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PARADISE PRESS
fine writing by lesbians and gay men |
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IN PRINT First and Fiftieth and other stories Martin Foreman A Little Chat and other stories Michael Harth Merle Elsa Wallace A New Man in Old Steine Graham Robertson The Physent and other stories Michael Harth The Picnic and other stories Michael Harth Queer Haunts an anthology of ghost stories Rid England of This Plague Rex Batten A Sense of Loss and other stories Martin Foreman A Short History of Lord Hyaena Elsa Wallace Slivers of Silver poems by gay men and women Weekend Martin Foreman FORTHCOMING Parable With Foreskin And Redheads Ian Stewart OUT OF PRINT Cocksuckery Ian Stewart 
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UK Equalities Minister Presents Cultural Award to Kyrzygstan LBT Group 
London, 16 May 2009 UK Equalities Minister, Maria Eagle today assisted with the long-delayed presentation of the 2006 Sappho in Paradise Book Prize. Awarded to Labrys LBT group in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan for their outstanding work in publishing the ground-breaking Labrys LBT magazine (which has since evolved into a website), an actual handover ceremony of the annual Book Prize, announced in 2006, had not been feasible until today. The formal conferring of the yearly-presented Diploma and a signed, First Edition book from the British Paradise Press LGBT publishing collective had been delayed by both distance, and the significant difficulties faced by Kyrgyz lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people. Labrys' magazine and kyrgyzlabrys.wordpress.com website voice this rarely heard community of a faraway people, living in the mountainous Eastern reaches of the former Soviet Union. After considerable attempts to make the usual 'in person' presentation of the 2006 award, through communication with the Kyrgyz recipients, a presentation was settled for today's major Faith, Homophobia, Transphobia and Human Rights Conference, taking place in London. Internationally recognised Muslim and Christian scholars, theologians, the lay public, and panels of reputable speakers, including Trevor Philips, Chair of the UK Equalities and Human Rights Commission, came together at the conference to review progress and discuss future steps in British equality legislation, which can advance anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. From the conference podium, International Lesbian and Gay Cultural Network Secretary General for Literature Ian Stewart called upon the kind offices of Equalities Minister Maria Eagle to formally confer the Book Prize before some 200 delegates. In reading the diploma citation from the podium to the packed convention's morning plenary session, Minister Eagle's naming of the Labrys LBT group resulted in a spontaneous eruption of cheers and sustained applause from the assembled delegates, for such a duration of time that the Minister movingly arranged first the diploma, and then the prize First Edition book, a copy of British gay author Paul Mann's Paradise Press novel, 'Nailing Frank,' displayed together in front of her, during the continued cheers and clapping. Ian Stewart commented, "I was standing on the platform behind the Minister, and when she named the Kyrgyz Labrys LBT group this massive hallful of people just erupted into this huge, noisy, and continuing expression of support. It was deeply moving to see the beaming faces and goodwill of the many excited delegates, applauding and cheering the efforts of Kyrgyz lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people. I am sure that this vivid experience of LGBT self-empowerment will remain with Minister Eagle for a long time as a powerful experience of her tenure in the British Cabinet; and I hope that Kyrgyz LBT people can view the conference podcast to see it too." --Background-- The Sappho in Paradise Book Prize The Sappho in Paradise Book Prize is conferred annually by the International Lesbian and Gay Cultural Network (ILGCN), a worldwide voluntary association of lesbian and gay cultural workers. The ILGCN is a zero-budget organisation, founded in 1992 at the Paris World Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). The cultural network seeks to broaden access to lesbian and gay culture across national borders, through a busy programme of international awards, exhibitions, conferences and artists' visits. An Information Secretariat in Stockholm regularly issues newsletters, media releases, and maintains a website (www.ilgcn.tupilak.org) where past issues of Erato, the network's publication, detail the many activities undertaken over the years. In 1997 Britain's longstanding Gay Authors Workshop set-up Paradise Press as an LGBT publishing collective. Relying upon volunteer effort, Paradise Press has built a noteworthy community presence through book sales, reviews, public readings, several standing-room-only launch events, and a website. Paradise Press often hosts workshops for LGBT History Month, London Pride Festival Fortnight, and the International Day Against Homophobia. Titles currently in pre-production include the second nationwide Paradise Press LGBT story and poetry anthologies, to be launched in 2009/2010. Paradise Press participates internationally through the ILGCN Sappho in Paradise Book Prize. The Book Prize is awarded to deserving groups or individuals who forward the lesbian or gay written word. Recipients receive a diploma and a signed, first edition Paradise Press book, which are formally presented to them in person. Previous recipients are: 2002 - 'Nash Mir' ('Our World') Magazine, Ukraine 2003 - Tallinn Rainbow Library, Estonia 2004 - Atena Press, Latvia, and Gay's the Word Bookshop, UK 2005 - Gays & Lesbians of Zimbabwe Resource Centre, Zimbabwe 2006 - Labrys LBT Magazine, Kyrgyzstan, and Normal Publishing Collective, Sweden 2007 - Riga Rainbow Library, Latvia and Kaos Magazine, Turkey 2008 - Gay Rights Uganda Website, Uganda Presentation ceremonies have taken place in various countries, including the UK. Note that the May 16, 2009 presentation to the Kyrgyz Labrys LBT group represents the handover of a Sappho in Paradise award which was announced in 2006 (we also have yet to convene a handover for the 2007 Turkish Kaos Magazine recipients). Press releases and photos of the presentation ceremony typically draw web and print coverage in LGBT and mainstream media worldwide. |
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