Queer Print Cultures – Resistance, Subversion, and Community

Queer Print Cultures explores the intersections of queer studies, book history, and visual culture, challenging traditional narratives about printed objects and their cultural significance. This collection of essays examines how printed materials illuminate histories of gendered and sexual embodiment, revealing the complex interactions between texts, their creators, and their readers.

With essays from scholars, librarians, archivists, and activists, the volume amplifies voices often excluded from mainstream discussions, focusing on individuals marginalized by gender, sexuality, race, and class. Contributors investigate how queer communities have utilized various forms of media – from science fiction and romance novels to zines and social media – to articulate queer identities and navigate questions of kinship and citizenship.

In a time when expressions of identity are becoming increasingly diverse, Queer Print Cultures serves as an essential resource on the transformative power of print in shaping queer experiences and resisting societal norms.

Javier Samper Vendrell is an assistant professor of German and core faculty in the Program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
Vance Byrd is a Presidential Associate Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Pennsylvania.