Queer tales

Somewhere amidst the chaos and hustle-bustle of the western suburbs, buried in the depths of tall buildings and multiplexes, stands a tiny bookstore that hopes to fill a void left behind the mainstream bookstores. On the lines of Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookstore in New York, Queer Ink is a first-of-its-kind store, which stocks books about the LGBT community in Mumbai. Apart from its Andheri store, Queer Ink also has an active presence online (www.queer-ink.com). With an enormous collection of books, from the profound to the frivolous, from the liberating to the indulgent, Queer Ink is the place to head to just in case you are having a literary craving for all things queer. Apart from retailing books, Queer Ink also has DVDs, art and merchandise.

Opened by Andheri resident Shobhna Kumar, who has been actively involved in the LGBT community in India, Queer Ink stocks over 500 books on the topic. Talking about the inspiration behind opening a queer-friendly bookstore Kumar says, "Very often people, who walk around with a queer book tucked under their arm in popular bookstores, receive curious stares from the staff as though they have committed a crime-of-sorts. This is my way of offering people, especially from the LGBT community, a space where they can openly read queer books and understand more about the community."

While the bookstore is a popular place for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, Queer Ink has also caught the attention of students and parents, who would want to know more about the topic. Kumar admits, "I get a huge mix of requests from people. Parents who want to understand the LGBT community better have also been sending in queries, which we are happy to answer." Touted as the friendly, non-judgemental space, Queer Ink does not just restrict itself to showcasing the works of authors from the LGBT community, "Anybody can write as long as they use the platform to showcase Indian LGBT content," adds Kumar.

While people living in the neighbourhood can pay a visit to the store, the major chunk of Queer Ink's transactions and interaction happen online. "We have people across the country and various parts of the globe writing in to us with queries and ordering our books," quips Kumar. When she set out to collate resources for the bookstore, Kumar discovered that there was not enough matter on the subject. That prompted her to plunge into publishing. While Queer Ink has published Out! Stories From The New Queer India, Kumar candidly admits that editing queer content can be challenging at times. "The writer tries to communicate with the reader through his written words. The sub-edited text needs to carry the essence of his words, which cannot be lost in the editing process. Hence the challenge is to rope in a person who knows queer language or is willing to learn it."

A fine example of how independent bookstore should be, at Queer Ink people can sit down, relax and read books, and also have a dialogue with like-minded people without feeling embarrassed or guilty. "Queer Ink lets me be free, express myself in a safe atmosphere without leaving embarrassed. I can read books at leisure without accusing stares from the store staff. It was high time we had a bookstore dedicated to the queer community," says Andheri resident Ryan Fernandes*.

"People are encouraged to talk and share their experiences. When a person comes out of the closet, they usually feel lonely. This space will let them talk and open up," she adds. Once a while Queer Ink also hosts support group meetings at the bookstore where dialogues are encouraged in a friendly atmosphere.

*Name changed on request

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