What
Gay’s the Word has over the chainstores is friendly, knowledgeable
staff and a far greater variety of books. ‘We have literally
thousands,’ confirms McSweeney. ‘I think if people have never been into
the bookstore, they’d be surprised at just how many books are
available. When the shop opened it was half the space we have now, and
a lot of it was feminist books because there wasn’t enough gay stuff
being published. That’s all changed. Now we have sections on gay
parenting, spirituality, lesbian and gay politics, psychology, plays,
lesbian detective fiction. There’s just so much that has come out in
the past 28 years.’
Community links remain strong. ‘When we
were set up there were lots of community groups who would meet up here.
We still have a lesbian discussion group that meets every week. There’s
a gay writers group that meets here. There’s a new trans group that
just started meeting here. And the space is free. What I like about the
shop is that I have everybody from 16-year-olds to 90-year-olds coming
in and using it. People stop by to pick up the free papers, or to chat.
You build a relationship with them. And it’s great when they buy books
as well, but it is more a sense of community.’
Gay
writers certainly recognise the value of Gay’s the Word. Over the years
the shop has hosted readings by Jake Arnott, Patrick Gale, Allen
Ginsberg, Alan Hollinghurst, David Leavitt, Armistead Maupin and Felice
Picano.
Named one of the 50 best independent bookstores by the
Independent a few years ago, Gay’s the Word was recently voted one of
the ten best bookshops in London by the London Bookfair. And gay
tourists continue to flock here, just as McSweeney himself did all
those years ago.
‘If Londoners used the bookstore the way
visiting tourists use it, we’d be laughing,’ he says. He pauses, then
adds: ‘So much has changed over the past 28 years. Homophobia is still
out there. We still get spit on the windows. But these days when we
call the police, they’re fantastic.’
Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Trans History Month runs throughout February with various
events organised in London and nationwide. For more information visit
www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk
