LGBTQ visibility: I see you by Brey Willows

We were in Hay on Wye recently to drop off books at Gay on Wye, the fabulous new LGBTQ+ bookshop there. That in itself was exciting. But can I just say, the amount of Queer family rambling through the little streets the same way we were? That was astounding. Outside of Hebden Bridge, I’ve never seen so many lesbians in a space where no event is going on. There’s something about LGBTQ visibility that always makes me take a deep, cleansing breath.

And it felt amazing. There were plenty of nods and small smiles and eye contact in that way that allows you to say, “I see you.” And being seen is an amazing feeling.

Slight segue:

We went to Bath and Body in a mall. Standard store. But a baby queer working there spotted us and came over right away. We chatted and laughed, and before long, that baby queer was having a quiet moment of overwhelm, complete with tears. Because they were among their people. We saw them, we laughed with them, and they saw us, a generation or several above them, out and proud and happy.

That’s what events like Queer the Shelves mean to me.

LGBTQ visibility. Being seen, being around chosen family, around people you’ve gotten to know through the writing and book world, is something I cherish. I can’t tell you how many wonderful people we’ve met and continue to have in our lives because of events like this one. It means being in a safe space where you don’t have to look over your shoulder, where you can get overwhelmed by the sheer joy not only of not hiding, but also of being out and open and accepted. Events like this one, like Pride events, like any LGBTQ centered event–they mean we can be together and proud of who we are without the fight we may have outside our safe spaces.

If you’re at the event and you want to chat, please come find me. I’d love to chat with you. My latest book, Heart of the Storm under my pen name of Ally McGuire, will be available, and I’ll be talking about my next Brey book, The Devil’s Dreams.