New Anthology Book ‘Queersland’ To Help Tell Our History

This September the new book Queersland is set for release, giving a unique and queer insight into the history of Queensland.

Told through the voices of over twenty Queenslanders, Queersland will tell the stories of the lived experiences of those who existed in some of the states darkest days.

Queersland is “Funny, raw, heartbreaking and brave”

Queensland has a checkered history for the LGBTQIA+ community, including the darker days of the Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen era that saw violence towards our community as a common occurrence.

It wasn’t until 1991 that homosexuality was decrminialised in the state, just 34 years ago.

Queersland is described as “remarkable and rarely told stories of Queensland lives from queer writers spanning almost 80 years of rich and dynamic social histories that are as varied as the landscape itself.”

The anthology is set to be more than just a collection of short stories, with these Queenslanders also using various other art forms to tell their stories.

“Blending fiction, memoir, poetry and images, Queersland brings to light the struggle to survive in a culture that has barely tolerated difference and at times violently suppressed it.”

“Funny, raw, heartbreaking and brave, the stories shine a light on our potential for sex and love beyond the normativities, and ultimately for our evolution to a more compassionate and generous way of being in our world.”

There are many recogonisable names in the list of contributors including local first nations elder Aunty Dawn Daylight and two Brisbane authors who have both had their work spotlighted recently.

Last year Steve MinOn was announced as the winner of the Glendower Award for an Emerging Queensland Writer at the Queensland Literary Awards, this year releasing his first book, First Name, Second Name. Steve will be contributing a story about a “John Travolta Saturday night awakening” he said on social media.

Another familiar name in the collection is Brisbane author J M Tolcher who also received praise for his debut memoir Poof, which was shortlisted the at the Queensland Literary Awards for a Work of State Significance.

They join a range of other names that include Krissy Kneen, Wolfram van Keesing, Paul Andrew, Sally Mansfield, Ruth Gardner, Angela Wren, Chantal Eastwell, Connor Crossley, David Kelly, Odette Best, Patrick Shepherdson, Jackie Ryan, Garrett Huxley, Grace Doyle, Hugh Kilpatrick, Robert Phillips, Shane Rowlands, Georgina Buckley, Edwina Shaw, Rod Goodbun and more. The book is also edited by Rod Goodbun and Edwina Shaw and features a foreword by Darren Hayes.

Queersland is due for release in September and is available to pre-order online.