Siobhan Fredericks' review of Our Lady of the Flowers, from Turnabout No. 2 (October 1963) This latest U.S. publication from the works of Jean Genet, one of France's most powerful writers, was recommended to me by a transvestite friend as being "straight TV from beginning to end." My TV friend should have known better. Like City of Night, this novel portrays the life of the homosexual prostitute but it has nothing in it of transvestic interest. Unlike Reichy's (sic) book, it is important as literature. The "Our Lady" of the title is a member of the demimonde of gay homosexuals whom Genet knew intimately. While "Our Lady" lives most of the time either in "drag" or in highly effeminate male clothing, this is merely a convenience, an affectation, a trick of "the trade," and possibly a symbol of his status among homosexuals. There is no description of clothing per se, none of the cataloguing of feminine wear, none of the insight into the feelings of a transvestite which would be characteristic of a novel devoted to transvestism. I seriously doubt if Jean Genet (or my TV friend, for that matter) knows what a real transvestite is. In Genet's case, he couldn't care less.

could i interest you in siobhan fredericks' "jean genet obviously has no idea about transvestites" review of our lady of the flowers from 1963?

YES YOU CAN interest me in this, omg. “It has nothing in it of tranvestic interest” we need to start using this line

Ok I want this to be the year I read my first Genet and Pynchon but don’t know where to start with either; suggestions welcome!

I need my humors balanced, if you know what I mean

Have we considered that bloodletting was less of serious medical practice and more of like, a pervert thing? lol

It’s like, 75% the best job, 25% the worst job lol

Except for me, I understand it all perfectly

Praya dubia - Wikipedia

They specifically meant Praya dubia and said they were “really scary” while smiling :) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praya_d...

A kid at work told me they’re an “animal researcher” and that their favorite animal is SIPHONOPHORES??? Perfect answer, almost started crying on the spot

Screenshot of Metonymy’s website

There is actually both a PDF version AND a bundle option! metonymypress.com/products/sha...

Also I was just thinking about you because I had an eye exam and all of their glasses options sucked total shit

Cat, what they cut from this piece is how may times every single one of us pointed to Little Puss as our model and inspiration <3

LS: I think hope can be kind of a cheesy word, but I’m thinking of the Mariam Kaba quote that “hope is a discipline.” When I think about that in terms of my personal writing and in terms of Lilac Peril, I think putting your energy into a long-term publication project like this is a practice of hope, because you have to believe there will be a future where this book exists, or this magazine exists. It’s investing in the belief that there is a tomorrow, there is a world after this. AC: I agree entirely that it’s a discipline, it’s work. It’s showing up again and again to make something you believe in, and hope other people will believe in.

Luke Sutherland and Aris Cumara:

A graphic with an illustration of a woman raising a whip by Aubrey Beardsley. The text reads: Lilac Peril presents: writing the trans erotic. Sunday, April 5 at 1:00 PM. Rhizome DC. A free writing workshop with Lucie Fielding. 18+only.

April's workshop is coming up QUICK, and it's a good one...

WRITING THE TRANS EROTIC
with Lucie Fielding ( @sexbeyondbinaries.bsky.social )
Sunday, April 5 at 1 PM EST
Rhizome DC | 6950 Maple St NW, Washington, DC 20012

*** 18 + ONLY ***

Two books laid side by side

If you’ve been on our webstore recently, you may have noticed something: our first book, Issue 00 is available again!

lilacperil.bigcartel.com/product/issu...

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees - Patrick Horvath

13. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees - Patrick Horvath

Loved working on this story with @ruecodey.bsky.social ❤️‍🔥 I’m super proud of the issue the smoke + mold team put together. smokeandmold.net/issue-13-spr...

Anemone ISSUE 13ANEMONEPABLO V. CAZARESADDA FARCUSFARIHACRYSTAL ODELLECODY SOOYT.R. STEELEJACKIE VONDROSS Anemone lives in Washington, DC, where she is currently working on a sci-fi novella about the end o…

My latest short story, “Kraken,” is finally out from smoke and mold. It’s gross, it’s sad, it’s basically tentacle porn, and it’s the best short story I’ve written so far. Check it out here: smokeandmold.net/issue-13-spr...

This happening in dc is extra funny, a city where one could easily meet 42 trans people at the Petworth farmer’s market alone

Splice 😅

I’m going to butcher the details, but there’s this interesting story in Syr Hayati Beker’s “What a Fish Looks Like” where people spice their dna with that of endangered species. Decidedly not cozy though lol

Why do gay guys make that face. You know the ine

Another day at the Candy Darling factory

Cover of the book Cannon by Lee Lai

12. Cannon - Lee Lai

Cover of the body riddle by Sam K Mackinnon

11. The Body Riddle - Sam K Mackinnon

(Read for a review)

Too Afraid to Leave Home: ICE’s Toll on Latino HIV Care Operation Metro Surge is leading some Latinos to delay or cancel HIV prevention or treatment appointments.

NEW: In Minneapolis, @cameronoakes.bsky.social and Sam Donndelinger report, ICE’s Operation Metro Surge is preventing Latino patients from accessing HIV care. This story was produced in collaboration with @unclosetedmedia.bsky.social, an investigative LGBTQ-focused nonprofit news publication.

Shadow the Hedgehog and Bobby Hill witb shotguns

I have never needed a 2XL t-shirt with a specific image on it more in my life

Art: "War is not healthy for children and other living things."

Lorraine Schneider, 1967.

Book cover for girls against god by Jenny Hval

10. Girls Against God - Jenny Hval

A graphic with a yellow background and a drawing of an anatomical heart. The text reads: Lilac Peril presents CREATING CHARACTERS FROM THE BODY Rhizome DC Sunday, March 15 at 11:00 AM a free trans writing workshop with BENNY PETERSON

A graphic with a yellow background and an anatomical drawing of a brain slice. The text reads: Workshop topic: CREATING CHARACTERS FROM THE BODY In fiction, we talk about very vivid characters as feeling "embodied" - through some mysterious creative alchemy, these words on a page take on a form that feels corporeal. As writers, how do we create characters that feel so real we can almost touch them, hear them, smell them? And what can we learn from our own experiences being a body in the world that we can then translate into an imaginary character's bodily experiences? In this workshop, we will read and discuss some examples of character-development to understand how writers create embodied characters. Well also do some somatic exercises to help us think about what physical reality actually "feels" like in our own bodies and how we can evoke that sensation through words. And we'll do some writing exercises to work on conveying that felt reality on the page. It will help to have a character in mind for this workshop- either one you've already written about, or one you're hoping to write about. But there will also be space for creating a character during the workshop, if you don't have one already in mind.

MARCH WORKSHOP!

We’ll be writing IN-PERSON with Benny Peterson on Sunday, March 15 at Rhizome DC 🧠🧠🧠