Too Queer to Print: Why Queer and Trans Zines Still Matter
📅 Monday 14th September
📍 Common Press, Dalston
⏰ Doors 6:00 PM, start 6:30 PM, 90 min
🎟 Free Entry
♿ Step-free access. Accessible toilet facilities available next doors*
⚠️⚠️⚠️ IMPORTANT ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Plans changed? Let us know or cancel your ticket. No-shows aren’t sexy and stop others from joining. Repeat no-shows won’t get future bookings.
Ever wondered why paper and staples still hold so much radical power? Join facilitator Morgan and three trans and queer zine-makers as we dive into the wild history and ongoing power of DIY publishing - from '80s queercore to present-day resistance!
We'll kick off by tracing the history of queer zine-making - from Bruce LaBruce’s iconic queercore JDs in the 1980s to 1990s touchstones like Gendertrash From Hell. We'll explore how self-published print culture has been crucial not only for building radical community, but for documenting our collective histories when mainstream platforms left us out.
Following this historical intro, our panel of trans and queer zine-makers will share their personal journeys in DIY publishing, discuss why zines continue to hold such a vital place in queer and trans culture, and offer practical, hands-on tips on how to create, print, and distribute your own zines. We’ll finish with an open Q&A session so you can ask all your burning self-publishing questions.
Plus, this event serves as the official launch for The Love Tank’s brand-new Trans Migrant Zine - and free physical copies will be available for everyone who attends! Whether you’re an experienced maker, an aspiring self-publisher, or simply curious about queer print history, come along, connect, and get inspired.
This event is part of Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest and Love Hub – two festivals collaborating to create one big queer East London celebration from 11th - 20th September.
📽 Explore the full Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest programme here
🌈 Discover the full Love Hub programme here
*Accessibility Note on Toilet Facilities: The Common Press Dalston is a newly acquired venue, and the team is working hard to install a fully accessible toilet on-site very soon! In the meantime, fully accessible toilet facilities are available next door, and venue staff will be on hand to assist and direct you.
Our House Rules (and Why They Matter)
The Love Hub is brought to you by The Love Tank, a non-profit organisation promoting the health and well-being of underserved communities.
We’re a lived experience organisation: we’re queer, pro-trans, and believe that migrants make our worlds richer and more joyful. We’re proudly anti-racist and believe access to health care - including abortion - is a human right. We stand for bodily autonomy, including reproductive justice, the decriminalisation of drug use and sex work, and access to gender-affirming care.
A lot of our work focuses on sexual health, so please expect conversations that include sex and sexual well-being.
If you’ve just discovered The Love Tank and are thinking of booking a Love Hub ticket, but find our values challenging, this is a great moment to ask yourself: “Is this space right for me?”
Some sessions will have an official photographer present. If you do not wish to be photographed, please let us know when you arrive at a session. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, photography, video, or audio recording of panel members or audience members is not permitted. Anyone who records or photographs without consent will be asked to leave the session.
Our events are fun, joyful, and supportive. It takes courage for presenters and facilitators to get up and share their work, so please be respectful: clap in the right places, don’t heckle, and help create a welcoming environment. If our values don’t align with yours, that’s okay - please don’t attend. We won’t mind.
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About our FREE events
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💜 To make sure as many people as possible can attend, we ask that you cancel your ticket if you can no longer make it. Failing to show up without prior cancellation takes a spot from someone else and wastes resources, including food and venue costs. We track attendance, and individuals who miss three events without cancelling will be unable to register for our future events. Please be considerate and let us know if you can’t attend.
💜 To ensure a smooth and respectful experience for everyone, please arrive on time. Our events are not drop-in sessions, meaning attendees must arrive at the start time and stay for the duration. We allow a 10-minute grace period for late arrivals - after that, entry will not be permitted as it can be disruptive to the group. Additionally, the entrance is not monitored after the grace period, so there will be no one available to let latecomers in. The event hours are clearly stated in the description, so please plan accordingly. Thank you for understanding and helping us create a welcoming space for all!
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