Book Club: Queer African Reads

Reviewer: Mercy Kariuki, Bookstagrammers and book club convener

Book Reading: Ezili's Mirrors by Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley

I have loved reading my entire life. As with most other people, my initial interest in books primarily focused on western and classic writing. This has changed over time, and my interests now lie in African authors and queer authors, as well as writings by people of colour generally. My passion led me to create an Instagram page, @queerafricanreads, to document my reading journey.

The Queer African reads Book Club was started around June of 2020 by a handful of people, and has grown quite a bit since then. The idea behind the book club was to have a safe space where members of the queer community in Kenya and the larger East African region can come together weekly to discuss books and short stories with queer themes or by queer authors.

Getting members has been a slow process, but we do prefer to keep our numbers small. Currently we have about 20 members.

We meet online every Tuesday night to discuss a short story. On the last Tuesday of the month the members discuss the book that we have been reading throughout the month.

Our primary focus is on queer authors and themes. Sometimes, we also read short stories on any topic by African authors.

Our current read is Ezili's Mirrors by Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley. It explores the Haitian practice of Vodun and the various ways in which queer women are placed front and centre in that religious practice. The book has been a great place for book club members to see that not all religions reject or even persecute queer people, and that religious practice can peacefully coexist with one's gender and sexual identity, regardless of what that identity is.

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