Jay Sennett, founder of Homofactus Press, speaks on Transgender Day of Remembrance

Jay Sennett was asked to speak at this year’s Transgender Day of Rememberance, sponsored and organized by University of Michigan’s Spectrum Center.

Here is his speech:

Homofactus Press recently published Kicked Out, edited by Sassafras Lowrey. This anthology includes a powerful introduction by Judy Shepard. See the photography from the book here.

Kicked Out explores and redefines the what the expressions “kicked out” and “homeless” actually mean for LGBTQ people. Sennett, the creator of Self-Organizing Men, elaborated this theme in his speech:

If your parents don’t want you to bring your partner home, that’s a form of being kicked out.

If you have friends and family who still can’t get your pronouns right, that’s a form of being kicked out.

If you’re not comfortable being out on the job, that’s a form of being kicked out.

Please offer your insights and reviews of Kicked Out here and here.

You can help to educate your local community through donating a copy of Kicked Out to your local or school library, or making a request to the library system to purchase this book.

The Lezzys

The Lesbian Lifestyle will be hosting The Lezzys. What are those, you ask?

Beginning in 2006 TLL began to award The TLL Lesbian Blog of the Year Award. This award was created to showcase the best of the best in lesbian blogging. In 2009 TLL added more categories and a new and improved nomination and voting system. The awards were also renamed The Lezzys. The awards have been a great way to spotlight the best of the best in lesbian blogs and to introduce new blogs written by lesbian authors.

In March, TLL will announce the 2010 winners. In the meantime, you can see the winners of 2009.

Among the 2009 winners was a Femmethology contributor, Sinclair Sexsmith:

This is Sugarbutch’s 3rd Lezzy Award! Sinclair has a way with the ladies and the devout following to prove it. She is a chivalrous kinky queer butch top, feminist, gender theorist, sex educator, activist, and writer in New York City. Sugarbutch Chronicles is a personal writing exploration of sex, gender, and relationships, and attempts to celebrate queer theory, sexuality, gender, culture, and identity in ways that are expansive rather than restrictive, liberating rather than limiting.

Sugarbutch Chronicles was also the runner-up for the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Is your blog on the largest lesbian blogroll? Follow the link to submit your blog.

Homofactus Press makes history again with _Kicked Out_ in 2010

Kicked Out has been mentioned as one of the best queer books of 2010!

From the Kicked Out website of editor Sassafras Lowrey:

The site Band of Thebes has with the help of 80 LGBT authors named their top queer books for the year 2010.

I’m thrilled to announce that Kicked Out made that list, and that it was selected by Kate Bornstein as her favorite queer book of the year!

Kicked Out was collected and edited by Sassafras Lowrey with an amazing forward by Judy Shepard. I provided final edits and production. You can purchase it here.

Congrats to contributors included in _Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex_

Maria See, Jen Cross and Sinclair Sexsmith were included in Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel.

From The Lusty Lady:

I’m working on events and other promotions for Gotta Have It, and yes, there will be postcards for the cat lovers! This is my biggest book yet, with 69 stories, and I’m so excited to work with so many new and talented authors from around the world (Scotland, UK, Australia, Canada).

Gotta Have It: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex is edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, and will be published by Cleis Press in February 2011. It is available for pre-order on Amazon.com (other ordering links TK).

Update on Femmethology contributor Katrina Fox

Femmethology contributor Katrina Fox is now editor-in-chief of The Scavenger, a monthly online magazine for alternative, progressive news, features and commentary. Sections include feminism and pop culture; media and technology; health; social justice; sex, gender and sexuality diversity; arts; plus books, DVDs and music.

Katrina emphasizes that she is always on the lookout for contributors. *hint, hint* She can be reach at info@katrinafox.com.

Katrina published “Once a Femme, Always a Femme,” in Volume 1 of Femmethology.

From Katrina’s bio at The Scavenger:

Her work has appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, the ABC’s The Drum Unleashed, Yen, Cleo, Natural Health & Vegetarian Life, Mindfood, Slimming & Health and Time Out London, among many others.

She has also written extensively for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, sex/gender diverse, queer press internationally, including Diva, Curve, SX and was the launch editor of Cherrie magazine.

Katrina is the editor of several books on topics as diverse as sex and gender identity, hypnosis and self-help, and is a human and animal rights advocate.

Katrina’s books are available at Amazon: Trans People in Love and
Trans-X-U-All: The Naked Difference.