The Publishing Triangle: Raíces & Resistencia – A Latinx LGBTQ+ Poetry Night (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:The Publishing Triangle presents Raíces & Resistencia: A Latinx LGBTQ+ Poetry Night\, hosted by Emanuel Xavier. Join us on Saturday\, September 27 at 3 PM at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division for an afternoon of powerful poetry celebrating Latinx Heritage Month. \nFeatured poets: Emanuel Xavier\, viento izquierdo ugaz\, Joshua Garcia\, Yoseli Castillo Fuertes\, and Darrel Alejandro Holnes. \nThis event is free and open to the public. Books by the authors will be available for purchase\, and a signing will follow the reading. Don’t miss this vibrant gathering of poetry\, community\, and celebration. \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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n\n  \nParticipants’ biographies: \nEmanuel Xavier is a poet\, author\, and activist who came of age in the New York City ballroom scene and founded the legendary Glam Slam\, a fusion of spoken word and drag ball culture. He is the author of several poetry collections\, including Pier Queen\, If Jesus Were Gay\, Love(ly) Child\, and the forthcoming Still\, We Are Sacred. Recognized as an LGBTQ+ Icon by the Equality Forum\, his work has earned honors from the Lambda Literary Awards\, the International Latino Book Awards\, and the American Library Association’s Over the Rainbow Books list. \n  \nviento izquierdo ugaz (they/he) is a transdisciplinary artist\, cultural organizer\, poet\, and language justice worker. Through writing\, photography\, and moving image they address how the burden of imposed migration has woven its threads into the visual tapestry of their lineage. They are a co-organizer of BODYHACK\, a NY mutual aid happy hour for trans & non-binary people\, and TRANSMISSION\, NYC’s first trans music festival. Izquierdo is a 2020–21 Poetry Project Curatorial Fellow and a 2021–22 Leslie Lohmann Museum and EmergeNYC Fellow. Their first chapbook is Estoy Tristeza (No Dear\, 2018). \n  \nJoshua Garcia is the author of Pentimento (Black Lawrence Press\, 2024)\, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry and the Thom Gunn Award for Gay Poetry. His poetry has appeared in Ecotone\, The Georgia Review\, Passages North\, Ploughshares\, and elsewhere. He holds an MFA from the College of Charleston and has received a Stadler Fellowship from Bucknell University and an Emerge—Surface—Be Fellowship from The Poetry Project. He lives and writes in Brooklyn\, New York. \n  \nYoseli Castillo Fuertes is a bilingual Afro-Dominican lesbian poet\, educator\, activist\, and mom. A Cave Canem alum\, her work has been featured in anthologies across New York\, Buenos Aires\, Madrid\, and Santo Domingo. Yoseli is the author of De eso sí se habla / Of That\, I Speak (2012) and coeditor of the anthology Pájaros\, lesbianas y queers\, ¡a volar! (2025). She is dedicated to creating spaces that uplift queer\, immigrant\, and Afro-Caribbean voices. \n  \nDarrel Alejandro Holnes is an Afro-Panamanian American poet and playwright whose work explores Black and Latinx histories\, migration\, and memory. He is the author of the award-winning collections Migrant Psalms and Stepmotherland\, with poems in Poetry Magazine\, The American Poetry Review\, Callaloo\, and more. A National Endowment for the Arts Fellow\, his honors include the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize\, an International Latino Book Award\, the CP Cavafy Poetry Prize\, and others. \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/publishing-triangle-raices-resistencia/ 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/2025/09/Septermber-27-Raices-Resistencia-banner-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250928T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250928T170000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250909T205159Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250909T205159Z UID:15811-1759071600-1759078800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:EASY SUNDAY POETRY with BRYAN BORLAND AND ANTHONY DIPIETRO (in person only) DESCRIPTION:Slip into something comfortable and join us for an Easy Sunday that’s equal parts poetry\, pleasure\, and provocation. Bryan Borland\, poet\, publisher\, and founder of Sibling Rivalry Press\, and Anthony DiPietro\, unapologetic gay sex poet and arts provocateur\, will read from their newest books and trade conversation about poetry as resistance\, as seduction\, as bridge-building and boundary-burning. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of Bryan Borland’s chapbook Crow in the Desert and/or Brotherful (Sibling Rivalry Press\, July 30\, 2025\, paperback\, $18) and/or Anthony DiPietro’s Kiss & Release (Unsolicited Press\, February 13\, 2024\, paperback\, $17.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve book(s) for September 28 event” in the subject line and let us know which title(s) 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\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 \nEven better: \nsign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n  \n\nBryan Borland\, poet and publisher of the groundbreaking and impactful Sibling Rivalry Press\, is the author of multiple collections of poetry\, including DIG (Stillhouse Press)\, which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Gay Poetry and a Stonewall Honor Book as chosen by the American Library Association. His latest publications are the chapbook Crow in the Desert (Queer Punk Collective) and the full-length collection of poetry Brotherful (Sibling Rivalry Press). He is also founding editor of Assaracus: A Journal of Gay Poetry\, returning to print in the fall of 2025. For more\, visit www.bryanborland.com. \n  \nAnthony DiPietro is a gay sex poet and arts administrator originally from Providence\, Rhode Island. A graduate of Brown University with honors in creative writing\, he also earned a creative writing MFA at Stony Brook University. Now serving as deputy director of the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University\, he resides in Worcester\, MA. He has a chapbook\, And Walk Through (Seven Kitchens Press\, 2021)\, and his debut collection\, kiss & release (Unsolicited Press\, 2024)\, was longlisted for a Mass Book Award in Poetry. For more\, www.AnthonyWriter.com and Instagram @ant.providence. \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/easy-sunday-poetry-borland-dipietro/ 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/2025/09/EASY-Facebook-Post-1920-x-1005-px-Bryan-Borland.png ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250929T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250929T213000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250822T183804Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250822T183804Z UID:15738-1759170600-1759181400@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Compulsory Heterosexuality: an Introduction to Adrienne Rich (in-person only/registration required) DESCRIPTION:Is heterosexuality a coercive institution that aids and abets the oppression of women? So argues Adrienne Rich in her famous essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence\,” which gave voice to a nascent lesbian liberation movement in search of alternatives to heterosexual feminism. A major poet\, Rich was also one of the key theoretical and literary voices of the women’s liberation movement\, and her prose work is by now canonical in the field of gender studies. And with her poetry\, Rich created a body of verse that investigated social\, cultural\, and political conditions for women in the last half of the twentieth century\, as well as the personal toll of feminist politics. Her writings have been at the heart of numerous feminist controversies\, from trans exclusionary radical feminism to pornography\, but have nonetheless continued to shape lesbian feminist discourse into the present day. How can we understand Rich’s unique corpus of poetry and feminist theory? How\, for Rich\, does one inform the other? And what is the problem with heterosexual feminism? How do gender\, sexuality\, reproduction\, and liberation relate? \nIn this course\, we will explore Adrienne Rich’s complicated legacy as theorist\, activist\, and poet by reading her work alongside the work of her fiercest critics and allies in the feminist movement\, including Mary Daly\, Susan Sontag\, Andrea Dworkin\, Michelle Cliff\, and Audre Lorde. Beginning with Rich’s foundational theorization of compulsory heterosexuality\, we will read her essays on sexual violence\, lesbian love\, women’s education\, motherhood\, pornography\, and racism alongside key poems from her oeuvre spanning the crucial years of women’s liberation. In what ways have women’s bodies historically been viewed as being at the service of men\, and how has heterosexuality instantiated that belief? What would it mean to build a “women’s culture” and how might this further feminism’s aims? What political potentials lie in viewing motherhood as an institution\, rather than an innate desire or calling? What role might anger\, disagreement\, and even violence play in the feminist fight to end patriarchal oppression? \nInstructor: Hannah Leffingwell \nCourse Schedule\nMonday\, 6:30-9:30pm ET\nSeptember 08 — September 29\, 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: https://thebrooklyninstitute.com/items/courses/new-york/adrienne-rich/\nIf you experience difficulties entering your card at checkout\, please feel free to call 718-422-7767 or email info@thebrooklyninstitute.com for assistance. \nThe course meetings 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. The Bureau is closed on Mondays\, but will open for these meetings at 6 pm on the scheduled Mondays. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/compulsory-heterosexuality-adrienne-rich-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/2025/08/September-BISR-Adrienne-Rich.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251004T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251004T190000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250903T143817Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250923T143219Z UID:15773-1759597200-1759604400@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Book Launch—Blood\, Sweat & Queers: Vampiric Love Stories (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Join author Mae Murray (I’m Sorry if I Scared You)\, author Andi Astra\, editor Margaret Hall (GEMIGNANI: Life and Lessons from Broadway and Beyond)\, and editor Jamie Ryu as they crack open the coffin and unleash the vampire with Blood\,Sweat & Queers\, a collection of 8 LGBTQ+ vampire stories. A portion of every purchase of Blood\, Sweat & Queers is being donated by the publisher to The Trevor Project\, a non-profit organization that provides crisis counseling\, advocacy\, and research for LGBTQ+ lives. \n  \nTo reserve a copy of Blood\, Sweat & Queers: Vampiric Love Stories (Contrarian Publishing\, October 7\, 2025\, paperback\, $19.99) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Blood\, Sweat & Queers for October 4 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \nYou can also purchase Blood\, Sweat & Queers on our online shop at bookshop.com/shop/bgsqd. \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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n  \n\nMae Murray is a writer and editor hailing from Arkansas\, now living in eerie New England. She occasionally contributes essays and film criticism to Fangoria.com and Dread Central. She is the recipient of the 2022 Brave New Weird Award for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction. The Book of Queer Saints Volume I was her editing debut and a 2023 British Fantasy Award nominee in the Best Anthology category. Her debut novel\, I’m Sorry If I Scared You\, released in 2024. \n  \nMargaret Hall is a scholar of vampire literature\, an author\, a teacher\, a director\, and a theatre historian. Margaret is a staff writer for Playbill Magazine\, the pre-eminent theatre publication in the United States\, as well as a teacher at various accredited programs\, including Juilliard and New York University. She is the youngest known nominator in the history of the Drama Desk Awards. \nHer debut biography\, GEMIGNANI: Life and Lessons from Broadway and Beyond\, explored the life of esteemed Broadway music director Paul Gemignani. An unflinching advocate for the societally marginalized\, Margaret is an autistic woman\, and the founder of the non-profit Autistic Theatremakers Alliance. She has received both a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama\, and a Masters in Musical Theatre History from New York University. Grá a bhfuil grá agat dó. \n  \nJamie Ryu worked for Big 5 powerhouse publishing companies like Macmillan and HarperCollins before forging her own path as the founder of Contrarian Publishing. With ample editing experience and a degree in Comparative Literature from New Yor University\, she is well-equipped to help writers unlock the full potential of the stories they’re meant to tell and aid them in pursuing their goals\, whether that be traditional publishing or indie publishing. She is a proud\, queer Korean American woman\, and is sadly married to a man (a wonderful man\, but a man nonetheless). \n  \n\nAndi Astra is a queer\, multidisciplinary illustrator and creative based out of Hilo\, Hawaii. While studying English Literature at Eastern Michigan University in 2015\, Andi began creating science fiction and alien centric art under the name Spooky Girl\, using these themes to explore their own identity and relationship with femininity. Since then\, Andi has built a successful career as an illustrator\, and has begun to expand their universe by writing stories that explore the strange\, queer and ethereal. URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/book-launch-blood-sweat-queers/ 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/2025/09/October-4-Blood-Sweat-Queers-banner-R1-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:20251005T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251005T163000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250820T145016Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250905T161433Z UID:15719-1759676400-1759681800@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Generation Queer Live: A Conversation with Joshua Allen and Author Kimm Topping (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:Join author Kimm Topping and featured artist Joshua Allen for a conversation on the power of storytelling and art in Generation Queer. They’ll reflect on the creative process\, the importance of queer/trans narratives\, and how young people are shaping change. A book signing will follow the discussion. \nTo reserve a copy of Generation Queer: Stories of Youth Organizers\, Artists\, and Educators\, Kimm Topping (Author) and Anshika Khullar (Illustrator)\, (Tu Books\, May 27\, 2025\, hardcover\, $22.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Generation Queer for October 5 event” in the subject line. \nThank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us! \nYou can also purchase Generation Queer on our online shop at bookshop.com/shop/bgsqd. \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 \nEven better: sign up to make a monthly tax-deductible donation to the Bureau! \n\nThank you for committing to sustaining this vital project! \n\n  \nKimm Topping\, Ed.M.\, is an artist-educator\, writer\, and historian dedicated to preserving LGBTQIA+ history. Their first book\, Generation Queer\, is a nonfiction YA highlighting the stories of LGBTQIA+ youth activists. Their historic tours of Cambridge and New York City spotlight queer and feminist activism from the 1970s to the 1990s\, and their series\, Mapping Feminist Cambridge\, is available through the Cambridge Women’s Commission. \nAs founder of Lavender Education\, a national program promoting LGBTQIA+ history and youth leadership\, Kimm leads impactful workshops\, professional development\, and historic walking tours. Kimm lectures at Harvard Graduate School of Education\, specializing in gender\, sexuality\, and equity. Their work has been recognized by the 2025 Curve Power List and the 2023 Inaugural In-Service Award from the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. \n  \nJoshua Obawole Allen (b. 1995\, Brooklyn\, New York) is a multidisciplinary artist and activist whose practice envisions a more just\, equitable\, and joyous world. \nWorking at the intersections of art\, community organizing\, and cultural strategy\, Allen uses visual storytelling to honor Black queer and trans life while shifting the cultural conditions so that Black queer and trans people are not merely surviving\, but thriving. \nTheir work has been included in group exhibitions at AM:PM Gallery (2025)\, the Center for Black Visual Culture at NYU (2024)\, Leslie-Lohman Museum (2024)\, Armory Week (2024)\, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporic Arts (2024)\, and the national For Freedoms / Wide Awakes billboard campaign (2020). They are featured in the 2024 For Freedoms monograph published by Phaidon Press and the anthology Generation Queer from Lee & Low Books. In Spring 2025\, Allen appeared as a cover star for Dazed Magazine. \nAllen is also a regular contributor to Queerty x Native Son\, where they write on art\, culture\, entertainment\, and politics\, helping to shape public discourse around intersectional justice and representation. \nIn addition to their artistic and editorial work\, Allen brings over a decade of experience in grassroots organizing. They served as the first-ever Activist-in-Residence at New York City’s LGBT Center\, where they piloted a mentorship program for Black queer and trans youth. In 2020\, they were recognized as one of The New Yorker’s Hometown Heroes for their community service during the COVID-19 pandemic. That same year\, they led a record-breaking grassroots fundraising campaign that raised over $300\,000 in just 18 days for Black trans youth\, and later co-organized the Brooklyn Liberation March\, which drew over 15\,000 people in support of Black trans lives. \nAllen’s work continues to build bridges between art and activism\, rooted in the belief that cultural change is inseparable from systemic change. \n  URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/generation-queer/ 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/2025/08/October-5-Generation-Queer-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:20251010T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251010T210000 DTSTAMP:20260406T110957 CREATED:20250926T154551Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250930T153007Z UID:15870-1760122800-1760130000@www.bgsqd.com SUMMARY:Untitled Musical Project Presents ~ Lisa Stephen Friday\, D’LOURDES\, & Déa and the Drips (in person & live-streaming) DESCRIPTION:UNTITLED Musical Project Presents ~ D’LOURDES\, Lisa Stephen Friday\, & Déa and the Drips \nA night of togetherness and music\, celebrating\, and fundraising for the UNTITLED Musical Project Community at the Bureau\, in room 210 of The LGBT Community Center. \nFeaturing openings acts by D’LOURDES & Lisa Stephen Friday. \nDéa and the Drips will play their upcoming debut album\, Transvolution\, a project about evolution and revolution. The songs promote authenticity and self-made beauty\, and are poetry mixed with pain mixed with pleasure. Ranging from folky introspectives to punk anthems with shades of pop melancholy. \nSit\, stand\, sway\, dance; for it will be joyful. \nAn interview with Déa about Transvolution: \nhttps://switchbitchnoise.com/interview-dea-thatcher-on-transvolution-the-new-album/ \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  \n\nUNTITLED is a not-for-profit dedicated to supporting musical theatre writers of BIPOC\, LGBTQIA+\, and their intersecting identities by fostering their work from inception. Through writers’ groups\, developmental readings\, dramaturgical support\, and resources aimed to further artists’ professional careers in the creation of new musical theatre\, UNTITLED creates a space and community where BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writers can create bold\, new\, and challenging works. \n  \nD’LOURDES is a queer Filipino-American music artist who first appeared with the release of their self-titled EP in May of 2022. With the heart & lyrics of a singer songwriter\, they blend alternative rock\, funk\, & RnB to cultivate a type of alternative pop that is purely their own. You can find them at the intersection of Alanis Morrisette\, Paramore\, and Olivia Rodrigo. \n  \nLisa Stephen Friday (she\, her\, hers) is a singer\, musician\, actor\, and theater maker based in New York City. Her work has awarded her a New York Voices commissioning for the 2025/26 season with Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater. Lisa’s work includes her one-woman show TRANS AM the musical\, DOLL/GIRL (about the life and work of Greer Lankton)\, and her latest project: A Musical for Henrietta. In 2022\, TRANS AM premiered at the Keegan Theater in Washington DC and was featured in the Hangar Theater’s summer season. TRANS AM made its New York City debut at Joe’s Pub in March. In 2023\, DOLL/GIRL had its first public presentation at Judson Memorial Church\, where Lisa and co-creator Joseph Ritsch were artists in residence. TRANS AM will be featured at Joe’s Pub in September 2025\, thanks to collaborative efforts with the WP Theater and New York State Council on The Arts. From 2000-2006\, Lisa fronted and wrote songs for the band Lisa Jackson and Girl Friday. They were a featured act at NYC’s CBGB’s and headlined the monthly party Homocorp and shared the stage with bands such as The Psychedelic Furs\, The Motels\, and Pat Benatar. Recent theater credits include Robert O’Hara’s Barbecue at The Human Race Theater in the role of Adlene and Pipeline Theatre Company’s World Premiere of House of Telescopes. Prior to her years with Lisa Jackson and Girl Friday\, Lisa worked as an actor and singer in NYC\, performing in regional productions at theaters like Goodspeed Opera House\, Alabama Shakespeare Festival\, and The Ordway Theater. In 1999\, Lisa toured the country with the National touring company of the Buddy Holly Story. \n  \nTHE DRIPS are a new BK based Indie trio that fuses together a gnarly potion of folk\, pop\, & punk-rock. The coven is made up of Déa\, Aspen\, and Caro\, who met on a moonlit night in a dunkin-donuts parking lot. Their hex-proof cauldron bubbling with musical musings is specially brewed to seduce queer comrades far and wide. \nhttps://linktr.ee/madebyDTM URL:https://www.bgsqd.com/event/untitled-musical-project/ 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/2025/09/untitled-musical-project-presents_FB-Dea-Thatcher-Maglione.png ORGANIZER;CN="Bureau of General Services%E2%80%94Queer Division":MAILTO:contact@bgsqd.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR