BGSQD

The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar: Queer Economies of Care: Community, Desire, and the Politics of Necessity (in person only)
2025-04-09 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-04-02 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About the Seminar
CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and the Barnard Center for Research on Women are thrilled to announce the Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar in the city, a six-week program exploring the transformative legacy of Amber Hollibaugh—a radical lesbian feminist, scholar, artist, and lifelong activist for queer survival economies.
Facilitated by interdisciplinary artist and educator Gili Rappaport, this seminar invites participants to dive into themes of queer survival, care, and community resilience in the face of economic hardship, criminalization, and marginalization. Participants will engage with foundational texts, recorded dialogues, and contributions from local artists and activists while contributing to a living archive honoring queer histories and futures.
The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar (2024) relaunches CLAGS’ public education series, Seminars in the City, originally held in July 1998.
The Amber Hollibaugh Seminar is co-sponsored by the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (@bgsqd) and Barnard Center for Research on Women.

Why Join?
This seminar is more than a class—it’s a space to build community, a book club to reflect on queer survival strategies, and an homage to Amber’s vision of community care and radical solidarity. Participants will explore the intersections of class, desire, and kinship through a rich syllabus of readings, discussions, and creative work.
Whether you’re an organizer, artist, body worker, visionary, builder, or community member, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn, share, and contribute to an archive of queer care and resistance.
Schedule
Dates: March 12 – April 16, 2025
Time: Wednesdays, 6–9 PM
Location: Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (208 West 13th Street, NYC)
Please note: The April 16th meeting will NOT take place at the Bureau. We will post the location for that date as soon as we have that confirmed.
This is an in-person experience. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate remote participants at this time.
What to Expect
Each week focuses on a key theme:

Week 1: Queer Survival Economies — Honoring Amber Hollibaugh’s Legacy
Week 2: Public Space, Gentrification, and Queer Displacement
Week 3: Oral Histories and Resilient Queer Spaces
Week 4: Queer Desire and Class as Radical Resistance
Week 5: Trans and BIPOC Narratives on Survival and Criminalization
Week 6: Community-Based Economies and Mutual Aid

Reading list (excerpts provided free of charge, available through the CLAGS archive)

Amber Hollibaugh, My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home
Audre Lorde, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
bell hooks, Belonging: A Culture of Place
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, M Archive: After the End of the World
José Esteban Muñoz, Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity
Vivek Shraya, I’m Afraid of Men
Gayle Rubin, Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice
Tourmaline, Black Trans Feminism is the Future
Eric A. Stanley and Nat Smith (Eds.), Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex
Sylvia Rivera, Queens in Exile, The Forgotten Ones
Dean Spade, Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next)
Adrienne Maree Brown, Pleasure Activism
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Dub: Finding Ceremony

Participation Details

Open to NYC publics, free of charge
We encourage applications from first-time students, people from underrepresented communities, and interests that reflect the city’s diversity of cultures, aesthetics, and creative practices. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible space for all participants. If you need any accommodations to fully participate in the seminar, please note this in the application form.
20 spots available—apply soon!
Participants will have the option to contribute to a collaborative publication and CLAGS archive project

NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About Amber Hollibaugh
Amber Hollibaugh was a legendary radical/lesbian/feminist/scholar/artist. A lifelong political activist and organizer, she was on the founding board of Queers for Economic Justice and served as QEJ’s Executive Director from 2011-2014. She established Queer Survival Economies (QSE), a project at the Barnard Center for Research on Women addressing the intersections of sexuality, poverty, homelessness, labor, and the criminalization of survival. Hollibaugh was the Founding Director of the Lesbian AIDS Project at GMHC, the first effort of its kind to organize with and for lesbians living with HIV. Amber also served as the Director for Aging Initiatives at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She fought for class and poverty issues to be addressed by an otherwise very bourgeois LGBTQ movement. Amber was a fierce advocate for transnational solidarity and movement building around sexuality, bodily autonomy and pleasure. Her publications included the book My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home, and she directed and co-produced the documentary film The Heart of the Matter. Her works have been translated into several languages, and she worked very closely with activists in China and India.
Image credit: Joaquin Golez @othereros

Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (in-person Brooklyn Institute for Social Research course)
2025-04-07 18:30 - 21:30 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
The Brooklyn Institute for Social Research presents Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz at the Bureau
Instructor: Hannah Leffingwell
“Queerness is not yet here,” José Esteban Muñoz declares. And yet, his work is animated by sympathetic, often exuberant explorations and nuanced analyses of queer performance and queer activism—from the evanescent installations of Felix Gonzales-Torres to the reparative performances of Nao Bustamante. What does it mean, then, to propose that queerness has yet to arrive? What are the dimensions of normativity—political, aesthetic, temporal—that seek to forestall it? And with what tools might queerness be, eventually, realized? Drawing on a wide variety of thinkers, concepts, and discourses, from Ernst Bloch to Lauren Berlant, from “structures of feeling” to “counterpublics,” from psychoanalysis to theories of race, sexuality, and performance, Muñoz takes an interdisciplinary and decidedly optimistic approach to queerness as a horizon of radical potentiality. Whether breaking new ground with his theory of disidentification—an anti-normative orientation for queers and people of color that both embraces and subverts stereotypes—or attending to the potency of gesture in drag and dance, Muñoz helps us envision and construct queer worlds using materials scavenged from the normative trappings of identity. If queerness is not here yet, how, thinking with Muñoz, can we bring it about?
In this course we’ll read from José Muñoz’s classic Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity, examining along the way other essays by him and work by the artists he cites, including, among others, Bustamante, Gonzalez-Torres, Amiri Baraka, Frank O’Hara, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. We’ll ask: how does “disidentification” traverse the dual allure of identification with and transgression of dominant cultural meanings? What strategies does aesthetics offer, if what we are seeking is a rearrangement of everyday practices as well as structural and communal change? How might theory itself be re-conceptualized from the perspective of artistic practices? And how might our own engagement—or disidentification—with contemporary discourses bring about queerness in the here and now?
“Future Queer: an Introduction to José Muñoz (In-Person)” is being held in partnership with the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division, an all-volunteer queer cultural center, bookstore, and event space hosted by The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. For a limited time, the Bureau is selling José Muñoz’s Cruising Utopia at a 20% discount ($22.40 instead of $28)—just mention the course when purchasing in-store!
Course Schedule
Monday, 6:30-9:30pm ET*
April 07 — April 28, 2025
4 weeks
$335.00
Three 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.
Register here!
*Please note: the Bureau is not open on Mondays. We will open for this course at 6 PM.
Image: David Wojnarowicz, Science Lesson (detail), 1982-83.

Sensations Magazine: First Century of the American Gay Rights Movement, 1924-2024, Research Presentation with Poetry (in person & live-streaming)
2025-04-06 15:00 - 17:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Historian, publisher, and poet David Messineo shares highlights from his recent research findings on “The First Century of the American Gay Rights Movement, 1924-2024” – the theme of the 2024 Sensations Magazine – and is joined by poets Alyta Adams, Joel Allegretti, Davidson Garrett, Steve Koenig, and others TBA, sharing their original poems published in the issue.
A Q&A will follow the presentation. No open mic.
Sensations Magazine is an award-winning literary magazine based in New Jersey, publishing independently since 1987. Copies of the 2024 Sensations Magazine are available for purchase at the Bureau for $25–reduced to $20 at the event!
The event is free to attend and open to the public.

This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.
Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd

The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books or publications.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Bywater Books and the Publishing Triangle Present "Brave New Worlds" (in person & live-streaming)
2025-04-05 15:00 - 17:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Brave New Worlds:
Telling our stories in a time of erasure and censorship.
As queer writers, we have learned that embracing the diversity of our cultural experiences and identity informs the ways we write and the stories we tell. But these are dark days, and we need literature that can lift us up and give us hope. How do the current political and cultural climates impact the types of stories writers need to tell, and what genres we use to tell them? What are the impacts of threats of reprisal and erasure? Is there still a place for Happily Ever After narratives? What do those conventions even look like for our literary community today? Tomorrow?
Join Bywater Books authors Samara Breger, Anna Burke, Cheryl A. Head, and Ann McMan in an important and thoughtful discussion moderated by Carol Rosenfeld.
This 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.

Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.

We 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

An Evening with Ben Fink: Celebrating the Launch of “Noble Deeds,” Hosted by Joe E. Jeffreys (in person only)
2025-04-04 18:00 - 21:00 | The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, 208 West 13th Street, Room 101, New York, 10011, United States
The Bureau of General Services—Queer Division hosts a special evening celebrating the publication of Noble Deeds: Mythic Portraits of the Imperial Court. This NYC launch, hosted by drag historian Joe E. Jeffreys, will spotlight Ben Fink’s groundbreaking book, which vividly captures the pageantry and philanthropy of one of the oldest LGBTQ+ organizations.
Join us at The LGBT Community Center, 208 13th St, RM 101, on Friday, April 4, 2025, from 6 PM to 9 PM.
Ben and Joe E Jeffries will discuss the historical and cultural significance of the Imperial Court System and the creation of NOBLE DEEDS.
Ben will share his inspiration behind the portraits, share stories from the book, and present a slideshow of images that showcase the unique artistic approach of the work.
Noble Deeds by Ben Fink is not just a book but a monumental tribute to the enduring legacy and vibrancy of the Imperial Court, one of the oldest and most influential LGBTQ+ organizations in the world. Over a span of seven years, Ben Fink devoted over 10,000 hours to this project, meticulously capturing the essence of more than 650 iconic figures within the Imperial Court through his lens and art. This expansive hardbound coffee table book, which is a self-published endeavor is a limited edition run with an even more exclusive book box set, presents a collection of these portraits, each one a testament to the individual’s unique contributions and the collective impact of the Court.
Each image in Noble Deeds is a masterful blend of photography and illustrated techniques, brought to life through an eight-color printing process that adds a vibrant painting-like quality to the art. These portraits are not just pictures; they are visual storytelling pieces that create narratives fitting for the personalities portrayed. They build upon the elaborate costumes and personas crafted by the subjects themselves during their year-long reigns as emperors, empresses, dukes, duchesses, princes, princesses, and their nonbinary counterparts.
The book offers readers a deep dive into a beguiling blend of myth and reality that defines the Imperial Court. Through stunning portraits enhanced by evocative imagery, Fink not only captures but also celebrates the spirit of these figures—each portrayal resonating with the dignity, flamboyance, and commitment of its subject. The portraits range from regal depictions to intimate glimpses into the personal moments of these community icons, each framed within the broader narrative of LGBTQ+ history and activism.
Alongside the visual feast, Noble Deeds also presents a meticulously researched history of the Imperial Court, co-written by Ben Fink and a noted historian within the court system, Daniel Barrows. This narrative spans over 5,000 words, detailing the Court’s evolution from its humble beginnings in 1965 to its pivotal role in community service, philanthropy, and activism today. The history component of the book does more than recount facts; it weaves the personal tales of those depicted in the portraits with the larger story of the Court’s impact on society.
This book is a must-have for anyone interested in the intersection of art, history, and LGBTQ+ activism. From its compelling narrative to its breathtaking visuals, Noble Deeds serves as a vital document of the pageantry and philanthropy that have characterized the Imperial Court for over six decades.

To reserve a copy of Noble Deeds ($160), please write to the Bureau at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of Noble Deeds for April 4 event.”
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This event will take place in person in room 101 of The LGBT Community Center, 208 W. 13th St., NYC, 10011.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

About the Author:
Born in Baltimore in 1963, multidisciplinary artist and photographer Ben Fink found refuge and a deep connection in the expressive power of art from an early age. His distinctive talent gained him access to the Memphis College of Art and later the University of Memphis, where he explored the traditions of painting, graphic design, photography, and art history. Ben relocated to New York City in the late ’90s, attaining success as a photographer for major corporate brands and iconic food personalities. Ben has provided visuals for more than 300 cookbooks, earning attention in high-profile national publications and accolades from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and James Beard Foundation. His works delve into complex social themes and showcase haunting narratives, establishing him as a notable figure in photography circles. His latest book, Noble Deeds, highlights issues of personal identity and social rebellion through painterly portraits.

About the host:
JOE E. JEFFREYS is a multiplatform drag historian and pundit. He has published on the subject in encyclopedia, essay anthologies, journals, and zines, while his drag- happy videos have screened at galleries and museums internationally, including the Tate Modern.

On Activism, Friendships, and Fighting, From ACT UP to the World: A book reading and conversation with Benjamin Heim Shepard and Ron Goldberg (in person & live-streaming)
2025-03-30 15:00 - 16:30 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Conflict and resolution are the lifeblood of social movements. How, and with whom, do we find lasting friendship, support, and joy in a world in need of so much repair?
In On Activism, Friendships, and Fighting veteran organizer and social worker Benjamin Heim Shepard traces a pressing dynamic of social movements: friendship and conflict. Shepard and ACT UP veteran Ron Goldberg, author of of Boy with the Bullhorn: A Memoir and History of ACT UP New York, will hold a reading and conversation about friendship and social movements, conflict and resolution in ACT UP. Shepard’s work builds on oral histories with more than thirty movement organizers—from AIDS, queer, trade union, community, Occupy, and harm reduction-based movements—reflecting on the lessons, meanings, and future directions of movements and collective organizing efforts. The book examines the reasons and ways the interviewees became involved in activism, the friendships they formed, and the conflicts they faced. This includes asking questions such as: where do friendships support or undermine these efforts? How can conflicts be resolved? Is there room to agree to disagree? And where do people find lasting support? Implications and questions about democracy and community practice will be explored.
Goldberg’s work is a coming-of-age memoir of life on the front lines of the AIDS crisis with ACT UP New York. From the moment Ron Goldberg stumbled into his first ACT UP meeting in June 1987, the AIDS activist organization became his life. For the next eight years, he chaired committees, planned protests, led teach-ins, and facilitated their Monday night meetings. He cruised and celebrated at ACT UP parties, attended far too many AIDS memorials, and participated in more than a hundred zaps and demonstrations, becoming the group’s unofficial “Chant Queen,” writing and leading chants for many of their major actions. Boy with the Bullhorn is both a memoir and an immersive history of the original New York chapter of ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, from 1987 to 1995, told with great humor, heart, and insight.
Using the author’s own story, “the activist education of a well-intentioned, if somewhat naïve nice gay Jewish theater queen,” Boy with the Bullhorn intertwines Goldberg’s experiences with the larger chronological history of ACT UP.

To reserve a copy of both/either On Activism, Friendships, and Fighting (Common Notions, March 25, 2025, paperback, $22) and/or Boy with the Bullhorn (Fordham University Press, September 3, 2024, paperback, $22.95), please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of [title(s)] for March 30th event.”
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.

Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.

We 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

What they are saying:
“When I needed a friend, Ben was there for me. This books explains how I knew, instinctively, that I could trust him. We had overlapped in ACT UP, and I had read his work on collective power, but there was something in his affect, heart, and character, that let me know that Ben holds friendship as a place of grappling, listening, opening, and acting together. That he expands connection and relationship by embracing us in our weaknesses and vulnerability, as much as our creative contributions and original thought. Here is the handbook to the way and the why that Ben Shepard befriends so well.” —Sarah Schulman, American playwright and author of Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987–1993
“I have known how brilliant, insightful, and rigorous Ben Shepard now for over two decades, and I relish the blossoming and intersectionality of his work and life; of course this project is necessary and alive–essential to our kinship groups and social structures (right now!). I am in such deep admiration of what is collected and celebrated here—I hope to teach this in my poetry and literature classes and reckon with all the love and conflict it mindfully works to integrate. I can’t underscore enough this voluminous archive of history, documentation, and activism. And there’s so much more I want to say (and stay in) in its important and unveiling (revealing/revelatory?) discussion of friendship.” —Prageeta Sharma, the author of five collections of poetry; her forthcoming poetry collection Onement Won will be published from Wave Books in the fall of 2025. She is the Henry G. Lee Professor of English at Pomona College.
“A great read on activist relationships—the reason many of us join movements and too many of us leave. This book offers gossipy tidbits and rich insight. Like many of us, especially at a time like this, Ben wonders, ‘How do we get beyond our silos?’ In answer, he shares the insights of scores of his ‘strange and wonderful’ activist friends, on the conflicts and caregiving within movements.” —Lesley Wood, Professor of Sociology, friend of activists and activist friend, York University
“I found myself thoroughly engaged with Benjamin Shepard’s remarkable book on friendship, which is focused on human connections, and disconnections, that occur in the process of working toward a common goal. I love these stories, and I think this book has much to say about friendship itself and, of course, about the making of a social world.” —Jay Parini, author of Borges and Me.
“I’ve known Benjamin Shepard for decades, watching his writing on movements and collective power, affinity groups which take on drug companies and defend community gardens, battling the WTO and supporting each other. Friendship is a theme of Shepard’s work, but so is the play, and inevitably differences of opinion, the conflict which spins out of efforts to combat institutional injustice, reducing harms, and dovetailing in their own countless directions, spurning still new clashes of ideas and movements. Looking to oral histories, On Activism, Friendships, and Fighting: Oral Histories, Strategies, and Conflicts traces some of this trajectory, looking at the ways movements cope with the very notion of difference. A leap away from the orthodox or party lines, this is Benjamin Heim Shepard’s most ambitious, and compelling work yet.” -Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, American historian and writer
“What happens when personal friendships collide with collective missions? On Activism, Friendships, and Fighting masterfully engages the reader with fascinating oral histories of people who must negotiate the complexities of friendships while dealing with differences arising when public political struggles intersect with private loyalties. Through candid interviews, Ben Shepard introduces us to activists recounting how friendships serve as sources of strength, energy, and solidarity, yet how they can often sow conflict, betrayal, and burnout. This wonderful book brings to life Hannah Arendt’s ‘political meaning of friendship’ idea; it insightfully illustrates these tensions and triumphs and the human connections that could enhance or break collective actions in the name of social justice.” —Peter M. Nardi, author of Gay Men’s Friendships: Invincible Communities, and Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Pitzer College
“The furies hover above these stories about friends and their shadows, good selves battling with themselves, rivals and heroes, hubris and true heroism. Homer, our first great storyteller, wrote about Ulysses —his only hero. Shepard has many. Their stories remind us that friendship has changed and so have we. These changes reveal themselves through his singular storytelling.” —Irwin Epstein, Professor Emeritus, CUNY, author of Men as Friends (Koehlerbooks, 2023).
“Ben Shepard knows that understanding the dynamics of radical friendship is the foundation of radical movements. In this book organizers will find many of the necessities that won’t fit neatly on our strategy charts.” —James R. Tracy, editor, A Southern Panther: Conversations with Malik Rahim
“It’s not easy to live up to Aristotelean ethics. When we do, its transformative.” In his previous book, Ben Shepard showed us how essential friendships are to movement building. On Activism, Friendships, and Fighting shows us how critical they are movement survival in Trump Time. Ben’s new book instructs us through the stories of rebel friendships, collectives, and alliances that triumphed, that blew apart, that survived, that fought bitterly, that disintegrated and then regenerated, that were suppressed, that refused to be suppressed—all along carrying forward the vital tasks of resistance and advocacy. The alternately exhilarating and maddening lives we lead as activists and comrades are here in full, along with some hard lessons and much love.—Eric Laursen, author of The Operating System: An Anarchist Theory of the Modern State
“I love this book! The relationships forged through struggle are the foundation of all social movements. They are as complex and beautiful as the organizers interviewed for this book. Activist-scholar Ben Shephard knows this in theory and in practice because he lives it everyday.” — Lynn Lewis, Editor, Women Who Change the World: Stories from the Fight for Social Justice and founder, The Picture the Homeless Oral History Project
“On Activism, Friendships, and Fighting: Oral Histories, Strategies, and Conflicts is a book about friendship. Friendships are typically birthed in proximity or circumstance (neighbors, classmates, coworkers). They are often time-limited, simply fading away rather than blowing up from a conflict. We all know people we ‘used to be friends with’. There are other books out there about friendship, many inspired by the ‘loneliness epidemic’ that began with COVID isolation. All of them offer the same antidote: make friends, more friends. Find a new hobby, enroll in a class, get involved in your place of worship. This is especially targeted to people who are older, looking for new friends their own age. But here Benjamin Shepard writes a more accurate prescription for people of any age: make friends with people with whom you share a passion that brings meaning to your life. Together you can make a difference in the world. The people in this book had to do one very specific thing before they could make those friends: they had to be vulnerable. They had to share their own stories, their own struggles, their own dreams. That decision was terrifying for some of them, but all found that it was only in opening up that they could find their tribe. Finding your affinity group does not eliminate the potential for conflict, and Ben shows how those conflicts play out in various groups: “What unites us and what divides us?” The shared purpose often, but not always, is enough to keep the friendships intact. It’s only when the conflicts become attacks that friendships and affinity groups fall apart. You may be surprised to learn that the most personal, most vicious attacks came from inside the groups, not outside. When those personal, internal attacks persist – often without confrontation – those groups splinter, often beyond repair. Ben provides cautionary tales, but also solutions from those willing to have hard conversations and nurture friendships. Can activist groups that are not homogeneous survive? Can the personal friendships within – based on respect and a shared sense of purpose – overcome class differences or disagreements about tactics and ideology? How do you avoid the impulse to treat allies like enemies? Is everything black or white? As the late, great Andy Vélez of ACT UP put it, “You don’t have to like everyone. You just have to be willing to do the work.” And the most important work is listening, listening with an open mind and heart. It is also a book about the importance of storytelling. Only with a diversity of voices can the true stories of oppression, healing, and hope be told. Lin-Manuel Miranda was spot-on when he wrote “Who lives? Who dies? Who tells your story?” The answers in Ben’s book are “Everyone. Everyone. You.” — Victoria Noe, Author of the Friend Grief series F*g Hags, Divas and Moms: The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community and What Our Friends Left Behind: Grief and Laughter in a Pandemic

By day, Benjamin Shepard, PhD, works as Professor of Human Services at City Tech/CUNY. By night, he works to keep NYC from turning into a giant shopping mall.
He is also the author/editor of over a dozen books: White Nights and Ascending Shadows, From ACT UP to the WTO, The Beach Beneath the Streets, Play, Creativity and Social Movements, Queer Political Performance and Protest, Rebel Friendships, Illuminations on Market Street: (a Story about Sex and Estrangement, AIDS and Loss, and Other Preoccupations in San Francisco), Community Projects as Social Activism, Brooklyn Tides: On the Fall and Rise of a Global Borough, Sustainable Urbanism, Travels in a Conflicted World, and On Friendship, Activism, and Fighting.
In 2010, he was named to the Playboy Honor Role as one of twenty professors “who are reinventing the classroom.”

Book launch: "Take It Outside" (Incision Press) (in person & live-streaming)
2025-03-29 15:00 - 16:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Please join us at the Bureau on Saturday, March 29th at 3pm for the North American launch of Take It Outside, an anthology of queer & trans desire edited by Cash Torn and Orlando Silver.
This anthology is the first from the Australia-based international house Incision Press, which is dedicated to publishing words for the queer revolution.
Five of the anthology´s contributing writers will be reading excerpts from Take It Outside : Jordan Asher, Jaymie Wagner, Libro Levi Bridgeman, Ryder West, and Christian Pan. Physical copies of Take It Outside will also be available for purchase and for authors to sign.
To reserve a copy of Take It Outside (Incision Press, 2025, paperback), please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Take It Outside for March 29th event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!
This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd

The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Jordan Asher (she/they) is a queer writer currently living in New Orleans. She writes fiction that explores the cadence of queer identity and emotions. Her writing invites readers to explore the complexities of desire, knowledge, love, and candor. Jordan loves stationary, the color yellow, and her beloved orange cat, Chunk.

Jaymie Wagner is a queer, trans, and polyamorous nonbinary girl who lives in the Twin Cities. A writer of short stories, erotica, and her “Sing For Me” series of werewolf novels, she is here to smooch weird things and somehow keeps making her mom proud.

Libro Levi Bridgeman (NonBiNArYBiRo) (they/them) wrote the sell-out theatre show The Butch Monologues. Short stories include For Ezra, now a stop-motion film. They co-run hotpencil press with Serge Nicholson. They are featured in the documentary Private View.

Ryder West (they/them) is a non-binary trans masc writer of smutty words. Their stories focus on vulnerability in D/s relationships and the sexiness of trans bodies. When not stomping on their partners in their Doc Martens, they can be found halfway up a climbing wall or underneath a blanket and a purring cat.

Christian Pan writes erotic fiction that frequently explores bisexual identity and experience. He is a Creative Director for Incision Press, the editor & organizer of The Best Bi Erotica of the Year, Volume One, and the author of over 19 books and 100 short stories. For more information, please go to linktr.ee/christianpan

The New York Rebel Poets of the Beat Generation (in person only)
2025-03-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
OUTWRIGHT, Ltd. and the Bureau present the third an final program of a series on the Rebel Poets of the 1960s and 1970s. This program will focus on Beat Poets who lived and published in New York during these years.
Poets included in the program are Anne Waldman, Bob Kaufman, Frank O’Hara, and Diane di Prima. We will examine their lives and read from their works.
Books by and about the featured poets will be available for purchase.
Light refreshments will be served.

This 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.

Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.

We 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

Radical Love as the World Burns, or Polyamory For Dummies (in person & live streaming)
2025-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
How do we build love and community when our world and communities are being violently pulled apart? Join queer feminist sex activist relationship coach and author of Polyamory for Dummies, Jaime Grant, writer-comedian-nurse Kelli Dunham, and activist chronic illness advocate JD Davids for a conversation that goes beyond relationship logistics and into the radical possibilities of polyamory as a survival strategy.
Too often, polyamory is framed as a lifestyle choice for the privileged—but what if it’s actually a blueprint for collective care? How do we move beyond individualism and scarcity models of love to build networks of support, abundance, and resilience? This conversation will explore the ways polyamory intersects with mutual aid, disability justice, caregiving, and the fight against systemic oppression.
Doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned polyamorous organizer, a burnt-out activist seeking new models of connection, or just someone trying to figure out how to get your polycule to agree on a group chat app, you have something to contribute to this discussion.
Bring your questions, your stories, and your radical love.

To reserve a copy of Polyamory for Dummies (For Dummies, December 24, 2024, paperback, $24.99) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Polyamory for Dummies for March 27 event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.

Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.

We 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

Dr. Jaime M. Grant is a queer feminist sex activist and relationship coach. Grant is best known for her sex workshop primer, Great Sex: Mapping Your Desire and her groundbreaking report Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Polyamorous since her 20s, Jaime is glad to be focussing on collective love as a revolutionary strategy as we face the political moment.
JD Davids (he/him) is a chronically ill and disabled writer and strategist with decades of work in world-changing social movements, policy advocacy and journalism. Most recently, he founded and co-directed the national Long COVID Justice project. Currently, he is writing and conducting research at the CUNY Graduate Center’s Biography and Memoir program as an “illder”– a term he coined to represent those mentoring each other in confronting chronic illnesses and an ableist society alike – committed to sharing movement history, health information and unique approaches to living with illness. In this time of mass disabling pandemics, he shares stories and strategies through The Cranky Queer Guide to Chronic Illness, where he braids his experiences as a longtime HIV and disability justice activist, research advocate, and life as a queer and transgender parent, harm reductionist and sexual liberationist. His recent and upcoming publications include authored or co-authored chapters for The Long COVID Survival Guide, Liberation Stories: Building Narrative Power for 21st Century Social Movements, Unfolding Corpus: Vulnerability and Radicality in Times of Plagues, and Race, Justice, and HIV: Visions for a Society Without Bars.
Kelli Dunham is the nonbinary ex-nun storytelling nurse author trauma-informed comedian so ubiquitous in modern Brooklyn. Kelli is the author of seven hilarious books about not hilarious subjects including a bestselling book on puberty and the forthcoming Almost The Best Medicine: Intentional Humor For Nurses And Others With Impossible Jobs (FoundVoice Publishing 2025). Kelli has appeared on Showtime, BBC4’S Sunday Religion in Culture Program, the Discovery Channel, the Moth Mainstage and the occasional livestock auction.
Kelli’s show Second Helping: Two Dead Lovers Dead Funny was called “a love letter to queer community” by the Bechdel Theater and “drop dead hilarious” by Go Magazine. PGN recently named Kelli one of “48 LGBT Creative People Of Influence” and former NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio once called Kelli “a show off.” To Kelli’s face.
Subscribe to Kelli’s substack for more helpful hilarity!

The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar: Queer Economies of Care: Community, Desire, and the Politics of Necessity (in person only)
2025-03-26 18:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About the Seminar
CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and the Barnard Center for Research on Women are thrilled to announce the Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar in the city, a six-week program exploring the transformative legacy of Amber Hollibaugh—a radical lesbian feminist, scholar, artist, and lifelong activist for queer survival economies.
Facilitated by interdisciplinary artist and educator Gili Rappaport, this seminar invites participants to dive into themes of queer survival, care, and community resilience in the face of economic hardship, criminalization, and marginalization. Participants will engage with foundational texts, recorded dialogues, and contributions from local artists and activists while contributing to a living archive honoring queer histories and futures.
The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar (2024) relaunches CLAGS’ public education series, Seminars in the City, originally held in July 1998.
The Amber Hollibaugh Seminar is co-sponsored by the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (@bgsqd) and Barnard Center for Research on Women.

Why Join?
This seminar is more than a class—it’s a space to build community, a book club to reflect on queer survival strategies, and an homage to Amber’s vision of community care and radical solidarity. Participants will explore the intersections of class, desire, and kinship through a rich syllabus of readings, discussions, and creative work.
Whether you’re an organizer, artist, body worker, visionary, builder, or community member, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn, share, and contribute to an archive of queer care and resistance.
Schedule
Dates: March 12 – April 16, 2025
Time: Wednesdays, 6–9 PM
Location: Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (208 West 13th Street, NYC)
Please note: The April 16th meeting will NOT take place at the Bureau. We will post the location for that date as soon as we have that confirmed.
This is an in-person experience. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate remote participants at this time.
What to Expect
Each week focuses on a key theme:

Week 1: Queer Survival Economies — Honoring Amber Hollibaugh’s Legacy
Week 2: Public Space, Gentrification, and Queer Displacement
Week 3: Oral Histories and Resilient Queer Spaces
Week 4: Queer Desire and Class as Radical Resistance
Week 5: Trans and BIPOC Narratives on Survival and Criminalization
Week 6: Community-Based Economies and Mutual Aid

Reading list (excerpts provided free of charge, available through the CLAGS archive)

Amber Hollibaugh, My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home
Audre Lorde, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
bell hooks, Belonging: A Culture of Place
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, M Archive: After the End of the World
José Esteban Muñoz, Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity
Vivek Shraya, I’m Afraid of Men
Gayle Rubin, Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice
Tourmaline, Black Trans Feminism is the Future
Eric A. Stanley and Nat Smith (Eds.), Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex
Sylvia Rivera, Queens in Exile, The Forgotten Ones
Dean Spade, Love in a F*cked-Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together
Adrienne Maree Brown, Pleasure Activism
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Dub: Finding Ceremony

Participation Details

Open to NYC publics, free of charge
We encourage applications from first-time students, people from underrepresented communities, and interests that reflect the city’s diversity of cultures, aesthetics, and creative practices. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible space for all participants. If you need any accommodations to fully participate in the seminar, please note this in the application form.
20 spots available—apply soon!
Participants will have the option to contribute to a collaborative publication and CLAGS archive project

NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About Amber Hollibaugh
Amber Hollibaugh was a legendary radical/lesbian/feminist/scholar/artist. A lifelong political activist and organizer, she was on the founding board of Queers for Economic Justice and served as QEJ’s Executive Director from 2011-2014. She established Queer Survival Economies (QSE), a project at the Barnard Center for Research on Women addressing the intersections of sexuality, poverty, homelessness, labor, and the criminalization of survival. Hollibaugh was the Founding Director of the Lesbian AIDS Project at GMHC, the first effort of its kind to organize with and for lesbians living with HIV. Amber also served as the Director for Aging Initiatives at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She fought for class and poverty issues to be addressed by an otherwise very bourgeois LGBTQ movement. Amber was a fierce advocate for transnational solidarity and movement building around sexuality, bodily autonomy and pleasure. Her publications included the book My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home, and she directed and co-produced the documentary film The Heart of the Matter. Her works have been translated into several languages, and she worked very closely with activists in China and India.
Image credit: Joaquin Golez @othereros

Julian's Debut: A Reading and An Interview (in person & live-streaming)
2025-03-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Brian Alessandro’s new novel, Julian’s Debut—his fifth book and third novel—explores the ethical gray area that comes with writing memoirs. What right do writers have to the private lives of friends, family, lovers, and acquaintances when writing memoirs?
Brian will read from Julian’s Debut and discuss its themes, inspirations, and plot with the award-winning author of 2022’s Greenland, David Santos Donaldson. Copies of Julian’s Debut will also be sold and autographed during the event.
To reserve a copy of Julian’s Debut (Rebel Satori Press, March 18, 2025, paperback, $21.95), please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Julian’s Debut for March 20th event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!
This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd

The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Julian’s Debut synopsis:
Julian Sorrento is a giver. Throughout much of his life he served his large, dysfunctional family at the expense of his own needs and desires. Drawing from his experiences as his family’s crutch, therapist, and bank, as well as his career as a clinical social worker of homeless youths, Julian writes a New Yorker article titled My Mighty Meekness, about altruism, sacrifice, and how putting others first could be pleasurable and rewarding, which is published to a surprising amount of attention.
Following the article’s publication, Julian’s family comes after him with a righteous fury. They claim he has exaggerated and distorted facts, making himself look like a victim and a hero and them the villains. His agent encourages him to expand the article into a book and portions of the article are also optioned by The Darlington Brothers, independent filmmakers, who hire Julian to adapt the work into a cable series for HBO (now MAX). They are interested exclusively in his anthropologist aunt who inadvertently incited a small civil war in Northeastern India, her husband, who builds bombs for Raytheon, and their son who punishes them both by inviting homeless people to live with them.
As Julian meets with each member of his family to hear their grievances, he also seeks—or sometimes makes up whole cloth—additional damning secrets about them to include in his memoir. Throughout the interminable filial reckoning, Julian leaves his job with social services, and develops the cable series with the assistance of Raul, his ex-fiancé, who makes vague allusions to sabotaging the media empire he works for as a programmer.

“An inventive, wildly entertaining novel, which revolves around the hazards of writing a memoir about one’s family. What a cast of characters Brian Alessandro has brought to life, through sparkling dialogue and vivid, often comical scenes. I enjoyed ‘Julian’s Debut’ immensely!”
– Bill Hayes, author of Insomniac City: New York, Oliver Sacks, and Me

“By turns comic, wrenching, appalling, bewildered, shrewd, never nice, and always alive, Julian’s Debut is a powder keg of a book that explodes and explodes.”
—Paul Lisicky, author of Song So Wild and Blue: A Life with the Music of Joni Mitchell

Brian Alessandro has written for Interview Magazine, Newsday, PANK (co-founded by Roxanne Gay), Huffington Post, Galerie (Wes Anderson’s cult film streaming app) Lambda Literary, The Gay & Lesbian Review, Kirkus Reviews, and The Florida Review, and has recently co-adapted Edmund White’s A Boy’s Own Story into a graphic novel for Top Shelf Productions. Additionally, Brian co-edited Fever Spores: The Queer Reclamation of William S. Burroughs, an anthology of essays and interviews about Burroughs for Rebel Satori Press. Brian is also the co-founder and editor in chief of the literary journal, The New Engagement. His first novel, The Unmentionable Mann, was published in 2015 by Cairn Press and his first feature film, Afghan Hound, was produced by Maryea Media in 2011, and is streaming on Plex, Tubi, and Amazon. Julian’s Debut, his fifth book, will be published by Rebel Satori Press in March 2025. Brian also has a feature film and a limited series in development with an Academy Award-winning producer.

David Santos Donaldson was raised in Nassau, Bahamas, and has lived in India, Spain, and the United States. He attended Wesleyan University and the Drama Division of the Juilliard School, and his plays have been commissioned by the Public Theater. He was a finalist for the Urban Stages Emerging Playwright Award and has worked as the Artistic Director for the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts in Nassau, Bahamas. Donaldson is currently a practicing psychotherapist, and divides his time between Brooklyn, New York, and Seville, Spain. Greenland is his first novel.

The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar: Queer Economies of Care: Community, Desire, and the Politics of Necessity (in person only)
2025-03-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About the Seminar
CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and the Barnard Center for Research on Women are thrilled to announce the Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar in the city, a six-week program exploring the transformative legacy of Amber Hollibaugh—a radical lesbian feminist, scholar, artist, and lifelong activist for queer survival economies.
Facilitated by interdisciplinary artist and educator Gili Rappaport, this seminar invites participants to dive into themes of queer survival, care, and community resilience in the face of economic hardship, criminalization, and marginalization. Participants will engage with foundational texts, recorded dialogues, and contributions from local artists and activists while contributing to a living archive honoring queer histories and futures.
The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar (2024) relaunches CLAGS’ public education series, Seminars in the City, originally held in July 1998.
The Amber Hollibaugh Seminar is co-sponsored by the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (@bgsqd) and Barnard Center for Research on Women.

Why Join?
This seminar is more than a class—it’s a space to build community, a book club to reflect on queer survival strategies, and an homage to Amber’s vision of community care and radical solidarity. Participants will explore the intersections of class, desire, and kinship through a rich syllabus of readings, discussions, and creative work.
Whether you’re an organizer, artist, body worker, visionary, builder, or community member, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn, share, and contribute to an archive of queer care and resistance.
Schedule
Dates: March 5 – April 9, 2025
Time: Wednesdays, 6–9 PM
Location: Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (208 West 13th Street, NYC)
Please note: The April 16th meeting will NOT take place at the Bureau. We will post the location for that date as soon as we have that confirmed.
This is an in-person experience. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate remote participants at this time.
What to Expect
Each week focuses on a key theme:

Week 1: Queer Survival Economies — Honoring Amber Hollibaugh’s Legacy
Week 2: Public Space, Gentrification, and Queer Displacement
Week 3: Oral Histories and Resilient Queer Spaces
Week 4: Queer Desire and Class as Radical Resistance
Week 5: Trans and BIPOC Narratives on Survival and Criminalization
Week 6: Community-Based Economies and Mutual Aid

Reading list (excerpts provided free of charge, available through the CLAGS archive)

Amber Hollibaugh, My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home
Audre Lorde, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
bell hooks, Belonging: A Culture of Place
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, M Archive: After the End of the World
José Esteban Muñoz, Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity
Vivek Shraya, I’m Afraid of Men
Gayle Rubin, Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice
Tourmaline, Black Trans Feminism is the Future
Eric A. Stanley and Nat Smith (Eds.), Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex
Sylvia Rivera, Queens in Exile, The Forgotten Ones
Dean Spade, Love in a F*cked-Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together
Adrienne Maree Brown, Pleasure Activism
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Dub: Finding Ceremony

Participation Details

Open to NYC publics, free of charge
We encourage applications from first-time students, people from underrepresented communities, and interests that reflect the city’s diversity of cultures, aesthetics, and creative practices. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible space for all participants. If you need any accommodations to fully participate in the seminar, please note this in the application form.
20 spots available—apply soon!
Participants will have the option to contribute to a collaborative publication and CLAGS archive project

NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About Amber Hollibaugh
Amber Hollibaugh was a legendary radical/lesbian/feminist/scholar/artist. A lifelong political activist and organizer, she was on the founding board of Queers for Economic Justice and served as QEJ’s Executive Director from 2011-2014. She established Queer Survival Economies (QSE), a project at the Barnard Center for Research on Women addressing the intersections of sexuality, poverty, homelessness, labor, and the criminalization of survival. Hollibaugh was the Founding Director of the Lesbian AIDS Project at GMHC, the first effort of its kind to organize with and for lesbians living with HIV. Amber also served as the Director for Aging Initiatives at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She fought for class and poverty issues to be addressed by an otherwise very bourgeois LGBTQ movement. Amber was a fierce advocate for transnational solidarity and movement building around sexuality, bodily autonomy and pleasure. Her publications included the book My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home, and she directed and co-produced the documentary film The Heart of the Matter. Her works have been translated into several languages, and she worked very closely with activists in China and India.
Image credit: Joaquin Golez @othereros

TELL: LUCK (in person & live-streaming)
2025-03-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Bureau of General Services—Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
TELL is a monthly queer storytelling show hosted and curated by Drae Campbell. It is the longest running event at the Bureau! 10 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.
The theme for March is Luck, featuring storytellers Tanya Marquardt and Kei Williams.

This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.
Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
Suggested donation to benefit the storytellers and the Bureau: $10.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Drae Campbellis the host and curator of TELL, an award winning podcast that can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Theater: 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).
Film and TV:Senior Escort Service, Blunderpuss, It’s Very Common, TOW.
TV: Bull, New Amsterdam.
BFA, The University Of The Arts
Ig @draebiz and @tellqueerz

Tanya Marquardt is a writer and performer in Lenapehoking/Brooklyn. Their book Stray: Memoir of a Runaway was named a Best Queer & History Bio by The Advocate and Some Must Watch While Some Must Sleep, Tanya’s play about being a sleep talker, toured internationally and inspired an NPR Invisibila. This year they will publish a piece on The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Feminist Press, and write about recconecting with Magyar queer archives and folkdance in upcoming anthology Do Trans People Dream of Electric Sheep; their play HOUSE, a transfeminist retelling of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is in development.

Born in Upstate NY, Kei Williams (they/them) is a queer transmasculine organizer, artist, and historian. Kei currently serves as NEW Pride Agenda’s Interim Executive Director. In 2021, Kei was selected as a Community Fellow through the Mellon Initiative for Emerging Scholars at The New School, where they co-teach a Media Theory course, and was honored with the Black Voices for Black Justice Award (2022) as a leader in the fight for racial and gender justice.
As a founding member of Black Lives Matter NYC and part of Movement Netlab, Kei has helped to shape powerful campaigns and developed practical tools to scale up movements grounded in abolition, democracy, and love. Kei joined Black Gotham Experience in November 2016, a visual storytelling project elevating the impact of the African Diaspora by remembering together through walks, talks, and artistic commissions. Their work has been featured at The Shed, Lincoln Center, New Museum, and the NYC Landmarks Department.
Outside of work and walking, Kei is a homebody, kept company by their dog Spartacus and their dozen inherited plants. Follow Kei at @blackboikei on Twitter and IG.

OUTspoken: The Publishing Triangle’s Reading Series, March Edition (in person & live-streaming)
2025-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
The Publishing Triangle presents its monthly OUTspoken Reading Series as host Rob Byrnes welcomes Shawn Stewart Ruff, Christian Gullette, Elizabeth Costello, Lucian Childs, Barry Brennessel, Sarah Sarai, and Stephen Greco.

Join us in-person or watch the live-stream to hear from some of queer literature’s most dynamic established and up-and-coming voices.

This 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.

Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.

We 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

The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar: Queer Economies of Care: Community, Desire, and the Politics of Necessity (in person only)
2025-03-12 18:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services—Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States

Elizabeth Costello, author of The Good War, in Conversation with Kate Rounds (in person only)
2025-03-08 15:00 - 17:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Elizabeth Costello will read from her feminist noir/queer-coming-of-age novel The Good War and chat with journalist Kate Rounds about writing and life. Stick around afterward for a reception with snacks provided by Red Table.

To reserve a copy of Elizabeth Costello’s The Good War (Regal House Publishing, January 28, 2025, paperback, $21.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of The Good War for March 8 event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Elizabeth Costello is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. She works (remotely) as an editor for UC Berkeley and co-founded the ekphraestival, a generative exchange among visual artists and poets that culminates in readings and exhibitions in April, national poetry month. Her debut novel, The Good War, is out now from Regal House and was described by Publishers Weekly as “dark and intense…lyrical…Moody and atmospheric, this gritty tale is worth a look.”

Kate Rounds is the author of the novel Catboad Road, published by Bywater Books. She’s a veteran journalist and has an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. She lives in Jersey City without a cat.

lesbian book club: March edition (in person only)
2025-03-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
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.

For our March 8th meeting, we’ll read Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg (1993). Digital and print editions of the book can be found on Leslie Feinberg’s website. Print editions are also available at the Bureau (see below).
From Feinberg’s website: https://www.lesliefeinberg.net/:
“The 20th Anniversary Author’s Edition of Stone Butch Blues is available in multiple formats:
“Click this link to automatically download your free PDF copy:
Stone-Butch-Blues-by-Leslie-Feinberg.pdf (886745 downloads)
“The at-cost print edition of Stone Butch Blues is once more available through Lulu.com – and at a slightly lower cost because of format re-design.”
And the Bureau sells at-cost print copies of Stone Butch Blues ($14–this covers printing, $12.21, plus shipping). To reserve a copy, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of Stone Butch Blues” in the subject line.

Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.
Registration is not required.

CANCELED: Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis Colloquium with Gila Ashtor: Erotophobia: Laplanche, Queer Theory & Psychoanalysis (registration required)
2025-03-07 19:30 - 21:30 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

In contemporary psychoanalysis, it has become popular to accuse the clinical field of hating sex, hating pleasure, and being generally – both in its theory and in its techniques – hostile and averse to sex and sexuality. Although this isn’t a particularly new argument – French psychoanalysis has been accusing American psychoanalysis of this in one form or another for the past seventy-five years – the argument has taken on new momentum with the popularization of queer theory. In this presentation, I will draw on the work of Jean Laplanche to challenge this popular argument by showing that it depends on a simplistic version of queer theory that totally misrecognizes its radical potential. In so doing, I will demonstrate that to the extent we are afraid of sexuality it may have less to do with sensational, exotic or shattering sex, but sexuality in relation to otherness, desire that thrusts and propels us toward others in ways we can’t comprehend and can’t quite escape. I elaborate Laplanche’s account of “enlarged sexuality” to elaborate “erotophobia” as the denial of enlarged sexuality.

The Manhattan Institute is a NY State approved provider of continuing education hours for: LCSW, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC and Licensed Psychologists.
For in-person attendance you will receive an E-ticket through Eventbrite.
TICKETS: $50.00

please RSVP here to attend in person
Students at other Institutes can purchase tickets for $25.00
(Proof of student status required)
MIP candidates can attend for free.
This 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.

Students also have the option of attending virtually:
please RSVP here to attend via Zoom

Gila Ashtor, PhD, LP is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychoanalysis at Columbia University. She is also on the Faculty at New York University’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and at IPTAR. She is the author of three books, Homo Psyche: On Queer Theory and Erotophobia (Fordham UP, 2021), Exigent Psychoanalysis: The Interventions of Jean Laplanche (Routledge, 2021), and Aural History (Punctum, 2020). Her primary areas of academic and clinical expertise include identity, dissociative disorders, trauma and sexuality. She is in private practice in New York City.

(Postponed) The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar: Queer Economies of Care: Community, Desire, and the Politics of Necessity (in person only)
2025-03-05 18:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Please note that the first meeting of the seminar will take place on
March 12th, NOT March 5th.
NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About the Seminar
CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies and the Barnard Center for Research on Women are thrilled to announce the Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar in the city, a six-week program exploring the transformative legacy of Amber Hollibaugh—a radical lesbian feminist, scholar, artist, and lifelong activist for queer survival economies.
Facilitated by interdisciplinary artist and educator Gili Rappaport, this seminar invites participants to dive into themes of queer survival, care, and community resilience in the face of economic hardship, criminalization, and marginalization. Participants will engage with foundational texts, recorded dialogues, and contributions from local artists and activists while contributing to a living archive honoring queer histories and futures.
The Inaugural Amber Hollibaugh Seminar (2024) relaunches CLAGS’ public education series, Seminars in the City, originally held in July 1998.
The Amber Hollibaugh Seminar is co-sponsored by the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (@bgsqd) and Barnard Center for Research on Women.

Why Join?
This seminar is more than a class—it’s a space to build community, a book club to reflect on queer survival strategies, and an homage to Amber’s vision of community care and radical solidarity. Participants will explore the intersections of class, desire, and kinship through a rich syllabus of readings, discussions, and creative work.
Whether you’re an organizer, artist, body worker, visionary, builder, or community member, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn, share, and contribute to an archive of queer care and resistance.
Schedule
Dates: March 12 – April 16, 2025
Time: Wednesdays, 6–9 PM
Location: Bureau of General Services—Queer Division (208 West 13th Street, NYC)
Please note: The April 16th meeting will NOT take place at the Bureau. We will post the location for that date as soon as we have that confirmed.
This is an in-person experience. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate remote participants at this time.
What to Expect
Each week focuses on a key theme:

Week 1: Queer Survival Economies — Honoring Amber Hollibaugh’s Legacy
Week 2: Public Space, Gentrification, and Queer Displacement
Week 3: Oral Histories and Resilient Queer Spaces
Week 4: Queer Desire and Class as Radical Resistance
Week 5: Trans and BIPOC Narratives on Survival and Criminalization
Week 6: Community-Based Economies and Mutual Aid

Reading list (excerpts provided free of charge, available through the CLAGS archive)

Amber Hollibaugh, My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home
Audre Lorde, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
bell hooks, Belonging: A Culture of Place
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, M Archive: After the End of the World
José Esteban Muñoz, Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity
Vivek Shraya, I’m Afraid of Men
Gayle Rubin, Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice
Tourmaline, Black Trans Feminism is the Future
Eric A. Stanley and Nat Smith (Eds.), Captive Genders: Trans Embodiment and the Prison Industrial Complex
Sylvia Rivera, Queens in Exile, The Forgotten Ones
Dean Spade, Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next)
Adrienne Maree Brown, Pleasure Activism
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Dub: Finding Ceremony

Participation Details

Open to NYC publics, free of charge
We encourage applications from first-time students, people from underrepresented communities, and interests that reflect the city’s diversity of cultures, aesthetics, and creative practices. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible space for all participants. If you need any accommodations to fully participate in the seminar, please note this in the application form.
20 spots available—apply soon!
Participants will have the option to contribute to a collaborative publication and CLAGS archive project

NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
About Amber Hollibaugh
Amber Hollibaugh was a legendary radical/lesbian/feminist/scholar/artist. A lifelong political activist and organizer, she was on the founding board of Queers for Economic Justice and served as QEJ’s Executive Director from 2011-2014. She established Queer Survival Economies (QSE), a project at the Barnard Center for Research on Women addressing the intersections of sexuality, poverty, homelessness, labor, and the criminalization of survival. Hollibaugh was the Founding Director of the Lesbian AIDS Project at GMHC, the first effort of its kind to organize with and for lesbians living with HIV. Amber also served as the Director for Aging Initiatives at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. She fought for class and poverty issues to be addressed by an otherwise very bourgeois LGBTQ movement. Amber was a fierce advocate for transnational solidarity and movement building around sexuality, bodily autonomy and pleasure. Her publications included the book My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home, and she directed and co-produced the documentary film The Heart of the Matter. Her works have been translated into several languages, and she worked very closely with activists in China and India.
Image credit: Joaquin Golez @othereros

Shawn Stewart Ruff in Conversation with Jacqueline Woodson (in person & live-streaming)
2025-02-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Lambda-Award winning novelist Shawn Stewart Ruff will read from his latest fiction, Days Running – an ‘intimate and compelling narrative’ situated in the ‘intersection of race, queerness and trauma’ (Steven Reigns) – and engage in conversation with acclaimed author Jacqueline Woodson about queer, Black storytelling, and more.
About Days Running :
It’s a snowy winter in 1970s Cincinnati. Cliffy Douglas – gay, Black and brainy – is trying to make it through his senior year, dodging his volatile father, half-raising his baby siblings, and running around with his secret boyfriend, whose dizzying physical attraction runs as hot as his temper.
When a single, deliberate act of violence lands Cliffy in the hospital, his world is flung into chaos and his carefully planned-for future is threatened. In DAYS RUNNING (DOPAMINE Press; On-sale 2/25/25), award-winning novelist Shawn Stewart Ruff returns to literary territory he has claimed and perfected, bringing us into the jagged world of one queer teenager fighting to outrun the danger at his heels and seize his life as his own
Praise for DAYS RUNNING:
“With an intimate and compelling narrative, DAYS RUNNING delves into the intersection of race, queerness, and trauma.”
– Steven Reigns, A Quilt for David
“I loved this beautiful and haunting novel, about escape, survival, and justice, in a novel both timely and timeless.”
– Carley Moore, Panpocalypse
“A passionate, bold, and gripping story. Ruff fearlessly topples the monoliths of masculinity.”
– James Hannaham, Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta

To reserve a copy of Days Running (Dopamine/Semiotext(e), February 25, 2025, paperback, $17.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve Days Running for Feb. 28 event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.

Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.

We 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

Shawn Stewart Ruff is the author of three novels, including Finlater, 2008 winner of a Lambda Literary Award for Debut Fiction and a finalist for the Edmund White Debut Fiction Award. He is also the editor of the landmark Go the Way Your Blood Beats: An Anthology of Lesbian and Gay Fiction by African American Writers (1996).
Jacqueline Woodson is an American writer of books for adults, children, and adolescents. She is best known for her National Book Award-Winning memoir Brown Girl Dreaming, and her Newbery Honor-winning titles After Tupac and D Foster, Feathers, and Show Way. Her picture books The Day You Begin and The Year We Learned to Fly were NY Times Bestsellers. After serving as the Young People’s Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017, she was named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress for 2018–19. She was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 2020. Later that same year, she was named a MacArthur Fellow.

OUTspoken: The Publishing Triangle’s Reading Series, February Edition (in person & live-streaming)
2025-02-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
The Publishing Triangle presents its monthly OUTspoken Reading Series as host Rob Byrnes welcomes Tom Cardamone, Kathleen Warnock, Jerry Wheeler, Dale Corvino, Frederick Smith, Daniel Meltz, and Bruce Whitacre.
Join us in-person or watch the live-stream to hear from some of queer literature’s most dynamic established and up-and-coming voices.

This 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.

Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.

We 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

TELL: Greatness (in person & live streaming)
2025-02-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
TELL is a monthly queer storytelling show hosted and curated by Drae Campbell. It is the longest running event at the Bureau! 10 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.
The theme for February is Greatness, featuring storytellers Kate McDonough, Glenn Marla, and Mariel Reyes.

This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.
Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
Suggested donation to benefit the storytellers and the Bureau: $10.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Drae Campbell is the host and curator of TELL, an award winning podcast that can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Theater: 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).
Film and TV:Senior Escort Service, Blunderpuss, It’s Very Common, TOW.
TV: Bull, New Amsterdam.
BFA, The University Of The Arts
Ig @draebiz and @tellqueerz

Kate McDonough is a queer non binary trans writer, organizer and performance artist. Their work explores the politics of place v. space and finding radical queer joy in the midst of an apocalypse. Originally from the Bronx, Kate has been an organizer in New York City and State for over a decade and believes that imagination is a cornerstone for radical change
Kate is the co-host of Joy in the Soft Apocalypse, a bi monthly literary salon at The Word is Change bookstore, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School.

Glenn Marla is a mostly Hudson Valley and very often Brooklyn based theater artist, puppet maker and art therapist.
Glenn’s performance work focuses on themes of body liberation, gender, queerness, fat, and shifting cycles of trauma.
Glenn’s sun and moon are in aquarius with leo rising.

Mariel Reyes is an Queer Afrolatinx performance artist & producer, with works based out of some of your favorite experimental theater spaces in NYC (Dixon Place, Brooklyn Arts Exchange) She has also appeared on screen in the film “Appropriate Behaviour” which premiered at Sundance in 2014 and the award winning web series “The Feels.”

How Pornographers Conspired to Kill Romance (in person & live-streaming)
2025-02-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
The die-off of romance among the younger generations (Millennials and Gen-Z) is palpable. But what if I told you that the trends we are witnessing with young people today began under their parents’ (Gen X and Boomer) and even their grandparents’ (Silent) generations? Drs. Sabrina Strings and Serene Khader will discuss the little-known crusade during the mid-20th century movement era (~1950s-1980) to undo romance as a backlash to feminism. Initiated by white male media moguls, men were advised against commitment unless to the “highest” type of woman. Later, many Black male entertainers would ally themselves to the cause—an unexpected consequence of racial integration. Together, their efforts resulted in an explosion of men who are wary of serious relationships with women, especially women who are neither rich nor white, the so-called “fuckboys.” This scintillating conversation will center research done for Dr. Strings’ latest book, The End of Love: Racism, Sexism and the Death of Romance, and find connections to Dr. Khader’s new book Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop.

To reserve a copy of Sabrina String’s The End of Love: Racism, Sexism, and the Death of Romance (Beacon Press, January 21, 2025, paperback, $18.95) and/or Serene Khader’s Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop (Beacon Press, October 29, 2024, hardcover, $28.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of End of Love and/or Faux Feminism for Feb. 14 event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!
This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd

The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Dr. Sabrina Strings is Professor and North Hall Chair of Black Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research examines race, gender, and embodiment in science, media, and medicine. She has been featured in dozens of venues, including BBC News, NPR, Huffington Post, NowThis!, Essence, Vogue, The Washington Post, TIME, and The New York Times. She is the author of the award-winning book Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia (NYU 2019). Her second book, The End of Love: Racism, Sexism & the Death of Romance was released with Beacon Press (2024). Find her on the Netflix docuseries The Black Beauty Effect, and the CNN Original Series TV on the Edge: Moments that Shaped Our Culture, now streaming on HBO Max. Follow her latest moves on Twitter @Sastrings, and IG @YoginiBlack.

Dr. Serene Khader holds the Jay Newman Chair in Philosophy of Culture at Brooklyn College and is Professor of Philosophy and Women’s and Gender Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center. Her new book, Faux Feminism: Why We Fall for White Feminism and How We Can Stop (Beacon 2024), sets out to explain what makes white feminism wrong, why it’s so easy to end up supporting it, and what feminists might believe in instead. She argues that faux feminisms are rooted in the misunderstanding that feminism is about individual freedom, rather than opposition to group-based hierarchy. It has been called “a page-turner” by “Chandra Talpade Mohanty, “well-researched, compellingly written, and passionately argued,” by Kirkus reviews, and “a marvelous and essential read” by Rafia Zakaria.

Fuckin' Transplants Issue 4 Release Party and Open Mic (in person & live-streaming)
2025-02-13 18:30 - 21:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Have feelings about Valentine’s Day? WE DO TOO. Come share them with friends at the release party for issue 4 of Fuckin Transplants, a mostly T4T smut zine! Bring your valentine, meet a valentine, or tell us all about valentines past, we can’t wait to see you at the Bureau! 208 w 13th st, Room 210.
This is an open mic for poetry and prose only, on the themes of love, lust, heartbreak, or smut! Notes, app ramblings, journal entries, AO3 posts, text that made you swoon, + more are all welcome. Interested readers can sign up for ~5-7 minute spots from 6:30-7:15, the event will officially start at 7:30 pm.

Supporting the zine launch there will be readings from:
Jordyn, Kelby Clark, Maya Cordero, Veronica Rowan, + Venus Solomon

Comedic interludes by:
Blair Brennan and MG

And zine and art tabling by:
Catherine Jánszky, DISCOUNT GUILLOTINE, and Jordyn.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
About:
Fuckin’ Transplants is a semi-autobiographical, T4T, lesbian smut zine written by lifelong Brooklynite, long-time Butch Top, and former teenage slash fanfic writer L’or. It was born out of their realization that there are (almost?) no butch/femme T4T stories out there! What a travesty! We exist, and are hot. You’ll hear at least one smutty story at the event.
This event is a fundraiser for trans folks facing all sorts of financial need, and all proceeds are redistributed. To donate you can venmo L’or directly @DitmasParkSlope.

Rainbow Blossoms (in person only)
2025-02-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
A place to talk about growing up, puberty, and related topics for 8-12 year old queer/trans kids and their friends.
We’ll play some games to get to know each other, read some Cory Silverberg books, and discuss topics of interest to the kids.
Want to help facilitate discussion?
Get in touch. Let’s do this together: ellenbaxt@yahoo.com
Please register here
Wheelchair accessible.
Donation or book purchase encouraged!
This is an adult queer space and there may be images with sexual content on view.

This 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.
Registration is encouraged, but not required.
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekUufKML3x_aah1BX0pY8_NxGGYMPDeXQ5FJTldXqY5zjEZw/viewform

The Sexual Evolution: The Inherent Queerness of Animals (in person only)
2025-02-08 15:00 - 16:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
In The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender, and Mating Shape Modern Relationships, biologist Nathan H. Lents argues persuasively that many of our supposedly modern ideas about gender and human sexuality are, in fact, deeply rooted in our animal ancestors. In this presentation, Lents will show how diverse sexual behavior is not a new development, is not unique to humans, and is most definitely not the product of modern progressive culture. Instead, it’s the product of millions of years of evolutionary experimentation throughout the animal kingdom. One of the greatest truths that biology has revealed is that Diversity Wins.
Author Nathan H. Lents will be joined in conversation by Bureau co-founder Greg Newton.
To reserve a copy of The Sexual Evolution (Mariner Books, February 4, 2025, hardcover, $32) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of Sexual Evolution for Feb. 8 event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Nathan H. Lents, Ph.D. is Professor of Biology at John Jay College (CUNY). His research lab studies human genome evolution and he is the author of three popular science books: Not So Different: Finding Human Nature in Animals, Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes, and The Sexual Evolution: How 500 Million Years of Sex, Gender, and Mating Shape Modern Relationships (2025).

lesbian book club: February edition (in person only)
2025-02-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Bureau of General Services–Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
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.

For our February 8th meeting, we’ll discuss Freshwater, by Akwaeke Emezi (Grove Press, 2018, paperback, $18). To reserve a copy, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of Freshwater for me” in the subject line.
And for our March 8th meeting, we’ll read Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg (1993). Digital and print editions of the book can be found on Leslie Feinberg’s website. Print editions are also available at the Bureau (see below).
From Feinberg’s website: https://www.lesliefeinberg.net/:
“The 20th Anniversary Author’s Edition of Stone Butch Blues is available in multiple formats:
“Click this link to automatically download your free PDF copy:
Stone-Butch-Blues-by-Leslie-Feinberg.pdf (886745 downloads)
“The at-cost print edition of Stone Butch Blues is once more available through Lulu.com – and at a slightly lower cost because of format re-design.”
And the Bureau sells at-cost print copies of Stone Butch Blues ($14–this covers printing, $12.21, plus shipping). To reserve a copy, please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of Stone Butch Blues” in the subject line.

Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.
Registration is not required.

Jill Johnston in Motion: Clare Croft In Conversation with Ksenia Soboleva (in person & live-streaming)
2025-02-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Bureau of General Services—Queer Division, 208 West 13th Street, Room 210, New York, NY, 10011, United States
Clare Croft reads from her new book, Jill Johnston in Motion, which focuses on the dance critic turned lesbian provocateur Jill Johnston. Following the reading Croft will be in conversation with Ksenia Soboleva. In conjunction with “Archives Onstage: The Essential Jill Johnston” at NYU Skirball.

To reserve a copy of Jill Johnston in Motion (Duke University Press, October 29, 2024, paperback, $27.95) and/or The Essential Jill Johnston Reader, edited by Clare Croft (Duke University Press, October 29, 2024, paperback, $27.95) please write to us at contact@bgsqd.com with “please reserve a copy of Jill Johnston in Motion and/or Essential Jill Johnston for Feb. 6 event” in the subject line.
Thank you for supporting the Bureau by purchasing books from us!

This 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.
Registration is encouraged, but not required.
Please register here.

Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books.
All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation.
We 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

Clare Croft is a writer, a dance historian and theorist, a dramaturg and curator, and someone who dances. She is the author of Jill Johnston in Motion: Dance, Writing, and Lesbian Life and the editor of The Essential Jill Johnston Reader, both published by Duke University Press. She is also the editor of Queer Dance: Meanings and Makings; the founder and curator of the EXPLODE queer dance festival; and the author of Dancers as Diplomats: American Choreography in Cultural Exchange. Clare’s dance criticism has appeared in The Washington Post, the Austin American-Statesman, and The Brooklyn Rail. She is Associate Professor of American Culture at the University of Michigan, and holds a PhD in Performance as Public Practice from the University of Texas-Austin.

Dr. Ksenia M. Soboleva is a New York based writer and art historian specializing in queer art and culture. She holds a PhD from the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, with a dissertation titled “Fragments: Art, AIDS, and Lesbian Identity in the United States.” Her writings have appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, BOMB Magazine, Artforum, frieze, Hyperallergic, as well as various monographs and exhibition catalogues. She has curated exhibitions at Baxter St. Camera Club, Candice Madey Gallery, and La MaMa Galleria. Soboleva was the 2020-2021 Vilcek Curatorial Fellow at the Guggenheim Museum, and the 2022-2024 Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Gender and LGBTQ+ History at the New York Historical Society. Currently, she is working on a book project titled “Friendship as a Way of Art: Queer Identity and Visual Citation,” and co-editing the first monograph on TRIAL BALLOON, a 1990s gallery and project space that highlighted lesbian artists. She teaches at the New School and NYU.

OUTspoken: A tribute to Nikki Giovanni (in person & live-streaming)
2025-02-01 18:00 - 20:00 | The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, 208 West 13th Street, Room 101, New York, 10011, United States
In celebration of Black History Month, The Publishing Triangle in collaboration with the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division, presents a special OUTspoken Reading Series event celebrating the life of acclaimed Black lesbian poet, commentator, activist and educator, Nikki Giovanni.
Presenters will include JP Howard, Reginald Harris, Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, a Drag Queen Story Hour reading by Harmonica Sunbeam, Samiya Bashir, Darrel Alejandro Holnes, and UGBA (Nuyorican Poets Café slam team). The event will be hosted by Emanuel Xavier.
Join us in-person or watch the live-stream to hear some of our community’s most dynamic voices honor the legacy of one of our most acclaimed icons.
This event will take place in person in room 101 of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, 208 W. 13th Street, in collaboration with Bureau of General Services—Queer Division.
Registration is not required. Seating is first come, first served.
Also live-streaming on the Bureau’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/@bgsqd
The Bureau will solicit donations at the beginning of the event—we especially encourage donations from those who do not plan to purchase any books. All are welcome to attend, with or without a donation. We will pass a bag for donations at the start of the event, but we can also take credit card donations at the event or on Venmo @BGSQD

Emanuel Xavier’s honors include the Marsha A. Gomez Cultural Heritage Award, a New York City Council Citation, a Gay City News Impact Award, and a Silver Medal in the Juan Felipe Herrera Best Poetry Book Award category at the International Latino Book Awards for his book Love(ly) Child, also a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. His work has appeared in Latino Poetry: The Library of America Anthology, Poetry, A Gathering of the Tribes, and elsewhere. Emanuel Xavier is on the Board of The Publishing Triangle and is currently working on a memoir and a screenplay based on his 1999 cult novel, Christ Like.

JP Howard is a poet, educator, curator, and literary activist. Her debut poetry collection SAY/MIRROR (The Operating System) was a Lambda Literary finalist. She curates Women Writers in Bloom Poetry Salon.
http://www.jp-howard.com

Reginald Harris has been a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award and the Griot-Stadler prize. He won the 2012 Cave Canem / Northwestern University Press Poetry Prize for Autogeography. His work has appeared in numerous journals, anthologies, and online. Born in Annapolis, Maryland, and raised in Baltimore, he lives in Brooklyn.

Cheryl Boyce-Taylor is the author of seven collections of poetry which include Mama Phife Represents, a verse memoir about the life of her son, Hip Hop Legend, Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor. Her most recent collection, The Limitless Heart, won the 2024 Firecracker Award for poetry. Cheryl is a graduate of The Stonecoast MFA program.

Harmonica Sunbeam, The Comedy Queen, has been delighting audiences at nightclubs, cabarets, fundraising events and supermarket openings throughout the United States and abroad for over 32 years. She is the North Jersey coordinator of Drag Queen Story Hour and since the inception of DQSH in the New York area, Miss Sunbeam has been featured in the NY Times and interviewed for a now viral video on Buzzfeed.

Samiya Bashir is the author of three poetry collections, most recently Field Theories, winner of the Oregon Book Award. Her fourth, I Hope This Helps, is forthcoming from Nightboat Books in 2025. A sought-after editor, Bashir currently serves as the June Jordan Visiting Scholar at Columbia University.

Darrel Alejandro Holnes is the author of Stepmotherland, winner of an International Latino Book Award and the Andres Montoya Poetry Prize and Migrant Psalms, winner of the Drinking Gourd Poetry Prize. Holnes is the winner of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship in Poetry and the C.P. Cavafy Poetry Prize. Holnes is also a recent nominee for the Best of the Net and an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director.

UGBA (oog ba) (pronoun inclusive) is a queer poet, rapper, playwright, actor, and activist based out of Brooklyn, NY. UGBA is a former member of the Public Theater’s Emerging Writers Group 2020-2023 cohort, a 2022 MAP Grant recipient, a 2020-2021 BAM Resident, 2024 Nuyorican Poetry Slam member, and former Artistic Director at NY Writers Coalition.
