Queer as Books: Gay’s The Word

What’s your favourite book? 

The ‘one’ that inspired you to be who you are and gave you the courage to do what you’re doing? 

That’s how Virginia Mendez (The Feminist Shop) will start her conversation with Alexa Moore (former Transgender NI), Leo Lardie (The Rainbow Project) and Mary Ellen Campbell (Here NI), asking them to tell us about their favourite reads, how these relate to their work in the LGBTQIA+ sector, its struggles, its needs and its prospects. 

Virginia Mendez is a feminist author, public speaker and co-founder of The Feminist Shop - a feminist ethical brand and hub. With a background in corporate and mother of 2, she decided to put her skills to work by creating a career that can make a real positive change. She loves public speaking (and speaking in general) and challenging kids and adults to unlearn constrictive stereotypes. She has published 2 children’s books, one about gender stereotypes and another about consent and a parenting book Childhood Unlimited: Parenting Beyond the Gender Bias. She has participated in debates, hosted events, moderated panels and delivered workshops in schools, communities and corporate meetings.

The Feminist Shop is an ethical brand that covers all basis to fuel your feminism. From free content and resources to over 400 book titles, and a large selection of ethical products to make statements and start conversations. All while giving back, in every sale, to great feminist associations making a great impact! For more information visit TheFeministShop.com

Alexa Moore is a human rights worker and a founder and former Director of TransgenderNI, a trans-led human rights organisation based in Belfast. She has been involved in LGBTQI+ and feminist movements since 2016, and has worked on regional, national and international gender-affirming healthcare policy and human rights development. She is currently working on a freelance basis, focused on policy development, media engagement and progressing human rights in Northern Ireland. 

Leo Lardie is a thirty-one-year-old transgender man who’ has been working with The Rainbow Project for nearly seven years as their sexual health development officer. When he’s not preoccupied with providing thousands of condoms, facilitating hundreds of rapid HIV/syphilis tests, delivering training on LGBTQIA issues to organisations and businesses across Northern Ireland or running their meet-ups for trans, non-binary and intersex people – you might find him performing stand-up comedy!

The Rainbow Project provides services such as counselling, peer and social support groups, sexual health, advocacy support and much, much more in order to improve the health & wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ people and their families across Northern Ireland. You can contact them by phone (028 90 319 030), e-mail (info@rainbow-project.org) or by DM'ing any of their social media pages (Instagram & Twitter: TRPNI, Facebook: TheRainbowProjectNI) or visit their website (www.rainbow-project.org) for more information.

Mary Ellen has a background in Community Development working with organisations across Belfast.  In recent years she completed Genealogy courses with the University of Strathclyde and the University of Limerick, she ran her own family research consultancy business for 8 years, and she also assisted a local historian with his Written in Stone series. She is from North Belfast. She was also the first out lesbian councillor in Ireland and the first out Civic Leader of Belfast.

Here NI is a community organisation and registered charity based in Belfast. They support lesbian and bisexual women and families, and improve the lives of L & B women across Northern Ireland. They do this in lots of different ways: through providing information; peer support; facilitating training; lobbying government and agencies on your behalf, offering a community space for meeting and much more. For more information about the organisation visit www.hereni.org, history@hereni.org

Plus come along and meet Paperxclips will be joining us to share information about the new bookshop due to open in July 22 in West Belfast.