Gay’s The Word

Specialties

London’s independent LGBT book specialist, offering a wide choice of gay books and film that goes well beyond the mainstream. With friendly, helpful staff, the shop has a genuine community atmosphere and hosts regular book events and discussion groups.

The author Armistead Maupin describes GTW as ‘the fountainhead of queer literature in Britain.

Truly a fine example of how an independent bookshop should be’ — Time Out

’It’s not just a bookshop, but the hub and affirmation of a whole community’ — Sarah Waters

History

Established in 1979.

Gay’s The Word is the UK’s pioneering first (and is today the last surviving) lesbian and gay bookshop.

Located at 66 Marchmont Street in the Bloomsbury district of London, Gay’s The Word is the only specifically lesbian and gay bookstore in the UK. 2013 marks the 34^th anniversary of the founding of the store, which first opened its doors on 17 January 1979. Inspired by the emergence and growth of lesbian and gay bookstores in the States, a small group of people from Gay Icebreakers, a gay socialist group founded the shop in 1979.

Located in the historic Bloomsbury district of London, we stock an enormous range of books; from the profound to the frivolous, from the liberating to the indulgent.

Our fiction ranges from prize-​winning literary works through to crime, romance and erotic fiction. Our non-​fiction covers a wide range of issues from cutting-​edge queer theory through to how to tell your mother you are gay.

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Gay’s The Word says,

«Fantastic organic food — great range of health products — helpful staff.»