Publishing House for Queer Community Writers in India Makes its Debut

"Presenting 50 books by LGBTQIA+ authors in the 46th edition of this book fair has been a lengthy battle

on Jan 23, 2023

Grace Banu, a Dalit transgender activist, started her quest to publish her book, Talks of Grace Banu, in 2017, but she encountered two years of publishing firms' casteist and transphobic denials. She decided to self-publish it in 2019. She established Queer Publishing House earlier this month to provide transgender authors the respect and joy they deserve while publishing their work, a fundamental right that was denied to her.

The current 2023 Chennai Book Fair is the most recent cisgender savarna place that Banu, a well-known trans activist, has disrupted. The renowned festival has designated a stand for LGBT writers, ending nearly 50 years of rejection and persecution.

"Presenting 50 books by LGBTQIA+ authors in the 46th edition of this book fair has been a lengthy battle. The visitors' response has been astounding. Over 7000 copies have already been sold, claims Banu. When several of the members of the Trans Rights Now Collective, a transgender collective with a Dalit, Bahujan, and Adivasi focus, expressed a desire to have their literature published but lacked access to the mainstream platforms, Banu founded Queer Publishing House.

At the book market, the publishing firm debuted three new volumes of poems by Negha, Ajitha, and Arun Karthik. The actor-turned-trans poet Negha states the following about her book, RIP: "I had composed poetry, but I did not know which platform would publish them.

The poetry anthology RIP examines trans living and the trans community's historical rights violations. She claims that the title makes a message. "We show respect and affection to the deceased but frequently withhold it from the living. Negha declares, "I want a bed of roses now, not later when I'm not around.