Panelgesprek met de Lesbische Leesclub: queer representatie in fantasy
Panel Discussion: Les-bi-queer Representation in Fantasy Literature
Date and Time:Saturday, June 29 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PMDoors open at 10:00 AM | Panel starts at 10:30 AM | Book signing and networking at 11:30 AM | Event ends at 12:00 PM
Location:Broese Bookstore, Utrecht
Event Details: In honor of Pride Month, Broese and the Lesbische Leesclub are hosting a panel discussion on Saturday, June 29, about queer relationships in Dutch literature, focusing on why there's a lack of representation in the popular fantasy genre.
Discussion Topic:Les-bi-queer Representation in Fantasy
Fantasy is a beloved genre, from classics like "Lord of the Rings" to contemporary favorites like Sarah J. Maas’s books. However, when it comes to fantasy novels with 'women love women' storylines, the selection becomes much smaller. Given the limitless possibilities of fantasy worlds, why is heteronormativity still so prevalent?
Panelists:
- Moderator: Sarah Herforth from the Lesbische Leesclub
- Authors: Nadine Swagerman, Jennifer Wagemans
- BookTokker: Billy Rouwenhorst (@thereadingcowgirl)
Discussion Points:
- Barriers for authors writing and publishing les-bi-queer fantasy
- The state of les-bi-queer fantasy in the Netherlands and abroad
- Examples of existing les-bi-queer fantasy books
Admission: Free
How to Register:If you're interested in attending, please register by sending an email to klantenservice@broese.nl.
About the Speakers:
Sarah HerforthSarah is one of the founders of the Lesbische Leesclub, an initiative for and by lesbian and queer women and genderqueer individuals. They organize book discussions and other events around books with 'women love women' storylines, covering a variety of genres from fantasy to historical novels.
Nadine Swagerman (1988)Nadine debuted in 2018 with "Eén waarheid," winning the Jonge Jury Debuutprijs. Her other books include "Wat we niet zeggen," "Aan de andere kant van geluk," and "Maar ik ben jou niet." Her latest book, "De helft van mij," was released in late May. Nadine is an ambassador for Uitgeverij Kluitman’s JIJ DOET ERTOE line, advocating for queer representation and diversity in YA books.
Jennifer Wagemans (1996)Jennifer began writing fairy tales on a floppydisk at her grandparents' house, then moved to short stories on a typewriter, and eventually to entire books on a laptop. She has published a YA urban fantasy series (De Legendes van Pendar), a short feel-good story (Losgeweekt), and has many manuscripts awaiting enthusiastic publishers. Jennifer enjoys buying books, obscure Efteling facts, reading, writing, and weekly reorganizing her ceiling-high bookshelf (in that order).
Billy RouwenhorstBilly (they/she) has been active in the online book community since 2017. Besides working in education, they focus on their platforms on diversity, particularly queer books. Billy loves all genres but has a special passion for fantasy and a good fake-dating story.
Join us for an insightful and engaging discussion about the representation of les-bi-queer relationships in fantasy literature.
See you there!